amounted to 1,858,000l. and 1,946,000l. in the years 1908 and 1909 respectively. The Netherlands consumed the following amounts of sugar during 1909 Coffee. The trade in Java sorts during 1909 was not very satisfactory. Although prices were rising, the production was poor in quality and limited in quantity so that large transactions were not possible. The quantity of Government-grown coffee placed on the market in three auctions during 1909 by the Netherlands Trading Company was 28,021 bales below the figures for the preceding year. Only two auctions will be held in the Netherlands in 1910, one at Amsterdam and the other at Rotterdam, at which about 30,000 piculs will be sold, and half this quantity will be sold at Batavia. The total sales of East Indian coffee by public auction in Amsterdam in 1909 amounted to 157,145 bales and 1,623 cases, and the figures for the preceding years were 238,000, 269,000 and 299,000 bales. The cultivation of Liberian coffee in Java shows no progress. The imports and sales in the Netherlands in 1909 amounted to 37,508 bales; the figure has gradually declined from 82,200 bales in 1905. The prospects for the coming year are not bright, as the Java crop is estimated at only 160,000 piculs from private estates and 33,000 piculs from Government estates, as compared with 350,000 and 82,000 piculs respectively in 1908. The bulk of the coffee coming to this market is of Brazilian origin. Some supplies come from Venezuela and Central America; the latter, however, is imported indirectly. The sales at Amsterdam at 15 auctions were : Of which the following quantities were bought at Amsterdam : The average price during the whole year was 38 c. per lb. as compared with 37 c. in 1908 and 41 c. in 1907; 441 half-cases were imported from China into Amsterdam and put up for auction. Cocoa.-The imports at Amsterdam from Java were : The stocks at first hand at the end of the year were 2,700 bales. Java cinchona bark.-The past year has not been favourable for this article. The large supplies kept prices very low and many plantations must have worked at a loss. And the sales, private and by auction, were as follows: 8,970,019 containing 488,154 sulphate of quinine 7,580,172 Of the bark sold by auction 6,542,488 kilos. were manufacturers' bark containing 411,437 kilos. sulphate of quinine and 1,049,764 kilos. were pharmaceutical bark containing 36,355 kilos. sulphate of quinine. The average price per unit of sulphate of quinine in a manufacturers' bark was 3 37 c. in 1908 and 3 06 c. in 1909. The various kinds of bark sold were as follows: kilo. of The total shipments from Java in 1909 were 7,745,000 kilos. as compared with 7,838,500 kilos. in 1908. The sulphate of quinine of the Amsterdam quinine works fell in price from 14 to 13 fl. for Edition II, and from 18 to 173 f. for Edition IV. The works sold, in 21 auctions, 27,641 kilos. at an average price of 10 fl. 66 c. for Edition II per kilo. (8s. Old. per lb.). Java indigo.-The stock of 179 cases which had remained over from 1908 was sold at low prices in the beginning of the year, but the small arrivals of the new crop and prospect of a scarcity of superior red quality soon caused prices to rise, and, owng to a steady demand during the year, prices remained high. The whole first hand stock was disposed of. The average prices were as follows: Per Lb. 5 3 to 5 4 4 11 50 The statistics for the last five years are as follows: Grains.-Imports of grain, seeds, &c., at Amsterdam and Zaandam Hides.-The imports and sales of ox and buffalo-hides at Amsterdam in 1909 were as follows: The imports at Amsterdam of East Indian ox and buffalo-hides during the last three years were as follows: - The abolition of the import duty on hides in the United States has greatly stimulated the importation from the Continent. In consequence of the active demand from America prices rose during the greater part of the year, much to the satisfaction of Dutch sellers. Tin-The Netherlands Trading Company sold at six auctions in 1909 347,341 blocks of Banka tin, at the average price of 832 fl. as compared with 334,494 blocks in 1908 at an average price of 81 fl. per 50 kilos. The turnover of Billiton was limited. The production from May, 1908-09 was 66,685 piculs as compared with 66,491 piculs in 1907-08. The quantity in transit and in stock at Batavia at the end of December was 5,500 blocks. The unsold stock on December 31, 1909, in the Netherlands was 60,031 blocks, as compared with 45,095 blocks in 1907 and 60,430 blocks in 1908. Kapok. The stock at Amsterdam on January 1, 1909, was 14.729 bales of cleaned kapok. The imports during 1909 at Amsterdam were as follows: The sales at Amsterdam in 1909 were as follows: The stock of cleaned kapok at Amsterdam on January 1, 1910. was 13,274 bales. Kapok prices at the end of 1909 per kilo. were as follows: Textile industry.-The weaving industry in the Netherlands dates from the year 1852, when the first mill was erected in the Twenthe district in the province of Overyssel. From that date until 1874 the Dutch mills enjoyed protection in the Dutch colonies, and when in the latter year protection was withdrawn and a uniform duty of 6 per cent. was imposed on the importation of all cottons, the Dutch manufacturers had acquired so much skill and confidence that they were able to resist competition. At present the number of spindles in the Netherlands amounts to 465,964. The exports during 1908 were as follows: Cotton yarn The total value of the trade is about 2,000,000. Lbs. 16,027,000 3,616,000 581,000 64,693,000 7,722,000 3,938,000 A new branch of industry has been established recently at Hengelo, viz., the manufacture of velveteen, called Utrecht velveteen, but it is proceeding slowly on account of competition at home and abroad. The manufacturers are endeavouring to manufacture the best qualities of velvet. |