Table 3.-IMPORTS of Principal Articles through Tampico during the Years 1907-09.

Table 4.-RETURN of Shipping of all Nationalities which Entered and Cleared in the Foreign Trade of the Port of Tampico during the Fiscal Year 1908-09.

Table 5.-RETURN of British Shipping which Entered and Cleared in the Foreign Trade of the Port of Tampico during the Year 1909.

MONTERREY.

Mr. Vice-Consul J. B. Sanford reports as follows:

The year 1909 was a disastrous year for Monterrey and the surrounding district. In July, owing to the heavy rains, the river overflowed its banks doing a great deal of damage and causing some loss of life. In August the river again overflowed and caused a flood of unprecedented magnitude, the damage to property being estimated at more than 200,000l. and the estimates of the number of lives lost ranging from 1,000 to 5,000. In the same month two of the largest business houses were totally destroyed by fire, the loss amounting to 65,000l., which was fully covered by British insurance companies.

Owing to the above causes and the continued low prices of silver, lead and zinc, business was very bad. An improvement is now noticeable and better conditions are predicted for next year.

New industries.-The Monterrey glass works, which have been closed down for several years, are being rebuilt and machinery for automatically blowing bottles is being installed. This machinery is of United States manufacture.

A company (Cia. Yesera de Monterrey, S.A.) has been formed to manufacture plaster of Paris, British, Mexican and United States capital being interested. It is proposed to work some large gypsum deposits situated near the station of Los Muertos on the National Railway of Mexico.

Public works. The city government has definitely decided to asphalt the streets of the city of Monterrey, and it is understood that a contract has already been made with local parties to carry out the work.

The Monterrey Railway, Light and Power Company by arrangement with the City Council are about to lay 3 kiloms. (15 furlongs) of underground cable to supply light and power in the main business portion of the city. This company is now engaged in remodelling their plant and are installing five steam turbo generators of 500 kilowatts each, which will supply power for their lighting service, the electric tramways and to a number of factories, foundries, &c.

As a direct result of the floods and fire there is great activity in the building trades, there being more new buildings in course of construction in Monterrey at the present time than for many years. It is noticeable that the architecture and construction of the new buildings show a great advance over the buildings which were destroyed.

Mining and smelting.-Mining operations were very small during 1909. The low prices of metals making the companies extremely careful. A slight improvement in the price of zinc helped the mining companies in the Lampazos district. The Monterrey smelters continued working, but not to their full capacity. The smelter of the Cia. Minera, Fundidora y Afinadora "Monterrey " was damaged to some extent by the flood, but the damage was quickly repaired after a shut-down of only a few weeks.

Agriculture suffered greatly by the flood, many haciendas losing their most fertile fields by having them covered with sand and stones. The American Red Cross Society distributed seed-corn to the small farmers.

SALTILLO.

Mr. Vice-Consul Lynch reports as follows:

Generally speaking there has been some revival in business in this part of the Republic and the prospects for the next 12 months are more encouraging. Money has become abundant, and rates of interest for loans and discounts have lowered to 7 and 8 per cent. per annum. For the same reason the rates previously obtained by depositors are now correspondingly smaller. As a consequence there has been a strong tendency to invest in stocks and shares, which have accordingly reached a very high level.

Agriculture.-Agricultural interests and enterprises have continued under unfavourable conditions owing to absence of rains. The whole country has undergone a prolonged dry spell.

The cotton crop of the season just passed has been satisfactory in some parts, while other planters were unable to sow owing to nonirrigation. The price for the staple has been unusually good, reaching as high as 36 c. (9d.) per lb. on the estate. The principal cotton-growing district is the "Laguna" district of the State. A large acreage is being sown just now, and the crop for next season promises to be more abundant.

Foreign wheat continues to be imported under a reduced rate of duty, the native production having failed through want of rain.

Coal. From the coal district in this State more favourable reports are obtained as to output and consumption. A more satisfactory quality of coke is being produced which finds a ready sale to the smelting plants established in this part of the country. In a word, coal mining in the State of Coahuila is at present proceeding under very good auspices.

Mining. With the continued low prices for such metals as are produced in this Vice-Consular district (silver, copper, lead and zinc) the results of many mining enterprises have not been as prosperous as in previous years. Still, by the introduction of more economical systems of working the majority of mining companies have been able to maintain satisfactory returns for their shareholders.

There is still complaint on the part of merchants as to slow business movement, and orders are only placed on a decidedly restricted plan.

Guayule. From all information obtainable the different establishments in this district for the production of rubber from the guayule shrub are now working very prosperously owing to better market price for this product. The supply of shrub seems likely to last satisfactorily for some time ahead.

Candelilla. In the concluding paragraph of my last year's report (Annual Series No. 4215, page 13) I made mention of certain attempts to produce vegetable wax from the candelilla shrub, which grows wild in certain sections of this State. From all appearances the commercial success of these attempts to extract wax from the candelilla plant has not been gratifying.

New industries. In the way of new enterprise in this district I may mention the more serious consideration which is now being given to the establishment of one or more plants for the local treatment of zinc ores. Previously these ores, which continue to be

mined extensively, were exported to the United States when containing over 35 per cent. zinc, but during last year a practically prohibitive import duty was imposed by the United States Government in response to the representations of the zinc miners of the Western States. Since then shipments of such ores are being sent from this country to Belgium and Germany; but it is now intended to provide a means to smelt this class of ore locally. A committee is being formed to prepare a report on the possible success of such an undertaking.