COMMERCE

1077

The values of the leading articles of import 'and export in the last two years svere (in thousands of guilders, 12 guilders = 11.) : —

Imports

Exports

1910

1911

1910 1911

Iron and steel of all kinds .

369. 40G

422,484

264,308 296,040

Textiles, raw and manufactured

118,758

126,788

123,703

128,199

Cereals and Hour ....

561,101

573,6.30

378,234

357,409

Coal

104.875

113,560

41,634

47,430

Kice

100,315

100,457

67,372

64,879

Mineral oil

14,720

15,083

238

216

Coffee

52,839

57,734

34,692

39,099

Butter ......

2,038

2,739

32,866

30,170

Margarine (raw and eatable)

11,114

23,218

53,814

48,718

Sugar

26,026

34,903

55,214

76,166

Cheese

102

98

19,491

18,06:'.

Gold and silv.-r

32,377

17,453

14,765

19,883

Wood

98,873

107,388

46,501

67,571

Skins

4i',905

48,070

7,264

52,225

Indigo

9,643

10,853

46,741

5,623

Copper

189,143

194,277

162,432

174,508

Paper

3,973

9,819

80,454

80,782

Soot, greas.', tallow, suet .

22,352

16,1.87

8,098

7,987

Saltpetre

697

7)'0

1,091 ! 1.188

Zinc

21,971

22,8,82

22,062 j 21,442

Tobacco

13,285

13,814

10,638 i 11,351

Tin

43,852

49,191

40,168 1 35,147

Colours (painters' wares) .

22,659

26,654

21,682 23,881

51.478

42,510

25.485 ' 23,269

Vakie of the trade rruilders : —

with the leading countries in 191] in millions of

1011

Percentage 1911

— j 1911

Percentage 1911

Imports for home consumption from—

Exports to— Prussia .

1,288-6

47-2

Prussia .

841-4

25-2

Great Britain

554-5

20-3

Great Britain

339-1

10-2

Belgium

318-9

11-7

Belgium

323-7

0-7

United States of

Dutch East Indies

455-7

13-7

America .

105-1

3-9

Russia .

366-6

iro

Dutch East Indies

125-6

4-tJ

United States of

Hamburg

57-1

2-1

America .

330-6

9-9

France .

26-4

0-9

British India.

88-1

2-6

Italy .

22-9

0-8

France .

39-5

1-2

Russia .

17-6

0-6

Hamburg

56-0

1-7

In the Netherlands the statistics give sometimes the real, sometimes the official, value of goods. For goods liable to an ad valorem import duty and for some articles duty-free the importer has to declare the real value according to the current prices of the day ; in case of disagreement, the fiscal authorities may acquire the goods at the declared value increased 10, 11, or 12 percent. To other goods the official values, unchanged since 1862. are applied. Every declaration of imports and of exports is, in principle, subject to verifi- cation, but in fact only those relating to goods subject to duty are checked. Returns are made out in gross weight, in net weight (with deduction of an official tare), in number or in value according to the nature of each case. When goods are imported or exported by river the neighbouring country is always regarded as the country of origin or of destination : thus imports really from France are attributed to Belgium. When transport is by sea, generally the real country of origin is given ; thus Spanish wines are set down as from Spain, unless they have been imported first into some other country, in which case they are attributed to

that country.