H.-2.

55

TABLE showing the IMPORT and EXPORT of SUGAR, and the Duties levied thereon.

The different places to which this export took place are given, but though a considerable quantity went to Hamburg, Bremen, aud the North Sea Provinces, it does not appear if from there it was shipped to England; and it must also be borne in mind that some of this export is merely a transport of Austrian beet-root sugar. In any case the exportation is not very considerable. From January Ito August 31, 1875, 1,180,788 marks (£56,539 Bs.) were paid in export premiums, a considerable diminution from the previous year. I shall not fail to acquaint your Excellency with any further information I may obtain on the German sugar industry ; but though there is extreme difficulty in thoroughly examining the question, — owing, as I have stated before, to the strict secrecy maintained by the manufacturers, —the authorities whom I have consulted are unable to add at present to what I have now the honour of submitting. I have, &c, Lord Odo Eussell. A. Nicolson.

ATJSTKIA. Note.—Florin or guidon of 100 neu-kreutzer= about 2s. The legal standard of the Empire is silver, but practically tho chief medium of exchange is a paper currency, convertible only at a largo discount into gold and silver. Centner=loo pfund = 123£ lbs. avoirdupois. Report by Mr. J. P. Harriss-Gastrell on the Beet-root Sugar Industry of Austria. As a report upon the beet-root sugar of Austria, with a view to show its bearings upon British interests, is required, it will be desirable, so far as the existing published data will admit, to inquire into the position of the home industry itself, its share in international trade, and then to group together any remarks which such inquiries may suggest as to its bearings, directly or indirectly, upon British trade, and the corresponding British industries. (A.) — The Position of the Industry itself. («.) The Excise System. —The so-called tax on consumption in Austria is levied, with a few minor deviations, on a regular system throughout the Austrian-Hungarian territories. The larger towns, for instance, levy under the excise system rather a higher rate, for municipal or other reasons. But, as the sugar factories seem to bo mainly outside of such towns, or in the open country, as in North Germany, such a deviation in the rate of taxation does not materially affect the industry. Owing mainly, it is said, to the financial crisis of three years ago, and the general depression of all industry, the Excise produced, in 1874, nearly £050,000 less than in 1873 ; and of this amount more than one-half represented a diminution in the returns from the excise on sugar. These returns, which, in 1850, amounted to only 153,377 florins, were, — Fl. In 1860-61 ... ... ... ... ... ... 5,707,829 1870-71 ... ... ... ... ... ... 13,556,039 1871-72 ... ... ... ... ... ... 11,783,409 1872-73 ... ... ... ... ... ... 14,931,330 1573-74 ... ... ... ... ... ... 11,825,797 The tax is levied upon the beet-root by the unit of 100 Vienna pounds ; and for this purpose both the freshly-grown and dry roots are returned at certain times for taxation, and eventually the tax is paid on the quantity actually manufactured into sugar. The difference between the two quantities is sometimes large, and is mainly owing to interruptions or failures in the industry, for which reasons unmanufactured roots are written off before levying the tax. This excise on raw material is calculated to amount to an average of 4 55 kreutzers, Austrian currency, for raw sugars, and of 5"59 kreutzers for refined sugars, per Zollcentner net. It is this amount which is returned as drawback to the manufacturer on all sugars exported, in order to place him on an equal footing abroad with his competitors. This drawback would now be in sterling about Bs. or 9s. lOd. respectively per 120 lbs. sugar. The drawback granted in 1874, amounted to nearly 7,600,000 florins, or £690,000 sterling. (b.) Statistics of the Industry. —The beet-root sugar has been developed within the last quarter of a century, and especially since 1860. Thus:—

Iiiro: IT. Expoht. 40 ■ 02 3 i-H ft 02 1 a 5h IS glBH R n Total. With E: h iport Boi L lification. i 60 . 02 ■* I* ~ o 03 'i, I Centners. 282.U10 Centners. 178,^66 Centners. 113,174 Centners. 100,070 Marks. 2,051,305 Marts. 4,500,288 Marks. 7,217,593 Centners. 78,903 Centners. 30,718 Centners. 57,076 Centners. 33,061 Centners. 159,657