reis, in 1903, against 20,354,100 kilograms, of the value of 14,296,229 milreis, in 1902; increase, 514,024 kilograms and 1,778,534 milreis.

Dry hides: 7,439,407 kilograms, of the value of 9,777,853 milreis, in 1903, against 6,501,890 kilograms, of the value of 8,259,863 milreis, in 1902; increase, 937,517 kilograms and 1,517,990 milreis.

Hair: 538,630 kilograms, of the value of 900,804 milreis, in 1903, as against 482,462 kilograms, of the value of 732,001 milreis, in 1902; increase, 56,166 kilograms and 168,803 milreis.

Meat extract: 389,951 kilograms, of the value of 606,093 milreis, in 1903, against 260,878 kilograms, of the value of 1,180,383 milreis, in 1902; increase, 129,073 kilograms and decrease in value of 574,290 milreis.

Bran: 16,109,977 kilograms, of the value of 1,512,898 milreis, in 1903, against 18,498,353 kilograms, of the value of 1,713,441 milreis, in 1902; decrease, 2,388,376 kilograms and 200,543 milreis.

Mandioca flour: 6,671,239 kilograms, of the value of 810,233 milreis, in 1903, against 6,214,009 kilograms, of the value of 722,607 milreis, in 1902; increase, 457,230 kilograms and 87,627 milreis.

Medicinal leaves, roots, and gums: 589,733 kilograms, of the value of 520,051 milreis, in 1903, against 632,276 kilograms, of the value of 587,890 milreis, in 1902; decrease, 42,543 kilograms and 67,839 milreis. Fruits: 715,882 milreis in 1903, against 556,455 milreis in 1902; increase, 159,427 milreis.

Tobacco: 23,397,705 kilograms, of the value of 18,985,577 milreis, in 1903, against 45,200,331 kilograms, of the value of 24,358,370 milreis, in 1902; decrease, 21,802 kilograms and 5,372,793 milreis.

Herva matte: 36,129,556 kilograms, of the value of 13,595,081 milreis, in 1903, against 41,928,586 kilograms, of the value of 21,930,470 milreis, in 1902; decrease, 5,799,031 kilograms and 9,335,389 milreis.

Ipecacuanha: 36,112 kilograms, of the value of 430,602 milreis, in 1903, against 22,639 kilograms, of the value of 517,467 milreis, in 1902; increase in quantity of 13,473 kilograms and decrease in value of 86,865 milreis.

Wool: 777,259 kilograms, of the value of 794,927 milreis, in 1903, against 972,039 kilograms, of the value of 810,220 milreis, in 1902; decrease, 195,880 kilograms and 15,293 milreis.

Woods to the value of 1,528,079 milreis in 1903, as against 705,872 milreis in 1902; increase, 822,207 milreis.

Manganese: 161,926 tons, of the value of 4,959,562 milreis, in 1903, against 157,295 tons, of the value of 4,465,328 milreis, in 1902; increase, 4,631 tons and 494,234 milreis.

Old metal: 3,017,870 kilograms, of the value of 379,552 milreis, in 1903, against 4,162,965 kilograms, of the value of 487,706 milreis, in 1902; decrease, 1,145,085 kilograms and 109,154 milreis.

Corn: 6,451,367 kilograms, of the value of 532,196 milreis, in 1903, against 3,075,910 kilograms, of the value of 318,531 milreis, in 1902; increase, 3,375,457 kilograms and 214,665 milreis.

Gold in bars: 4,322,043 grams, of the value of 9,412,302 milreis, in 1903, against 3,999,682 grams, of the value of 8,754,342 milreis, in 1902; increase, 332,361 grams and 657,960 milreis.

Precious stones to the value of 2,269,718 milreis in 1903, against 2,238,602 milreis in 1902; increase, 31,116 milreis.

Skins: 2,328,644 kilograms, of the value of 10,606,295 milreis, in 1903, against 1,936,215 kilograms, of the value of 8,372,782 milreis, in 1902; increase, 392,429 kilograms and 2,233,513 milreis.

Piassava: 2,328,644 kilograms, of the value of 1,036,293 milreis, in 1903, against 1,889,724 kilograms, of the value of 1,169,538 milreis, in 1902; increase in quantity of 438,920 kilograms and decrease in value of 133,245 milreis.

Miscellaneous articles to the value of 5,236,546 milreis in 1903, against 3,318,597 milreis in 1902; increase, 1,817,949 milreis.

Coin to the value of 2,072,558 milreis in 1903, against 646,199 milreis in 1992; increase, 1,426,359 milreis.

The total value of the exports in 1903 was 744,704,830 milreis, against 736,586,324 milreis in 1902; increase, 8,118,306 milreis.

IMPORTS IN 1903.

The Bureau of Commercial Statistics of Rio de Janeiro publishes the following statistics of the import trade of Brazil for the first nine months (January to September) of 1903:

Articles.

Class I-Live animals and animal products....

Class II-Raw materials and articles applicable to the arts and indus

Milreis.

4, 289, 248

COMMERCE WITH FRANCE, FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF 1904.

The commerce with France, according to figures published in the "South American Journal" for October 15, 1904, for the first eight months of 1904, is represented by the following figures:

The above figures show that, both as respects imports and exports, there has been a falling off in the commerce with France.

COMMERCIAL STATUS OF SANTA CATHARINA.

The message of the governor of the State of Santa Catharina contains the following statistics of the principal exports of that State for 1903, compared with those of 1902:

SUGAR ENTRIES AT PERNAMBUCO.

The entries of sugar at Recife, Pernambuco, during the last three crop years, according to figures published in the "South American Journal" for October 22, 1904, were as follows:

PREMIUMS FOR THE CULTIVATION OF COTTON.

With the object of encouraging the cultivation of cotton in the State of Bahia the legislature of this State offers premiums of 5,000 to 10,000 milreis to the first 40 individuals or companies who shall form centers of cotton production and install the machinery necessary for ginning and the manufacture of cotton-seed oil and other products from the cotton seeds. Those engaging in the cultivation of cotton will be exempt from all State and municipal taxes for a period of five years.

THE CAROÁ FIBER PLANT.

The plant from which the natives obtain the fiber used in the manufacture of the ropes which bind the packages of tobacco sent to Bahia is known locally as "Caroá," and further progress reported to have been recently made in its development. Experiments were undertaken by an enterprising British syndicate in 1902, but good samples of sufficient bulk for ascertaining the commercial value of the fiber were only available for export in the autumn of 1903. These samples were obtained from the Queimadas district, and although the machinery employed was somewhat primitive, excellent results were achieved. It is claimed that with experience already gained and the new and specially constructed machinery, higher qualities of fiber will shortly be available-ropes produced which will rival the best manila.

Experiments were commenced with sundry fibrous plants which abound in the whole district, but caroá (Neoglaziovia variegati, Mex.) proving the most important and abundant, all other varieties were for the moment neglected. The natives extract the fiber by rotting the long leaves for some fifteen or sixteen days, and then fermentation having set in, the fiber is easily extracted. Another process employed is to break the ribbons with stones in order to remove the pectose or gummy matter. It is claimed that by these primitive methods a clever worker can obtain 10 pounds a day. Hand power has hitherto been employed to work the experimental machinery used in preparing the fiber sent to the United Kingdom, where the last parcels were sold at £31 per ton, a price which should yield a handsome profit to the enterprising firm which has undertaken the experiment.

The breaking strain of some caroá ropes was shown to be 3 tons to the square inch. For twine, the breaking strain was 135 pounds, and for yarn 200 pounds to the square inch.

PUBLIC DEBT.

The annual report of the Tribunal of Accounts, submitted to the National Congress, contains the following data on the public debt of Brazil:

At the beginning of the financial year of 1902 the foreign funded debt of Brazil amounted to £46,789,617, and embraced the following loans: