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ITALY.

The above figures are only estimates, drawn, however, from the best authenticated sources. They show that the population of Italy, under previous administrations, made very little progress during a period of three quarters of a century, exhibiting a lesser increase than any other State in Southern Europe.

Trade and Industry.

The commercial intercourse of Italy is chiefly with four countries, France, the United Kingdom, Austria, and Switzerland. The im- ports from France average eight millions sterling per annum, and the exports very nearly the same. Next in order of importance are the commercial transactions with the United Kindom, and after that, but far below, those of Austria and Switzerland. The value of the total imports in 1869 amounted to 38,105,902/., and of the imports entered for home consumption to 34,759,321/. The total exports of 1869 were of the declared value of 31,912,347/., in- cluding exports of domestic produce to the amount of 27,815,715/.

Corn and cotton manufactures form the chief imports into Italy. The principal exports are silk, raw and manufactured, and spirits and oils, the first of which averages 7,000,000/. and the second 4,000,000/. sterling per annum. The greater portion of these exports, representing the chief productions of the kingdom, is sent to France.

The value of the commercial intercourse of Italy with the United Kingdom is shown in the subjoined tabular statement, which gives the value of the exports from Italy to Great Britain and Ireland, and of the imports of British and Irish produce and manufactures into Italy, in each of the ten years from 1860-69 : —

Tears

t, _i_ *_™. t*„i„ ! Imports of British

♦ P p? K y home produce into to Great Britain > italv

1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869

£ £ 2.748.524 4,514,287 2,480,064 5,781,069 2,618,311 5,103,320 2,358,208 5,927,980 2.181,107 5,673,534 2,994,233 5,461,552 3,820.711 5,821,530 3,105,709 4,881,244 4,018,034 4,980,216 3,997,965 6,164,350

The subjoined tables show the relative commercial importance of