Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/778

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BELGIUM

francs; of the exports, those by sea were valued at 1,326,318,124 francs, by land and river 1,410,953,766 francs. The following table shows the value of the imports for home consumption, the exports of Belgian produce and manufactures, and the transit trade, in millions of francs : —

1891

1802

1S03

lS9-i

1895

1896

1897

Imports Exports Transit

Million frs Million frs Million frs

1,799-8 ! 1,536-5 1,575-1

1,519-0 1,328-0

1,369-4 1,274-9

1,355-9 1,234-3

Million frs 1,574-5 1,303-7 1,120-9

Million frs Million frs

1,680-4 1,385-4 1,219-4

1,776-7 1,467-9 1,252-3

Million frs

1,818-0 1,568-4 1,268-8

in Belgium a distinction, as regards valuation, is made between imports subject to ad valorem duties and other goods imported or exported. For the former, statistics are drawn up according to the values which have served as a basis for the calculation of the duties. For the others a commission of five members availing themselves of Bourse and official quotations, and of information supplied by the Cliambers of Commerce, fixes average vahies — without regard to countries of origin or destination. For imports the official values comprise the first cost and cost of transport to the frontier, but not customs duties or excise ; for exports, they consist of the cost at the place of production and the cost of transport to the frontier. The quantities of goods subject to duty are strictly scrutinised ; but for goods free of duty, imports and exports, the declarations of the parties interested are generally accepted. When the gross weight is given an official tare is deducted. In the case of goods subject to ad valorem duty the administration has a right of pre-emption at the declared value increased by 10 per cent, when the importers disagi-ee with the fiscal authorities and are unwilling to risk a reference of the dispute to experts.

The leading articles of special commerce were as follows in the year 1897 :—

Imports

1,000 francs

Exports

1,000 francs

Cereals

312,505

Yarns, linen, wool, &c.

107,153

Textiles, raw

161,912

Coal, coke.

90,731

Chemicals and drugs.

101,828

Cereals

84,358

Timber, &c.

102,503

Machinery, carriages.

74,961

Resins, &c.

83,680

1 Chemicals, drugs

72,135

Oil seeds

49,803

Textiles, raw

80,168

Mineral substances

89,415

Tissues

55,841

Tissues, wool, cotton, silk

60,781

Steel ....

63,147

Coffee

60,828

Hides, raw and tanned

66,573

Hides, raw

64,867

Iron ....

72,590

Animals, living.

46,816

Glass ....

76,082

Animal products

35,478

! Meat ....

21,839

Metals

89,132

Sugar, raw and relined

59,382

Yarns, linen, wool, kv.

28,718

Animal products.

34,519

Manures

16,698

Zinc ....

42,597

Wines

24,565

Manures

28,328

Dyes, colours

25,893

Oil seeds

21,179

Coal, coke.

38,086

Animals (horses).

35,095

Machinery.

24,834

Mineral substances

50,494

Butter and margarine.

13,519

' Resin, bitumen.

26,078

Tobacco, raw

10,217

j Dyes and colours

23,032