COMMERCE — SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION
823
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 lias to declare the real value according to the current prices of the day; in case of disagreement, the tiscal authorities may acquire the goods at the declared value increased 10, 11, or 12 per cent. To other goods the oHicial values, unchanged since 1862, are applied. Every declaration of imports and of exports is, in principle, subject to verifi- catiou, 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 transjiort 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.
The total value of the imports from the Netherlands into Great Britain, and of the exports of British and Irish produce to the Netherlands, in each of the last five years is shown in the table following, according to the Board of Trade returns: —
1893 -
1894
£
1895
1896
1897 .
£
£
£
^ i
Imports into
U. K. from
Netherlands .
28,851,490
27,606,397
28,419,477
29,261,023
28,971,316 1
Exports of
1
British pro-
duce to Neth
erlands . ,
—
9,249,136
8,788,341
7,375,011
8,333,935
8,854,696!
Tlie principal articles of trade between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands (Ijoard of Trade Returns) in two years were: —
Imports into U. K. from Netherlands
ISDO
1897 £
Exports of produce
and manuf. of U.K.
to Netherlands
1 9j
1897
£
£
£
Cottons
1)80,222
998,686
Cottons .
986,636
1,012.750
Woollens
2.775,366
2,726,156
Cotton yarn .
1,139,807
1,300,501
Silk manufactures
2.250,356
2,006,968
Woollens
642,978
618,833
Iron and steel manuf, .
1,164,144
1,071,408
Woollen 5'arns
465,805
469,761
Cheese ....
734,611
748,251
Coal
340,877
411,222
Butter ....
1,156,726
1,353,349
Iron
933,180
1,152,482
Margarine .
2,304,335
2,291,796
Copper .
314,773
280,617
Gloves (leathei-) .
910,521
708,216
Machinery .
529,906
510,657
Paper ....
813,538
875,580
Cycles .
154,921
126,145
Sugar ....
1,504,705
1,248,516
Leather .
120,58.3
185,158
! Cocoa and iireparatious
327,675
574,261
Hardware
101,008
112,067
Coffee .
226,836
40,350
Tallow .
ISO oso
190,400
Glass mauuf.
419,653
446,789
Chemicals . ,
167. 739
198,590
Much of the trade here entered as with the Netherlands consists of goods in transit from and to Germany, notably the imports of silk goods which are from Rhenish Prussia.
Shipping and Navigation.
of
vessels belonging to the
mercantile navy at
The number the end of 1897 was: —
Sailing vessels 441, of 95,226 English tons; steamers 171 of 211,426 English tons.
