Charles Roux's report on the estimates of the Ministry of Commerce must_be extremely disquieting to patriotic Frenchmen. It shows that in 1895 the trade of the country, as represented by the imports and exports, amounted to 9,609 million franes, of 260 millions Jess than the average of the previous five years. In England the figures for 1895 were 18,000 ions, and in Germany, 9,263 millions, an increase of 322 millions on the average of the previous five years. The French mercantile marine is in an equally bad way. In 1887 English steam shipping (exclusive of vessels of less than 1,000 tons) amounted. to 6,592,000 tor.s, French to 722,000, German to 628,000, and Nor-yielded second place to Germany, the figures wegian to 150,000; but in 1895 France had
for that year being England, 9,984,000 tons, Germany 1,306,000; France 864,000; Norway, 455,000. M.' Roux attributes the paralysis of French trade to the high protectionist tariffs and the capricious manner in which they are applied. It is characteristic of this bureaucratic country that the only remedy M. Roux can suggest is the creation of a new department to look after the interests of the export trade and favour its development. That the protectionist 'regime has come to stay, is shown by the adoption of the increased sugar bounties.
4th December, 1896,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.