the English language to business houses in Switzerland. If circulars must be sent, they should be in German or French. Printers' ink may be of service in some few cases; but a live representative who could speak the language would be of inestimable benefit to houses desiring to open trade with Switzerland. The mode of doing business here is very conservative, and Swiss houses will not accept goods C. O. D.; therefore, credit for a reasonable time should be allowed. The Canton of Berne is suffering for modern labor-saving machines and novelties, and a sample room in Berne where goods could be exhibited would, I think, prove of the greatest benefit. ADOLPH L. FRANKENTHAL, BERNE, July 23, 1898. Consul. CHEAP RAILWAY RATES IN SWITZERLAND. I inclose herewith an extract from the Paris edition of the New York Herald of June 28 relative to the cheap rate of travel in Switzerland that may prove of interest to tourists. It may be well to emphasize the fact that no luggage is carried free. ADOLPH L. FRANKENTHAL, BERNE, June 29, 1898. Consul. Railway traveling in Switzerland has, since June 1, undergone quite a revolution in the delivery of tickets and their extraordinary cheapness. A great blow has been given by the railway administration to the formerly advantageous tourist or circular ticket. The following is the series of tickets delivered at all the most important stations at a couple of hours' notice and at all small stations at twenty-four hours' notice: For two persons of the same household the price of the ticket valid for twelve months is: First class, Soo francs ($154.40); second class, 560 francs ($108.08); third class, 400 francs ($77.20). These new tickets enable the holder to travel as much and as long as he likes over the entire railway system of Switzerland during the time of the validity of his ticket. The lake steamers are also available, a second-class railway ticket giving the right to a first-class ticket on the steamers. These tickets are rigorously per sonal, and have attached to them a photograph of the holder. Tickets must be signed with the holder's entire name. An extra sum of 5 francs (97 cents) has to be paid upon delivery, which, however, is returned when the ticket expires. The duration of these tickets can not be prolonged. No luggage is allowed free, and no allowance is made for tickets unused. Cyclists will also be glad to learn that on the Franco-Swiss frontier all vexatious questions and demands about introducing bicycles have now been done away with, for all members of the French Touring Club. Such bicycles can be brought in free of charge. No more "permits" or charge for entrance are made. They are simply treated as ordinary luggage. INDUSTRIES IN BRESLAU. The manufacturing industry in this district has largely increased within the last six or eight years, on account of the low wages paid to all classes of mechanics and laborers; the rates being less in Silesia, Posen, and a part of Austria bordering on Silesia, than anywhere else in Germany. The main articles manufactured in this district are as follows: Linen, cotton, silk, silk-mixed goods, woolen cloth, shawls and hoods, laces and lace curtains, artificial flowers, gloves of leather and wool, porcelain, glass, arsenic, brushes, chemicals, chromos, buttons, liquors, toys, sugar, zinc dust, iron goods, machinery, earthenware, hats and caps of wool or straw. The export from this district has been and is very heavy, amounting to $1,180,992 to $2,271,407 per annum. The output of these different manufactories is nearly all exported to America. If it were not for the American trade, manufactories could not exist in this district. The tariff has not affected the industries of this district as much as might appear from figures. The quantity of exports has not diminished to any great extent. Prices, indeed, have been reduced, but the manufacturer himself has not been the sole loser; a proportionate deduction from the wages of the mechanics and laborers has been made. A whole family-man, wife, and children-work in a factory for about 25 cents a day. I will furnish in my next report statistics of the wages paid in the different factories of my consular district. Sugar, however, is affected by the new tariff. The amount exported from this district during the year ending June 30, 1897, was valued at $298,909. This sum added to the total value of exports during the year ended June 30, 1898, will make $1,479,901, which is more than the general average of the export from this district. C. W. ERDMAN, BRESLAU, July 16, 1898. Consul. WAGES IN BRESLAU. I submit a tabular statement of the salaries and wages paid in this consular district to the different employees and workmen, as follows: Statement of the declared values of exports to the United States from the district of the consulate-general at Frankfort and the consulates under its supervision during the quarter ended June 30, 1898, and the corresponding quarter of the preceding year. Declared values of exports to the United States from the district of the consulate-general at Frankfort and the several consulates under its supervision during the fiscal years ended June 30, 1897 and 1898, respectively. 1893-94.... 1894-95..... 1895-96........ 1896-97.. The exports for the last five fiscal years have been: $25,089, 166.00 37, 623, 883. 07 1897-98......... 31, 025, 501. 51 FRANK H. MASON, FRANKFORT, July 6, 1898. Consul-General. EXPORTS OF GERMAN ANILINE COLORS. The German chemical industry has largely increased its transAtlantic exportations during the last few years. In 1889, German chemicals sent abroad were valued at $53,800,000. In 1896, they were worth $77,150,000, an increase of nearly $24,000,000, or more than 43 per cent, within seven years. One-third of the total increase is due to the heavy exportation of German aniline colors. They rose from $9,140,000 in 1889 to $15,947,000 in 1897, the imports remaining stationary at about $905,000. This result is all the more remarkab. because it was achieved, as in almost every other case, in spite of lower prices; for in 1889, the weight of the aniline colors exported amounted only to 6,975 tons, while in 1897 it reached 17,639 tons. The quantity exported in |