B.-Statement showing the value of the principal exports from Morocco during the year 1876.

Statement showing the trade and navigation of Morocco by porls.

882 120,018 8, 131 1,565 262, 135 18, 379 4,888, 085 1,651,500

Statemene showing the trade and navigation of Morocoo by ports—Continued.

Statement showing the tonnage and value of cargoes, by flags, at all the ports of Morocco dur

ing the year 1876.

NE T H ERLANDS.

AMSTERDAM.

NOVEMBER 28, 1877. (Received December 21.) A report upon the finances and commerce of Holland, for the year ending

September 30, 1877. Considering the almost universal business depression of the recent past, and when compared with the business depression of neighboring countries, Holland has no reason to complain of the year ending Sep. tember 30, 1877. Her commerce, compared with that of the twelve months preceding, must be termed satisfactory. Her industry flourished, the harvests promise fair, and internal developments marched at a steady pace. No strikes, no general closing of factories, no alarming failures, and no social disturbances.

Improvements in the various branches of the body politic have been terminated and projected, and her chef-d'ouvre, the great canal to the North Sea, bas been sufficiently completed to be formally thrown open to the world's trade.

THE ATCHEEN WAR AND A NEW LOAN.

However, the Dutch, like the rest of mankind, also have had and have their griefs. The yet unfinished Atcheen war again has cost its millions; the East Indian colonies, although having kept alive commerce and having furnished an outlet for industrial products and surplus labor, bave failed to pour out tbeir treasures upon the mother country as in days of yore, and the minister of finance, in presenting the budget for 1878 at the recent opening of the states.general, created a profound impression upon the nation by the announcement that, to meet prospective deficits of about * 31,000,000 guilders, a loan in 1878, or shortly thereafter, and an immediate issue of 7,400,000 florins treasury notes for pressing government wants would become imperative. Although the announcement of deficits did not at all come unexpectedly, the impression by it produced was profound for the reason that for decades the public ear had not been accustomed to the sound of " loan.” On the contrary, in the course of the past twenty-three years, the national debt interest of formerly 35,000,000 forins bad been reduced to 25,000,000 florins, notwithstanding the expenditure of hundreds of millions upon public works and upon the abolition of slavery in the West Indies.

This happy financial achievement, rare in the history of European nations, mainly resulted from the constant flow of East Indian colonial contributions, the mother country having appropriated thereof to its own uses no less than 583,000,000 florins since 1852.

PRESENT FINANCIAL DEFICIENCIES.

The minister attributes the unpleasant short-comings referred to, to the increased appropriations for the royal household and the several government departments, to the reorganization of different public institutions (judiciary, schools, prisons, insane asylums, &c.), to the lavish expenditures upon railroads and the public defense (fortifications), but chiefly to the diminished colonial receipts, and the Atcheen war, which since 1874 has cost 90,000,000 florins. The present status of the East Indian colonies precluding all hope of assistance from that quarter for many years to come, Holland will be compelled to rely on her own strength in her financial difficulties.

TAXATION AND FREE TRADE,

The minister, in his report, encouragingly points to the fact that the resources of the mother country have greatly augmented, that both production and consumption have increased, that heavy taxation has been borne with ease, and that a still heavier burden of this nature can be imposed without danger. Yet the latter ministerial hint has been received with mistrust. In the first place, a prospective increase of an already trying taxation in itself bas an alarming tendency. Then the Dutch people are decided free-traders, whose great ambition it is to make Holland a “free port.” To this sentiment already various tariff changes owe their origin, amongst others the abolition of differential duties as regards Java, and continued clamor for more reform in that direction is the order of the day.

The many millions already expended and yet to be expended for the purpose of establishing easy and abundant railroad and canal com. munication with both North and South Germany would, in the eyes of the Dutch free-trader, be a bad investiment, were his pet notions to be crossed. What wonder, then, that eren the slightest ministerial allusion to a relief measure, which might also hide, as an indirect tax, higher import duties, should cause uneasiness and jealous anxiety?

RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.

The minister states the government accounts for the years 1876 and 1877, as follows: 1876-expenses, 113,396,805.72 florins; receipts, 109,680,253.031 florins; deficit, 3,716,552.681 florins. 1877—probable expenses, 119,000,000 florins; probable receipts, 112,550,000 forins; probable deficit, 6,450,000.

Budget for 1878—proposed appropriations, 121,102,341 florins; probable receipts, 113,791,730 florins; probable deticit, 7,310,611 florins.

An increase of this probable deficit must be expected in case the Amsterdam Canal Company should fail to meet its obligations toward the government (amortization).

DECLINE OF MERCHANT MARINE:

Another cause of inquietude to Holland has been, and still is, the decline of her merchant navy. The subject bas engeudered much discussion of late years. Newspapers, pamphleteers, merchants, ship owners and builders loudly raised their voices in behalf of the national patient, until they finally succeeded in making themselves heard in the halls of legislation. Some time ago a national committee of investigation, composed of many of the best, most experienced, and enlightened citizens of the kingdom, constituted itself for the purpose of inquiring into the causes of this decline. The result of this body's labors, a very thorough, exhaustive, and strongly worded report, has been submitted to the States General. The substance of the points of relief suggested in said report are :

1. Abolition of all duty on sbip-building material. 2. The building of national vessels at private (not government) yards. 3. Adoption of international measurement (since become law).

4. Exemption from militia service of seamen employed in navigation to foreign ports.

5. Creation of a uniform board of examination for ship-masters, mates, and machinists (lately constituted, and now in force),

6. Creation of a board of inquiry as to maritime disasters of Datch merchant vessels; said board to be authorized to remove ship-masters, machinists, and other ship's officers through whose fault or neglect disasters may be caused (bill introduced).

7. Improvement of professional education of masters, mates, machinists, and ship-builders.

8. Careful application of the principle of limited responsibility as regards sbareholders of maritime companies.

9. Strict application of the principles of the lately revised consular laws.

10. Improvement of canals to the sea and in the interior. 11. Improvement of harbors.

12. Abolition of light-house, tonnage, beaconage, harbor, and canal dues in state canals and harbors (done as to first category).

13. Revision of the pilot laws.

14. Revision of laws bearing upon the “exploitation” (management?) of state railroads (done).

15. Transmarine mail subsidies, for the purpose of calling into existence steamboat companies under the Dutch flag.

16. Creation of a national department of commerce and navigation. 17. Revision of the tax system and the import and export duties, with a view to making the Netherlands a port of free trade.

The following table shows the gradual decline of the merchant navy, commencing with the year 1859 :

Number of Year.

merchant vessels. 1859

2, 4:38 1874. 1875. 1876..

1,706 In 1850, 136 vessels were put under the Dutch flag, in 1856 as high as 230, while in 1875 a gain of only 38 could be recorded.

In 1859 the country boasted of 1,190 sbip-owners and ship-owning companies, which in 1875 had dwindled down to 686.

Also, in the carrying business, calculated by tonnage, Holland fell proportionately behind. In her own ports her ships entered amounted to merely 25.11 per cent. in 1873, to 42.70 in 1852; of departures to only 321 per cent. in 1873, to 45.54 in 1852, notwithstanding navigation in Dutch ports showed an increase. It is true the merchant navy bas gained in steamer tonnage, but this fact does not cipher away the alarming rapidity with which it fell into decline generally.

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1, 827 1, 835

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