The customs receipts amounted in 1901 to 50,590,000 francs; in 1902, 49,131,520; in 1903, 50,435,082. Import duties, in some cases specific, in others ad valorem, are le vied on most articles, but the tariff rates as compared with those of some continental countries, are not high. Ad valorem duties range from 5 to 20 per cent. The list of dutyfree articles is long and various, comprising hand-made lace, ships' fittings, tin-plates, scientific instruments, unmanufactured copper, lead, tin and zinc, besides coal, petroleum, turpentine, chemicals, raw wool, hides, beef, rice, and some other food stuffs. Belgium is a party to the Sugar Convention. The commercial treaty of 1862 provided for the "most favoured nation" treatment between Great Britain and Belgium. This treaty terminated in 1878, but since then the system in force under the treaty has been continued by an arrangement terminable after 3 months' notice.

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 Chambers of Commerce, fixes average values-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 disagree 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 1903:

The following table shows the respective shares of the leading countries in the special commerce of Belgium in two years:

The imports into Great Britain from Belgium, and exports of British produce and manufactures to Belgium, according to the Board of Trade returns, are shown in the subjoined tabular statement for five years:

Great Britain 22,861,967 23,502, 603 24,666,081 26,538,759 27,792,355
Exports of
British pro-

duce

9,836,165 10,775,705 8,156,203 8,409,659 8,797,812

The principal imports into Great Britain from Belgium, and exports of British produce to Belgium (Board of Trade returns)

were:

1,027,309 1,055,943 1,113,720 1,154,744 1,314,864 2,004,368 1,575,103 1,528,520 1,629,111 1,301,512 2,009,622 1,767,072 1,684,434 2,235,973 2,100,550 1,366,710 1,214,693 1,320,473 1,403,636 1,454,241 769,551 642,616 562,113 770,547 721,989 800,909 755,012 905,744 1,061,343 1,086,639 1,188,910 1,386,717 1,034,364 328,837 346,599 1,242,358 1,357,325 2,072,432 2,956,791 3,850,468 132,797 199,213 255,075 313,311 315,790 759,250 733,453 805,241 827,914 725,680 382,461 374,758 439,460 507,363 473,123 381,733 679,487 736,231 709,733 619,398

1,669,565 1,991,113 1,432,395 1,675,246 1,755,035

Cottons

Cotton yarns

235,867

246,619

231,330 255,980

258,607

Woollens

1,018,675

975,047 710,885

781,396

808,389

Machinery.

879,965

901,099

787,324

685,283

674,947

Of foreign and colonial produce, amounting to 3,948,7967. sent from Great Britain to Belgium in 1903, raw cotton was valued at 418,2177., and wool at 1,222,5897.

The commerce between the United States and Belgium (according to United States statistics) in 4 years ending June 30, was as follows (in U.S. dollars):

In 1903 the chief imports from Belgium into the United States were rubber goods, 3,337,766 dollars; glass work, 3,011,355 dollars; iron and steel work, 3,699,787 dollars; jewellery, 2,554,453 dollars. The chief ex

ports from the United States to Belgium were wheat, 8,589,020 dollars; provisions, 4,935,809 dollars; cotton, 6,968,912 dollars; oil cake, 3,559,808 dollars; mineral oil, 3, 154, 419 dollars; vegetable oil, 1,167,791 dollars; tobacco, 1,859,782 dollars.

Shipping and Navigation.

The condition of the merchant marine of Belgium is shown as follows on December 31:

:

2,751 4 741 6 1,121 5 877 4 1,051 105,786 69 112,518 66 109,336 68 105,805 67 101,709

Total

73 108,537 73 113,259

72 110,457 73 106,182 71 102,760

The navigation at Belgian ports is shown as follows:

Entered 8,672 8,632,626 8,619 8,500,772 8,569 9,288,200 8,847 10,154,300 9,044 10,910,652 Cleared 8,581 8,521,331 8,620 8,476,874 8,613 9,340,528 8,809 10,091,722 9,059 10,934,285

Total. 17,253 17,153,957 17,239 16,977,646 17,182 18,628,728 17,656 20,245,022 18,103 21,844,937

The vessels entered and cleared in 1903 were as follows

:

The length of public roads in Belgium was 5,900 miles in 1903, and of navigable water (rivers and canals) 1,350 miles.

The length of railways open in Belgium on December 31, 1903, was: lines worked by the State, 2,513 miles; worked by companies, 330 miles; total 2,843 miles.

The total number of passengers conveyed by the State railways in 1902 was 127,109,684, and by the companies 15,381,216. The gross receipts in 1902 amounted for the State to 215,465,647 francs, of which 70,083,243 francs were for passengers; and for the companies 26,859,738 francs, of which 7,735,836 francs were for passengers; expenses for the State 135,478,386 francs; for the companies 12,164,826 francs. The first cost of the State railways from their origin in 1834 to the end of 1902 amounted to 2,097,052,455 francs; the net receipts from 1835 amounted to 1,799,412,822 francs, and the financial charges to 1,673,887,504 francs.

The work of the Post Office in Belgium for four years was as follows:

On January 1, 1904, there were 1,221 post offices in Belgium. The gross revenue of the Post Office in the year 1903 amounted to 28,661,051 francs, and the expenditure to 14,763, 620 francs.

The telegraphs in Belgium carried 14,100,000 despatches, private and official, in the year 1903. In 1903 the total length of public telegraph lines was 4,100 miles, and the length of wires 22,260 miles, exclusive of railway and canal telegraphs. There were in 1903, 1,409 telegraph offices. Receipts in 1903, 10,401,599 francs; expenses 7,410,902 francs.

In 1903 there were 65,840 miles of telephone wire and 18,890 telephone stations; conversations during the year, 43,201,540.

Money and Credit.

The nominal value of money minted and circulated in Belgium from 1832 to 1903 (demonetised pieces being deducted) was: gold, 583,996,720 francs; silver 5-franc pieces, 485,080,045 francs; fractional silver coin, 44,289,002 francs; copper, 5,244,385 francs; and nickel, 11,487,255 francs; total, 1,130,097,407 francs. No gold has been minted since 1882, and no silver 5-franc pieces since 1876. Nickel coins to the nominal value of 735,459 francs were minted in 1903.

The one bank of emission in Belgium is the National Bank, instituted 1850. By law of March 26, 1900, its constitution was modified, and its duration extended to January 1, 1929. Its capital, entirely paid up, is 50 million francs. It is the cashier of the State, and is authorised to carry on the usual banking operations. Its situation on September 30, 1904, was :

There are joint-stock and private banks, also agricultural banks, credit unions, and popular banks. The following are statistics of the State savings-banks: