GERMAN NATIONAL WEALTH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 6 February 1909, Page 2

GERMAN NATIONAL WEALTH.

ENORMOUS MODERN INCREASES. THE Berlin correspondent of the London "Times" under date of November 9 writes : — Tho task of calculating the national wealth of any country in terms of money value is notoriously difficult, and in the case of Germany attempts to ariive at even .in approximate estimate have been complicated by the s-bswice of any scientific system of statistics in this sphe.-o. The financial deadlock, however, with v.hk-h the German Empire is now confronted has stimulated effort in this direction, and undsr the auspices of tho Central Association of German Industrialists calculations have been made-, the results of which are now published, with a view to their being utilised in the forthcoming debates on the Finance Biil in the Reichstsfr. »«*. * * * According to the semi-official organ, "North German Gazette," which reproduces theso calculations, the hitherto accepted estimate,'; that placed German national wealth at £10,000,000,000 fall considerably below th.3 mark. It is now calculated that upon a moderate I estimate the- national wealth of this country amounts to not less than £16..000,000,G00 or £17,000,000,000, or even more. The chief constituents of this sum are given as follows : — Capital value of property insured against fire, £8,000,000,000; landed property and ground values, excluding mines in private ownership, tha value of which has not been ascertained, £4,E00,0C0,---0 German capital invested abroad or in foreign securities, £2,000,000,000; German State railways, about £1,000,----00^,000; and German State "woods, forests, domains, and mines, at about one-quarter of this ram. The capital value of the posts and telcgraplis, German shipping,' and canals has not been ascertained. Floating values, such as, for example, salaries, wages, and rent payments, have also not be«n included in the estimate of £16,000,000,000. The annual rate of increase in capital value has been ascertained in the case of property .insured against fire, the value of which increased my over £300,000,---000 during the 12 months from 1904 to 1905. • • # • • • It is calculated that the total annual increase in capitals in Germany now averages about £700,000,000, with a national wealth of . about £45,000,000,---000, and an average distribution of capital of about £460 a head of the population. While admitting 1 that estimates of this kind are highly problematical in character, the "North German Gazette" shares the confident belief of the authors of these calculations that "Germany has the very best prospects for the future, far better, indeed, than France and Great Britain. In 1950 w« shall hay« a population of nearly 100,000,000 and a national capital amounting' in value tc £45,000,000,000. Let France and England try and produce Tesulte like these if they can." The immense, object of these calculations is to endeavour to prove to the German (people that a national debt of £1,000,000,000 is as nothing compared with 'the national wealth; and that an increase of taxation to the amount of £25,000,000 is but a small proportion of the national income, which is estimated at £1,750,000,000 a year. Theso estimates, moreover, are adduced- in order to show that experienced men of affairs in this country view the' financial and commercial future of Germany without pessimism w anxiety; *^