TRADE INDUSTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2251, 22 April 1897, Page 36

TRADE INDUSTRY.

(FaoM Our Own Correspondent".) Edinbdrgh, February 4-.

In spite of a reduction of rafces to the extent of 15, per cenb., the accounts of Aberdeen Harbour for 189.6 show a net profit of £18,756. Tzie total value of the exports from Dundee to the United States during 1896 waß 7,228,048 dollars, which is b decrease of 502,707 dollars as compared with 1895. Since the Presidential elecbion tr«de has improved, especially in burlaps. There is a falling off in the linen exports for the year. The tender of Sir John Jackson, Westminster, for the construcbion of the new deep waber dock ab Bumtisland, has been accepted by the Ha-bour Board of the town. ' The amount is understood to be about £255,000. The need for such accommodation has justf been illustrated by the fact that during the recent storms the entrance to Kirkcaldy harbour, on which large sums have been expended, was silted up, and vessels bound for that port had to proceed to Bumtisland to discharge. The employment of electricity as » motive power in the process of enamelling paper, was resorted lo last year by a firm of papermakers at Penicruick, and the experiment has proved an entire success. The power is transmitted by wires for a distance of about 300 yards. Ab the instance of Principal Williams of the Veterinary College, Edinburgh, who is also a member of the Town Council, official experiments hava been made at tho slaughterhouses with " Greaner's Humane Cattle Killer." This ia an instrument for which ib is claimed that "it is perfectly cafe and sure in its action, and kills instantaneously." Ib is a sorb of pistol which fires a sfceel-pointad bullet through the brain into the spinal cord. The animal can ba bled at once, and ib is said the flavour of the meat is in no way affected. The killing of an ox in this manner was witnessed by the members of the Markets Committee of the Town Council and a number of master butchers. The aoimal fell dead at once. Some of tha opßcbator3 thought i€ would be better if the instrument had a longer barrel, to meet the ca^esof resbive animals aud those having long horns.

Ab the annual meeting the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, the president, Mr Paul Rottenburg, said that a good deal which was wrongly attributed to foreign competition aud protective tariffs was really due to our conservatism in business matters. In this country too much energy was spent in politics and " sporb, and Continental people devoted much more of their energies to adapting their manufactures to meet demands in trade and commerce. Britain had shown a want of foresight when it practically monopolised trade in refusing to give heed to the wants and suggestions of the consumers. He also complained of Britain's adherence to "antiquated" thermal and weights and measures scales, and its nonadoption of tho decimal system. At the same time Mr Rottenburg said thab he disclaimed any idea of despondency in regard to British commerce.