SPECIAL REPORTS FOR FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, 125

Fostering of foreign trade by Spanish Government.—In giving a
brief outline of the general activities of the Government of Spain
designed to foster the foreign trade of its manufacturers, reference
is made to a report from this consulate general dated August 12, 1915,
entitled “ Protection of industries,” describing the most recent effort
of the Spanish Government in this direction.
The Spanish Government maintains a Centro de Informacién Comercial
 del Ministerio de Estado en Madrid. This bureau publishes
Memorias Comerciales, a journal which appears in about 60 issues
annually. It also publishes the Boletin del Centro de Informacién
Comercial, which appears on the 10th and 25th of each month, containing
 commercial information of interest to Spanish exporters and
a monthly review entitled La Producién Espafiola, which is devoted
to mercantile propaganda and information for consuls concerning
Spanish commerce and its needs.
The Centro de Informacién Comercial del Ministerio de Estado was
founded by the Spanish Government in 1898, with the object of cooperating
 with Spanish producers for the development of foreign
commerce. It was authorized by a royal order issued in 1918 to accept
 subventions and contributions from the chambers of commerce
and industry, agricultural syndicates, corporations, societies, and private
 persons contributing to the enlargement and prosperity of the
bureau, which disseminates information gratuitously. The bureau
likewise procures confidential information‘about foreign merchants
situated in places where there are Spanish consuls, but where no commercial
 information agency exists; it furnishes data as to the customs
 duties of other countries and statistics regarding the importation
of Spanish products abroad, their relation to native products, competing
 prices and the like, such as can be secured by resident consuls.
It translates into Spanish, letters in foreign languages, charging for
this service, per 100 words or less, 18 cents for French letters, 22 cents
for English letters, and 27 cents for German letters. It maintains
a commercial museum, with samples of the principal articles that
could be Rogues by Spanish industries for use in Morocco and forsign
 markets. It issues identification papers to commercial travelers
who desire to be put into touch with the Spanish consuls in foreign
countries in order to avail themselves of their advice and protection.
It also publishes from time to time pamphlets concerning all phases
of domestic and foreign production and export, such as may be of
assistance to the Spanish manufacturer in export business.
FINLAND.

Special report of American Vice Consul In Charge Felix Cole, Petrograd,
Russia, May 16, 1916.
Information has been obtained regarding the six leading syndicates
 operating in the Grand Duchy of Finland, which is under the
suzerainty of the Emperor of Russia, but which in its economic life
is not a part of the Russian Empire, either legally or actually.
The Finnish Window Glass Office.—The Finnish Window Glass
Office, Mikaelsgatan 5, Helsingfors, founded in 1905, is maintained
by a voluntary partnership composed of the following six firms, to
sell window glass in the domestic Finnish market: Rokkala Glasindustri
 A/B, Suomen Lasiteollisuus O/Y, Skinnarviks Glasbruks