The French railway companies have special import and export rates for numerous articles in their classifications which are lower than the ordinary class rates to the port town, and occasionally lower than the class rates from intermediate stations; in which case the special import and export rates may apply. The following table is a comparison of a few import and export rates with the ordinary class rates. The latter, it should be observed, are, in some instances, based on computed, and not on actual, distances. DUNKIRK AND PARIS. ---------------------------+------------------------------------------ | ACTUAL DISTANCE, 304 KILOMETRES. | COMPUTED DISTANCE, 267 KILOMETRES. +------+------+------+------+------+------- CLASSES | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | f. c.| f. c.| f. c.| f. c.| f. c.| f. c. Ordinary Class Rates | 42·55| 36·55| 31·20| 25·85| 20·50| 12·35 | | | | | | Import and Export Rates[24]| 30·00| 26·00| 23·00| 20·00|{18·00| 12·00 | | | | |{15·00| ---------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------- [24] Until recently, the classification of imported and exported goods, in force on the Northern of France Railway, was composed of six classes. A new tariff is now in force, the rates for such traffic varying from frs. 8 to frs. 30 per 1000 kilogrammes. For the purpose of comparison, the rates charged for imported and exported goods are shewn under the respective classes in which the same articles are generally included when charged at the ordinary class rates. CALAIS AND PARIS. --------------------------+------------------------------------------ | ACTUAL DISTANCE, 296 KILOMETRES. | COMPUTED DISTANCE, 267 KILOMETRES. +------+------+------+------+------+------- CLASSES | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | f. c.| f. c.| f. c.| f. c.| f. c.| f. c. Ordinary Class Rates | 42·55| 36·55| 31·20| 25·85| 20·50| 12·35 | | | | | | Import and Export Rates | 30·00| 26·00| 23·00| 20·00|{18·00| 12·00 | | | | |{15·00| --------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------- BOULOGNE AND PARIS.