MINNESOTA STATE FINANCES. Receipts into the treasury from all sources, from Jan. 1st, 1858, to Feb. 1st, 1859, at which time settlement was made with State Treasurer Disbursements during the same period.... Balance in treasury, Feb. 1st, 1859. Receipts into the treasury from all sources, (including previous balance) $470,499 43 466,435 87 $4,063 56 $96,392 05 81,055 89 .. $15,339 16 Balance in treasury, Dec. 1st, 1859..... Aggregate amount of receipts..... ... Balance... 562,827 92 547,488 76 $15,339 16 Total amount of floating State indebtedness. .. $35,270 65 The unexpended balance of the several appropriations amount to... 58,689 40 as far as returned to this department, is.... The State tax on the same, at the rate of five mills on the dollar, is 41,846,778 09 209,233 89 A large portion of the newly organized counties have failed to make returns, although demand for the same has been made from this department upon every organized county in the State. Only a portion of the returns of the taxable property of the State for the year 1859, have been received. From those already received, I estimate the amount at $40.000,000, and the State tax at $200,000, which will become due in February next. The total amount of delinquent taxes, due from the counties, December 1st, 1859, is $149,790 67. The amount of taxable property for the year 1860 is estimated at $40,000,000 ; a tax upon this amount of 24 mills on the dollar amount to $10,000, which, with the large amount of delinquent taxes already due, it is hoped will be amply sufficient for the support of the State government without embarrassment. CINCINNATI PERSONAL PROPERTY. We give below the personal property in the several wards, embraced in the merchants' and manufacturers' stock, and moneys, from which some opinion of the business interests of the city may be determined : 9th.. 92,530 7,051 20,157 26,626 $10,432,422 $4,545,951 $2,354,379 SAVINGS BANKS OF NEW YORK. 56,613 31,696 10th.. 216,118 80,263 81,837 The following report shows the gratifying fact that over $58,000,000 have been saved by the people of New York, being an average cash deposit of over $208. The following is the summary showing the aggregate of the resources and liabilities of the savings institutions of the State of New York, as exhibited by their reports to the Superintendent of the Banking Department of the State of New York, J. M. Cook, Esq., of their condition on the morning of the first day of January, 1860: Bonds and mortgages.. RESOURCES. Estimated value of mortgaged premises..... Stock investments, amount invested.. Par value of stocks... Estimated value of same.... Stocks upon which money has been loaned, par value. Amount loaned thereon... Amount loaned upon personal securities Amount invested in real estate... Cash on deposit in banks Cash on hand, not deposited in banks.. Amount loaned or deposited, not included in above heads. Miscellaneous resourceв. $22,844,594 ... $55,872,318 29,597,774 29,703,128 28,932,740 1,762,581 Number of institutions, 64; number of open accounts, 273,697. Total amount withdrawn during calendar year, 1859.. Total amount received for interest during calendar year, 1859........ year, 1859... VALUATION OF TORONTO. The following is the annual (assessed) value of real and personal property in From the above it will be seen that a steady increase took place in the annual value of city property from 1851 to 1857, in which latter year it attained its highest point. In 1858, after the terrible panic of the fall of 1857, a reduction of $47,000 only took place, and this has been continued. No. 1 THE COINS OF JAPAN. The following results of an authorized assay, in England, of Japanese coins will probably be of interest at the present time, considering the intercourse which has recently been opened with that country :ï Copangs.. The values of the metals in each coin are, on an average, as follows : -calculated at the English mint price of gold, i. e., £317s. 101d. per ounce, and of silver 3s. do. ENGLISH CUSTOMS AND DUTIES. Sabjoined is a statement of the gross amount produced by customs duties upon the principal articles of foreign and colonial merchandise during the past year, compared with the three preceding years. Seventy per cent of the whole is furnished by sugar, tobacco, and tea : CASH SALES IN CUBA AND TWO PER CENT DISCOUNT. The Cuba Messenger, published at Havana, remarks: - Since the early part of 1857, when the Grocer's Bank was established in this city, the rule of discounting 2 per cent on all cash sales of provisions, &c., made on our wharves, was also established. The wholesale grocers combined and agreed not to purchase any goods unless the 2 per cent discount was allowed, and ever since it has been like a law in our market. As we know that many merchants abroad, and especially those who do not make regular shipments to this port, have made inquiries in regard to this item, we think it proper and convenient to explain the matter as we now do; and we will continue, from time to time, to explain all other points which may interest or concern those who may trade or be interested in the commercial affairs of this island. ASSAY OF THE COINS OF JAPAN. A number of Japan coins having been submitted to Col. JAMES ROSS SNOWDEN, the director, an assay has been made with results as follows : The coins are of gold, silver, brass, copper, and iron. The principal gold coin is the cobang, of which we have three sizes, according to the changes which have been made within the past sixty years. This coin is of oval shape, very thin, soft, and easily bent; it is largely alloyed with silver, but the silver being taken out of the surface by a solvent, the coin looks like fine gold, until it has been a good deal worn. This accounts for the very pale color of the first specimen; and of another, in which we have scratched off part of the surface, to show the true color. No. 1, is a cobang, supposed to be about sixty years old. It weighs 201 grains; it is two-thirds gold; one-third silver; or, as we express by thousandths, is 667-thousandths fine. In its value, including the silver, is $5 95. It is of oval form, quite thick, 24 inches long, and 14 broad. No. 2, cobang, coined within a few years past, weighs 174 grains. It is foursevenths gold, and three-sevenths silver, very nearly; the exact fineness in thousandths being 568. The value including the silver, is $4 44. In size it is very little smaller than No. 1. Nos. 3 and 4, cobangs, of very recent date brought by the embassy for assay. They are exactly alike, except one small mark. The weight is 1384 grains. Their fineness is about 571-thousandths, which is precisely four sevenths, and appears to be the definite legal standard. The value, including the silver, is $357; without the silver, $341. These are yet smaller than No. 2, but similarly shaped. Nos. 5 and 6, two small rectangular coins, with a gold surface, which (by specific gravity) are about one-third gold. The weight is 25t grains. Their name and place in the series are not known to us. They are two-thirds of an inch in length, and one-third in breadth. No. 7, rectanguler coin, is half the weight of the cobang, No. 2; but (by specific gravity) contains little more than one-fourth gold; the remainder appears to be silver. This piece, also, is not understood. It is one inch long and one half an inch broad. No. 8, also rectangular, is called the gold itzebu, is one-fourth the weight of cobang, No. 2, and of the same fineness, very nearly. Value $1 11. A little smaller than No. 7. Nos. 9 and 10 are the new gold itzebu, brought by the Embassy for assay, and are one-fourth of the cobang brought by them. Value 894 cents. A little larger than Nos. 5 and 6. All the silver coins are rectangular, and rather thick. No. 11, and old half-itzebu, silver, is one of several pieces which were given to an officer of the United States Exploring Expedition, about the year 1840, by some Japanese sailors who had drifted far out into the Pacific Ocean, and were picked up and taken care of. Afterward, by the wreck of one of our vessels, all the coins were lost except this one. It was our first specimen of Japanese coin. The weight is 41 grains, and, being near fine silver, it is worth a little over 11 cents. Same size as No. 8. No. 12 is a silver itzebu, coined some years since, weighing 134 grains 988 to 990 thousandths fine, and worth 36.9 cents. (Some specimens are fully 37.) A little larger than No. 7. No. 13 weighs 284 grains, and appears also to be nearly fine; value about 8 cents. Name not known. Same size as No. 8. No. 14, a new silver itzebu, brought by the Embassy, (cut for assay.) It weighs the same as the old itzebu, 1344 grains, but is 890 thousandths fine, which is near our standard, (900.) Valued at 33.28 cents. Same size as No. 12. No. 15, a large, thick piece of brass, oval, cast with a square hole in the center; said to be a piece of "one hundred p'senny." It is 2 inches long and 14 broad. No. 16, a copper coin, circular, with a hole in the center, size of our cent. No. 17, an iron coin, circular, with rough edges, and with a hole in the center, size of half cent. STATISTICS OF TRADE AND COMMERCE. WHALE TRADE OF THE NORTH PACIFIC. The Sandwich Island papers state :- We are able to make up for this mail a full exhibit of the North Pacific whaling fleet. As a rule, we give the highest reliable figures, for generally ships hail below their actual catch. The list embraces 218 vessels, classed as follows : American, (including "William Tell" lost). French..... Russian.... Bremen and Oldenburg. Total......... 194 11 7 4 2 218 Of the above fleet, there have arrived at the various ports of these islands this fall 197, as follows : Of these, five are sperm whalers, bringing into port, as this season's catch, 1,500 barrels sperm oil; and 192 are right whalers, hailing, as the season's catch, 1,450 barrels sperm, 102,980 barrels whale oil, and 1,312,700 pounds bone. The following tables exhibit the annual totals and average from 1852 to 1859, inclu sive. The average for the season has been 535 barrels of oil, and 6,802 pounds bone. This average includes American, French, German, Hawaiian, and Russian whalers: TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER BARRELS OIL AND POUNDS OF BONE TAKEN BY THE NORTH PAOIFIC WHALING FLEET FOR THE YEARS 1852-1859, (INCLUDING ONLY VESSELS THAT HAVE RETURNED TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS,*) AND GIVING THE AVERAGE FOR EACH SEASON. 1858. 218 211 1857.. 165 151 1856.. 177 170 1855.. 250 221 1854.. 245 232 1853.. 252 244 1852.. 275 271 13,935 16,595 9,013 182,300 1,555 129,240 1,661,700 535 620 7,904 845 10,540 830 9,015 .............. 6,242 225,625 2,443,250 1,081 11,110 ......... 4,276 191,843 2,698,180 827 11,200 20,857 364,520 .... 280,360 3,448,300 1,190 11,728 17,247 421,585 ... 337,124 5,357,737 1,244 15,815 Annual average for the last six years to each vessel, 758 barrels oil. The average of the North Pacific fleet refers only to right whalers, and is ob tained after adding together their sperm and whale oil taken during the last season. Seamen have been abundant. One fact, however, has been remarked-that foreign seamen generally dislike to ship again for the North, and prefer shipping * The "Faith's" cargo is included in the average. † These figures are estimated; no complete record has been kept this season of the actual amount on board all the vessels. No report is obtainable for these years. |