BELGIUM-HANSE TOWNS-SARDINIA.

71

received in return cloth, (woolen,) cotton goods, hosiery, silks, segars, toys, glass, looking-glass plates, willow baskets, musical instruments, pianos, zeni wool, and manufactures of porcelain. Nearly all these articles pay a pretty high duty, which curtails their consumption in the United States, and diminishes the consuming power of the lower classes, who produce these articles. A reduction of the duty on such articles would materially increase the export trade to the United States, and the consumption of cotton, tobacco, rice, and other articles produced by the United States, in Germany.

In 1855, 47,083,451 lbs. raw cotton, valued at $4,447,145 were imported at Hamburg, besides 54,753,907 lbs. yarns and threads, valued at $10,319,393. Much the greater portion thereof was American cotton, chiefly imported from Liverpool. The value of direct trade is, however, much more appreciated by the Hamburgers at this time than has hitherto been the case, and with the example and immense commercial progress of Bremen in that respect before them, as an illustration of the great advantages likely to flow from it, if properly fostered, they are turning their eyes beyond the marts of London and Liverpool to those of New York and New Orleans, anxious to secure, if practicable, for themselves the only profits on that portion of our products which is consumed in the interior States of Germany; and at the same time to endeavor, by the establishment of a steady, cheap, and well-supplied market, to command, to a greater degree than at present, the supply of our raw materials to northern Europe.

SARDINIA. In 1855, 19,020,661 lbs. cotton were imported into Sardinia, of which 11,621,797 lbs. came direct from the United States, while there can be no doubt that by far the greater portion of that reported as coming from France, England, Belgium, &c., was also the growth of this country. Of this 9,096,021lbs. were re-exported. If the estimate of 40 pounds consumption of the raw material per year, to each spindle be applied to Sardinia, the result would be 260,000 lbs. which is probably near the truth.

It is anticipated by the merchants of Genoa that the importations of cotton into that port, direct from the United States, or other countries of its growth, will continue to increase, not only to meet a domestic demand, but also to supply, by means of the Sardinian railroad, the wants of the spinners in the Italian provinces of Austria, and those of Tyrol and the Voralberg. There are few or no direct exchange operations between Sardinia and the cotton marts of the United States. Payments are made by drafts on London or Paris. The chief

articles of exports are fruits, olive oil, silk, rice, wool, wine, grain, &c.

THE ZOLLVEREIN.-There were in 1857, 196 cotton manufactories in the German Zollverein, consuming 121,050 bales of American cotton, against 64,900 bales from all other sources. From reliable data these numbers will be increased the present year to 208 manufactories, consuming 158,650 bales of American cotton, and 77,300 bales of others. In 1853, 91,126,119 lbs cotton were imported into the Zollverein, and 52,517,991 lbs. yarns and threads, Prussia receiving about seven-ninths of this quantity.

In the year 1856, there were, according to Mr. George Von Veibahn, chief of division of the financial department of the ministry of commerce, &c., at Berlin, in the kingdom of Prussia, 88 spinneries, with an aggregate of 288,907 spindles, which, at an estimate of forty pounds each of the raw material per annum, required 11,556,280 lbs.

"In 1857, the number of mills in the kingdom of Saxony, according to a statement of Dr. Christian A. Weining, chief of divisions, etc., in the ministry of finance, was 135, running 600,000 spindles. The consumption of raw cotton was about 30,000,000 pounds, of which 12,950,595 pounds were the growth of the United States, almost all of which was reported via Bremen; and 11,432,463 pounds of the growth of the East Indies, imported via Hamburg.

"To the United States the exports consisted principally of hosiery, valued at two millions of thalers; woolen cloths, valued at one and a half million of thalers; and other woolen goods, valued at half a million thalers."

Statement of the Import, Export, and Transit of Cotton Wool into and from each of the States of the Zollverein during the year 1853; the weights reduced to the standard of the United States.

ZOLLVEREIN-AUSTRIA-RUSSIA.

There will be, therefore, in working order next year:

To consume

73

Bales of

Total, pounds.

In Saxony.

134

604,646

In Prussia

26

424,000

33,000

13,000

46,000

In 1856 the number of spindles actually in operation within the German Zollverein was only 1,200,000, and the amount of cotton consumed 160,000 bales.

AUSTRIA. In 1856, according to an official report, 84,774,371 lbs. cotton were imported into Austria. In 1854, 189 establishments for cotton manufacturing were in operation in Austria, consuming (estimated) 145,000 bales.

"The importation of raw cotton into Lombardy is estimated at 30,000 bales, of which 25,000 are of the growth of the United States, and 5,000 of the Indies and the Levant. The much greater part of the cotton from the United States, Malta, and the Indies, is received through the port of Genoa, and nearly all the cottons from the Levant are imported by way of Trieste, where formerly a much more considerable importation was counted, but the low prices of cotton in America during the years 1840, 1844, 1848, 1849, and 1850, have broken up the culture of cotton in the countries of the Levant. Many of the largest spinners import cotton direct from the United States, and are able to furnish a good supply to the smaller spinners."

RUSSIA. In 1847, there were in Russia 55 cotton spinneries, employing about 60,000 people. The other branches of cotton manufacture employ four times that number.

The value of cotton tissues of all descriptions, fabricated in Russia, is estimated at 65,000,000 silver roubles. Nearly all of it is consumed within the country. Russia exports cotton stuffs only to Asia; their value not exceeding 2,500,000 silver roubles.

"In the year 1853, Russia imported from England raw cotton to the value of $997,025; cotton manufactures to the value of $328,575. Raw cotton, nine-tenths of which was of the growth of the United States, constituted 28.6 per cent. of all that England sent to Russia. In the same year Russia received from the United States raw cotton to the value of $1,487,700 (being sixty-eight-hundredths of total import,) of the value of

$2,187,350. In return she sent us a total value of $1,672,875, consisting of sailcloth and coarse linen, linen and hempen yarn, iron, cordage, hemp, bristles, feathers, etc.

"The direct trade in raw cotton between the United States and Russia is, however, on the increase, she having received directly from our ports, in 1856, an amount of 124,000 bales.

"The policy of purchasing in the Liverpool market, instead of at New Orleans, Mobile, or Charleston, was explained to be on account of the more reliable classification or sorting at Liverpool than in the United States. To purchase raw cotton, without an intermediary at New Orleans, or any other American port, it would be necessary for the Russian manufacturer to send thither an agent, with specie, or drafts bought in Europe. In the actual condition of things, it is much more convenient for him to buy his cotton from English merchants at London or Liverpool, who grant credits more or less extended, at five per cent. per annum; besides which, in England, and particularly at Liverpool, where cotton is sold, after having been sorted and under guaranty, while in America, cotton is put upon the market without being sorted and without guaranty. "It is to be observed that the prices of cotton acquire commercial stability only in the English market; consequently, a Russian speculator, who should go to buy raw cotton in America, even at the period of the crop being gathered, which is the most advantageous for the purchasers, would run the risk of paying for it more than the current price two or three months later. All these causes combined, induce the Russian spinner to prefer the English market to the direct purchase of the cotton in America.

"The Russian practice of buying in the Liverpool market is, in no small degree, caused by the fact that the managers of the mills, who are all English, are unwilling to receive stocks purchased elsewhere, believing that in England alone the proper classification for the descriptions of yarn in demand in the Russian market are to be had, and their influence prevails over other considerations with the owners."

Table 1.-TOTAL QUANTITY AND VALUE OF COTTON EXPORTED FROM

THE UNITED STATES TO ALL COUNTRIES.

GENERAL COTTON STATISTICS-GREAT BRITAIN.

75

Table 2.-TOTAL IMPORTS OF COTTON INTO GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

1821 to 1825. 1826 to 1880.. 1831 to 1835.. 1836 to 1$40.. 1841 to 1845.

1846 to 1850..

1851 to 1855.......

867,608,058 111,443,139 25,880,412 121,700,991 87,913,215 1,164,545,815 1,230,256,026 168,088,818 10,636,039 124,546,947 86,214,778 1,569,742,608 1,841,159,598 291,854,429 6,953,716 104,657,072 59,326,171 2303,980,986 2,490,879,279 403,147,693 6,488,885 91,811,676 68.699,263 3,061,026,814 2,494,458,834 892,289,975 8,809,447 115,722,736 68,856,431 3,074,629,923 8,424,502,072 654,412,793 2,878,215 114,317,428 165,915,539 4,361,526,047 Totals for 35 years 12,917,989,369 2,085,911,178 95,078,855 798,542,526 482,092,483 16,879,614,352 369,085,411 59,597,462 2,716,559 22,815,501 13,774,070 467,983,981 Table 3.-EXPORTS FROM GREAT BRITAIN.

Annual average...

Grand totals for the whole pe

riod of 35 years.

Annual averages for the whole period of 35 years...

698,867,302 32,855,652 93,791,134 749,611,755 34,106,092 125,131,296

3,428,784,172 £194,647,478 £598,645,448

97,965,262 £5,561,357 £17,104,156

The conclusions to which Mr. Claiborne arrives at the close of his review of the cotton manufacturing system of Europe, are the following:

1st. That cotton contributes vastly to their social well-being by furnishing labor, sustenance, and cheap and comfortable clothing to many thousands of their subjects or citizens.

2d. That to commerce it contributes immensely by furnishing a great variety of articles, by which its exchanges are in a considerable degree regulated, and large profits continually realized. That to capital it offers the means of profitable investment and returns, and aids greatly in its accumulation.

3d. That its political influence arises from the fact, that by opening and extending commercial relations between different nations, it has created sympathies and ties of common interest, which makes the policy of peace and its attendant blessings one far more easy to maintain than was once the case; that it adds to the national wealth and resources, and by furnishing employment and support to many thousands who might otherwise be without either, it makes contented those who would, through idleness or suffering, become burdens to the state.

4th. That the permanent and adequate supply of raw cotton thus becomes to Great Britain and Continental Europe, a subject of vital importance, and indeed, of absolute necessity;