The Press. — London, England, 1854-09-09 00:00:00

850 EXPORT TRADE. A RETURN has just been issued by the Board of Trade of the declared values of British and Irish produce and manufactures exported from the United King dom in the year 1859, specifying the amount to each country and colony. This document shows the order in which the various communities of the world rank as our customers ; and one of the most remarkable facts it presents is, that, owing to the extraordinary increase of more than 10,000,0001. in our consign ments to Australia, our own dependencies now t ake above one-third of the gross amount of exported va lues, although the total has reached 98,933,7811., against 78,076,8541. in 1852. The United States, in eluding California, likewise figure for a great increase —namely, from 16,567,7371. in 1852 to 23,658,427!., at which they now stand. It is the augmentation in this case, indeed, coupled with that to our own colo nies, by which the comparison of the exports of the two years exhibits so striking an improvement, since the aggregate of shipments to all other countries has remained almost stationary, such slight alteration as has taken place being in the direction of a decline. Among the British possessions which, next to Aus tralia, continue to show an enlargement of trade, are India, Canada, the settlements of South Africa, and Mauritius. The West Indies remain stationary, and Hongkong, owing to the Chinese insurrection, exhi bits a considerable falling off. Among the foreign countries our exports to which have declined are China, Brazil, France, Egypt, Tuscany, Naples, the Republics of the River Plate, New Granada, Vene zuela, Hayti, and Greece. Turkey also shows a slight reduction, but remains far beyond Russia, al though in the insignificant total to that country there has been an increase, caused probably by extended purchases towards the end of the year under the ap prehension of a blockade. With regard to other countries, those which present the most prominent improvement are Mexico, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Chili, Peru, Denmark, and Sweden and Norway. The graduated list is as follows 1. British possessions— Australia India .. • • • North America .. West Indies .. • , South Africa . Gibraltar Channel Islands Mauritius Hongkong .. Malta • • • • lonian Islands .. Other possessions 2. United States .. 8. Germany— Hanseatic Towns Prussia Hanover .. 4. Holland .. 6. Brazil .. .• S. France .. • • 7. Turkey— Turkey .. • • • • Wallachia and Moldavia A. China .. 2. Spain 10. Belgium 11. Portugal 12. Chili .. 13. Peru . • 11. Russia .. 1 Cuba .. 11. Sardinia 17. Mexico.. V. Egypt .• 1). Tuscany 21. Naples and Sicily .. $l. Austria in Italy . • IL West coast of Africa .. 21. Denmark • • • 21. Java and Suma tra . • 25. Sweden and Norway .. $6. Buenos Ayres .. • • 117. Uruguay 28. New Granada .. • • 29. Philippine Islands .. 30. Syria and Palestine .. 31. Venezuela 32. Papal Territories .. 33. Greece .. • • • • $4. Hayti .. • • • • $5. Morocco SG. Senegambia .. • • Other countries .• .. .. £14,513,700 • 8,165,b95 ▪ 4,898.541 .. 1,906,839 1,212,630 .. 870,840 .. 470,107 .. 385,879 .. 375,908 .. 297,906 .. 118,567 347,787 • • 33,382,202 .. 23,658,427 .. 27,093,314 579.588 • • 472,179 8,145,081 .. 4,452,956 • • • . 3,166,407 • • • • . 2,636,330 ••• • . .. .C 2,0 2 1,305 179,510 2,208,815 1,37;689 1,468,357 1,371,817 1,335,382 1,264,942 1,246,736 1,228,404 1,124,864 1,112,447 791,940 787,111 639,794 839,544 637,313 617,764 569,733 558,212 556.183 561,035 529,683 450,804 386,552 306,680 248,190 207,491 135,315 75,257 1,725 912,662 D 8,933,781 MEMBERS OF Cosoits.ss (says the New York Tribune) are now too well paid. There are perhaps thirty men in the two houses who are worth more than the regular pay; but the great majority don't know how to earn 8 dols. per day anywhere else, or we should have no eight months' sea alone. If the pay could be cut down to 1,000 dols. per session, with ten cents per mile for actual travel computed by the shortest route to and from Washington, with 10 dols. per day deducted for each day a member fails to attend, and a like sum for each failure to answer at a call of the yeas and nays, we should have short sessions and every way improved legislation. Then men of character and ability, whose time is worth at least MO dols. per week, would accept nominations, knowing that the public business would be promptly despatched, and they be per mitted to return to their own ; but now they can't afford it, because the small people spin out the sessions and use up better men's time in order to pocket their 6 dols. per day for the longest possible period. The 2resent system is a very bad one, and is m Bug hands that we apprehend it will not moos b bitten THE PRESS. PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE. A PARLIAMENTARY return to an order of the House of Lords contains an account of the public income and expenditure for the year ending the sth of July, 1854:- It appears that the ordinary revenue and receipts were as follows :-Cu5t0m5,20,343,7481.138. 5 d.; exci5e,15,171,9791. 10s. 3d. ; stamps, 6,986,4701. 12s. Bd. ; taxes (land and as sessed), 3,167,1451. Is. 3d. ; property tax, 6,402,4061. 17s. ; Post-office, 1,232,0001.; Crown lands, 260,0001.; deduc tions on pensions and salaties, 4,6721. 4s. 4d. ; small branches of the hereditary revenues of the Crown, 8,6111. 17s. 3d. ; surplus fees of regulated public offices, 103,2531. 18s. 9d. Total ordinary revenue, 53,680,2881. 14s. 11d. The other receipts were :-Sale of old stores, I.tc., 390,5311. 3s. Bd. ; imprest and other moneys, 308,4111. 3s. tid. ; money received from the East India Company, 60,0001. Total for the year, 54,439,2311. 2s. Id. The expenditure during that period was as follows :- Permanent debt, unfunded debt, and interest on Exche quer Bills, 27,733,6631. 4s. 10d. ; civil list, 400,0351. ; an nuities and pensions, 351,19'21. 10s. 11d. ; salaries and allowances, 268,6791. 2s. sd. ; diplomatic salaries and pen sions, 148,1761. lfle. ld.; courts of justice, 1,131,2761. Os. Id.; miszellaneous charges on the Consolidated Fund, 212,4591. 9s. Id.; army, 6,705,8821. ; navy, 8,484,4691. Os. 10d.; ordnance. 3,395,8901. Ils. 9d.; Kafir war, 230,0001.; civil services, 4,278,6611. 1 ls. 3d. ; unclaimed dividends (more than received), 40,1861. 95.: total, 53,::+80,5521. 10s. 3d., leaving an excess of income over expenditure of 1,058,6781. Ils. 10d. The balances in the Exchequer on the sth day of July, 1853, were 5,112,6391.55. 9d; money raised in the year ended the sth day of July, 1854, by the creation of funded debt, nil ; Exchequer Bonds, 1,601,9001.; Exchequer Bills, 19,730,900/. ; Exchequer Consolidated Fund Bills, 1,290,0001.; excess of income over expenditure in the year ended sth July, 1854, 1,058,6781. Ils. 10d.: total, 28,794,117/. 17s. 7d. The issues were as follows :-For the redemption of the public debt, 3,146,1061. 13s. 2d. ; of which sum, however, 3,125,7321. Is. 6d. was applied in redemption of Exchequer Bills. To paying off dissentient holders of South Sea Stock, 7,571,8591. 3s. Bd. ; and holders of Bank Annuities, 476,2711. 10s. Bd. Funded debt paid off, 8,068,5051. Os. To the Paymaster-General, to tiny off supply bills, &c., 15,907,3001.: to the Paymaster-tyeneral, to pay of Exche quer Consolidated Fund Bills, 790,000/. ; balance of ad vances for local works, 25,2251. 10s. 6d. Balance in the Exchequer on the sth day of July, 1854, 4,003,0871. Is. ld. DOWNING_STREET. PußLic attention has of late been so strongly directed to the state of the official buildings in Downing-street and its neighbourhood, that it may perhaps not be out a season if a few facts be brought to light. It appears by the sixth report from the Woods and Forests, presented to the House of Commons on the sth of June, D 429 ( twenty five years ago), that the sum of 95,9601. Ss. was paid, or had been agreed for, for the purpose of clearing a site for rebuilding the present office, as well as such additions as were then required. The ground was then cleared, and from that time it has laid a perfect waste, the interest of the vast sum lost, and the annual payment of poor rates chargeable upon the houses pulled down paid to the parishes up to the present moment. Nor is this all. From the dilapidated,not to say dangerous, state of the offices, a very large annual charge has been going on in upholding them—perhaps from 1,00111. to 2,0001. annually, Since that period the absolute require ments for the public service have greatly increased ; so much so that it now appears there is arental approaching 20,0001. per annum charged to the public. Now, these amounts put together, with interest, will give a loss to the public of per haps 250,0001. per annum, and that irrespective of the large annual rent paid for office accommodation. How strange, then, must it appear to every man of business to hear the Chancellor of the Exchequer say he would gladly alter the state of things, if his finances would afford it? Another point connected with this extraordinary fact is, that Sir William Molesworth should tell the House of Commons he is having (as though it was now thought of for the first time) plans prepared. Might it not be as well that he should look to or revive plans in existence? It is very well known that when Sir John Soane rebuilt the Council office and Board of Trade, he prepared plans for the south side of Downing-street, with a frontage in King-street, to corre spond with the Board of Trade and Home-office, intending to connect the two buildings by an archway, enclosing Downing-square when rebuilt, and further intending to connect these buildings with the State Paper-office, thus laying down a scheme for what is now deemed so essential —a general combination of public offices; and if Sir Wil liam will take a little further trouble, he will find, or should find, plans prepared by Mr. Decimus Burton for the same object. Now, surely the public have a right to know why it is that these proceedings have been so long going on. It really seems almost necessary that those who have the management of public works should unlearn what they have learnt, dismiss old habits and customs, and set to work in right earnest, taking the example of our large private establishments, with all the modern appliances that science and indomitable perseverance can effect.—Corre 'pendent of the Builder. SOME advice for saving corn when cut in damp weather is communicated by M. Prideaux to the Agricultural Gazette. He says :—" A field of white oath, near Plymouth, was cut wet, and, the weather continuing the same, was at last stacked in layers, with dry straw between. On taking abroad the rick, the grain was found in excellent condition, not sprouted nor damaged in any way. And what answered with so precarious a grain as white oats will stand a better chance with wheat, or even barley. In this way thousands of acres might have been saved which have been left to sprout on the ground ; and where straw is all u•od up other dry irtalks, or ova slayings, might answer." SATURDAY, rilitttal ant 6flttrai. MR. ACTON, the Mayor of Wigan, has published his address, announcing himself a candidate for the honour of representing it in Parliament, on Liberal principles. Mr. Woods, who had been applied to by a body of electors, in a letter, dated from Kiasengen, in Germany, declines to divide the Liberal party by becoming a candidate on this occasion. THE Maidstone Journal, which has been estab lished nearly seventy years, intimates that, in conse quence of another considerable rise in the price of paper, the proprietors have been compelled to raise the price from M. up to 6d. THE FORTIFICATION OF FALMOUTH HARBOUR is now determined upon by the Government, who have ordered the construction of a series of works on an extensive scale, which shall effectually guard the rights of vessels calling at that port as well as protect the property along that coast. A contract has been entered into by the Board of Ordnance with Messrs. Olver and Sons to erect a range of fortifications at St. Mawes and Pendennis Castle, and the contractors, who are bound to complete the whole in six months, have commenced drawing materials for the under- taking. A BATCH OF FORTY-ONE GERMAN TAILORS arrived in Newcastle on Saturday by steam-boat from Ham burg. They were engaged by a deputation of em ployers, in order to fill up the places of the men now on strike. The workmen previous to leaving Hamburg engaged to abjure the " Union," and very willingly agreed to the terms offered by the employers. Another lot have engaged to come to Newcastle upon the same terms, as soon as the masters require them. Those who have arrived seem a very respectable class of men, and their appearance gives an idea of sobriety and intelligence. ALTHOUUII it was contemplated to withdraw the 10th Royal Hussars from the East Indies for service in Turkey, the idea is abandoned, and the corps will remain its due time in the East Indies. The drafts of this and other regiments are waiting ready to em bark for Bombay per the Earl of Balcarres. ABRONZE STATUE OF THE LATE DUNE OF WELLING TON, by Adams, of Chelsea, is about to be erected in Norwich. The site will be probably the large open space called Tombland. The cost of the statue was about 1,0001. ABOUT two years ago an aquatic weed, previously unknown to the boatmen, began to spring up in a part of the Chesterfield Canal, the water some time previous having become of a deep green colour. Toe weed spread from its starting-point with amazing rapidity, and has now reached all the way between Worksop and Retford, and, unless something is done to stop its growth, the consequences to traffic must be serious. The time required to navigate a loaded boat between the two towns is nearly double what it was a few years ago, owing to this impediment. Be. sides being of rapid growth, the plant under pressure rolls up into great heaps the size of haycocks, so that boats are frequently brought to a complete standstill. Its lengthened stem, thickly set with small leaver, produces an immense quantity of flax-like fibres. THE BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS for the month and six months ending the sth of August were issued on Saturday. The total declared value of the exports of British and Irish produce and manufactures (in cluding only the "enumerated articles") during tin month and seven months is as follows For the month. For seven months. 1854 1853 1852 .. Including the " enumerated articles" (which, since the beginning of the present year, have been en braced in the official return), the month's exports fa 1854 are raised to 9,439,6431., and those of the seven months to 58,012,6451. These figures indicate this, in spite of the war, the aggregate exports for the lam seven months (taking a comparison of the " enumi rated articles " only) are nearly two millions in excel of those of the corresponding period of last year, and eleven millions and three quarters more than in 1t55!. The increase, as compared with the corresponding month of last year, is 377,1051. THE estate of Ury, formerly the residence of tie late Captain Barclay, has been sold to Mr. B, ironmaster, Glasgow, at 120,0001., being the up t price. THE appointment of twenty more supernumercr surveyors of inland revenue for Scotland has betn authorised by Government. It is stated that sixteen have already been named. OWING to the spread of the cholera among fie troops at Varna, and the consequent heavy dutes which devolve upon the two Roman Catholic chaplans to the forces in the East, Messrs. Wheble End Sheehan, the Government have just despatched Wee m ore Catholic chaplains to the seat of war, to &Wad upon the soldiers of that religion. One of th.se chaplains is a monastic of the Dominican order ; he other two are secular priests. The outfit and passige of one of the three chaplains is defrayed by the 101 of Shrewsbury. lii, hi, I