The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-12 00:00:00

The Bristol Channel Shipping Ports,

The returns of the trade of several of the principal ports
in the Bristol Channel for the financial year and for the
past month of July have just been published, and it is satis-
factory to find therefrom that there is a steady and satis-
factory increase, notwithstanding the continuance of the
American war and other events which materially interfere
more especially with the shipping trade.
BRISTOL.-The financial year of the Docks' Committee
has just ended, and the annual report has been published,
and, notwithstanding the extraordinary advance which the
port made during the years 1860-61, there has been a still
further advance upon the financial year just completed.
In June, 1861, a very large reduction of tonnage rates was
made, the estimated loss of revenue therefrom being set
down as about £6,000. It is gratifying, however, to be able
to state that, compared with the income of 1860 (the year
previous to the reduction of tolls), the returns of the past
year show but a decrease of £BOO, and there is every reason
to believe that the present financial year of the port will
show returns quite as large as any previous to the reduc-
tion. The total income of the Docks' Committee for the
year 1862 is £42,457, while the ordinary expenditure was
only £29,366; but some extraordinary amounts swelled the
item of expenditure to £31,666. The committee report that
they had a balance in hand at the close of the year of no
less than £16,540; and they therefore felt justified in re-
commending a large reduction of the dues on goods brought
in coasting vessels, which it is expected will tend materially
to develope the trade and prosperity of the port. Referring
to the tonnage statistics, we find an equally satisfactory re.
suit ; the tonnage of shipping from foreign ports which
entered Bristol during the past year being 277,329 tons,
as against 262,327 tons of the previous year. Altogether,
the report of the committee is most satisfactory, and there
is every prospect of the trade steadily increasing.
CARDIFF.-This by far the largest exporting port in the
Bristol Channel has had a great impetus to its average trade
during the past month, consequent upon the extensive de-
mand for iron and coal for exportation. The two previous
months--viz , May and June-were more than ordinarily
dull, but the past month of July has been more brisk than
any previous month of the present year, or, in fact, of any
month in the history of the port. The total quantity of coal
chipped during July was 136,259 tons, and of iron 23,237
tons ; while for the former month of June they only
amounted to 95,108 tons coal, and 15,619 tons iron, showing
an increase in favour of the past mouth of nearly 40,000
tons of coal, and upwards of 8,000 tons in iron. The ex-
ports of iron during the past month were upwards of 20,000
tons more than the average exports of the previous six
months. The trade of the first Leven months show a total
export of 719,442 tons of coal, and 111,970 tons iron ; the
quantities exported during the corresponding period of 1862
being 734,451 tons coal, and 113,46 S tons iron, and for 1861,
628,652 tons coal, and 77,719 tons iron ; the increase of the
present year over 1861 and 1862 being 170,790 tons and
64,991 tons coal respectively. The great increase during
the past month has been in the coasting trade.
NEWPORT.-Whatever may be said to the contrary by
interested parties, we are very much afraid that both the
import and export trade of this port is slowly but surely
falling off, and certainly the empty appearance of the docks
during the latter part of the past month fully guarantee this
assertion. Trade, however, has materially improved of late,
and there has been a certain degree of activity manifested,
but nothing like that which existed some few years ago,
when Newport was justly reckoned one of the, if not the
most prosperous ports in the channel. We have no hesita-
tion in saying that the policy of the harbour authorities in
keeping up the present nigh dues upon goods and shipping
is most suicidal, and until these dues are reduced, no great
increase of trade can be reasonably expected. We have no
official star istics of the exports of the past mor.th, but, from
calculations and inquiries made, we may state, in round
',umbers, that fhere has been between 50,000 and 60,000 tons
of coal, and 16,000 or 17,000 tons of iron, being somewhat
above the average. The trade coastwise has been more sa-
tisfactory during the past month than for some time pre-
viously.
SWANSEA.-The financial year of this port has just ended
and the statistics of trade were brought forward at the an-
nual meeting of the trustees held on Monday last. From
these returns we find that the rates on shipping received
during the past financial year was £15,890 7s 6d ; the rates
on goods, £8,631 lls 8d ; bridge tolls, £2,015 ; ballast rates,
£2,946 15s Bd-which, together with other minor receipts,
made the total income of the harbour for the past year,
£31,304 19a 10d; while the expenditure was £25,931 6s Gd.
Within the past two or three years, however, the Trust has
taken possession of the South Docks and estate of the Dock
Company, and the proper facilities to bring this into profit-
able operation not being yet developed, there has been consi-
derable loss thereon. The total revenue derivable from the
South Dock estate during the past year was £4,988 19s 10d,
and of the harbour railway leading to the docks £2,770 13s ' •
making a total of £7,759 12s 10d, while the expenditure
amounted to no less than £14,580 lOs Gd, or an excess over
income of £6,820 18s 4d, and the profits on the general har-
bcur being deducted therefrom, leaves a clear loss of about
£1,350 for the year. It is only right that we should again
remark that the whole loss accrues on the South Dock
estate, which is as yet undeveloped, but which is expected
to be fairly remunerative now that the Swansea and Neath
mineral line is brought down thereto, and when the Dun-
went Valley line is complete. Referring to the trade of the
port for the past month we find it one of the most prospe-
rous in the history of the port. The total number of vessels
entering the port were 591, with an aggregate registered
tonnage of 60,121 tons, and the total shipping rates received
amounted to £1,346 13s 9d, and the receipts arising from
the rates on goods, the bridge tolls, ballast rates, rent of
harbour, railway, ttc.,
made the total income of the Trust
for the month £2,929 16s sd. Classifying the trade, we
find that there were 349 vessels, of 29,809 tons, engaged in
the coasting trade; 224 ships, of 24,360 tons, in the Euro-
pean trade; and 18 ships, of 5,952 tons, in the foreign
trade. Compared with the corresponding month of last
year, there is a large increase in every department. In
July, 1862, the number of vessels entering the port were
513, with an aggregate registered tonnage of 52,710 tons,
the shipping rates received amounted to £1,204 Ils 7d.
These were classified as 307 ships, of 25,682 tons, coasting ;
193 ships, of 22,380 tons, European ; and 13 ships, of 4,648
tons, foreign trade. Although the special returns of the
exports are not given, it is expected that there have been at
least 70,000 tons of coal and other general merchandise
exported.

ICEATII.- Since the opening of the Briton Ferry docks
there has been a steady increase in the general trade of the
port, and the past month is no exception to the rule. The
coal drops have been fully employed, and, should the trade
progress in the future in the same ratio as it has done in
the past, other drops will be shortly requited.

Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by pur-
chasing norniman's pure Tea; very choice at 35. 4d. and
4s. " High Standard "at 4s. 4d. (formerly 45. Bd.), is the
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every
town supply it in packets.
A DUEL IN A BALLOON.—The Courrier des
Etats Unis is responsible for
the following extra.
ordinary story, which appears
its issue of the 18th July :
—Two aeronauts recently arrived at New York, Messrs.
John Lewis, from England, and Tarteiffer, a native of
Prussia, met about three we.eks ago at John's Wood, where
both intended to make public ascents, and at the end of a
dispute produced by professional rivalry one of them gave'
a challenge to the other. The choice of weapons was debated
then, after an animated discussion, a con-
for a long time ;
elusion was come to which was generally considered as a
joke;
ballooos without parachutes, each one firing, not at the
person, but at the balloon of his adversary. Farther, as a
pistol ball could not produce sufficient effect, it was decided
that each should be armed with a blunderbuss loaded with
four grape-shot. As we have said, the belief was that this
affair was a pure comedy, or, as the Yankees say, a humbug
inspired by the atmosphere of the country. It was, how-
ever, perfectly serious, so serious that the denouement has
just proved a veritable catastrophe. Thursday last week
two balloons exactly alike, made at Boston, was taken out
and inflated in 9. field near the village of Sallisburg on the
frontier of Vermont, and each wronaut took his place in
the boat of his balloon, Four others accompanied them to
the ground, and shook hands with them cordially before
their departure. At an agreed-on signal the ropes were
cut, and the two ferial skiffs rose parallel to each other in a
perfectly calm atmosphere. The balloons had been started
at 84 paces distance from each other; the same distance
was preserved till they reached an elevation of about 100
yards. A rocket was then let off as a signal at the starting
place, and a minute after a double report was heard in the
air. Ore of the balloons continued its course majestically,
and soon disappeared in a westerly direction. The ether
whirled round a m ment and then descended, slowly at first;
but the rapidity of the fall constantly increasing, it ended
by falling violently and heavily on the ground like an inert
mass, Mr, Lewis, who was found in the boat, was insen-
sible, with an arm broken and his body dreadfully bruised,
and there is some hope of his life being saved. As for M.
Tarteiffer, no one knows what has become of him.