The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-02 00:00:00

Imports and Exports.

The report of the Commissioner of Customs, just
published, gives a highly favourable account of our
imports and exports, and shows that their values
are increasing at a rate that is wholly unprece
dented. For the last five years the tide of pro-
sperity has flowed steadily on without receiving the
slightest ebb ; and since 1859 goods of the value of
nearly 100 millions have been added to the _annual
amount of our importations,_ or at the mean rate of
20 millions additional for each successive year. In
1863 there was a rise of 23 millions over 1862, and
in 1864 there was an increase of nearly 29 millions
over 1863 ; so that our trading relations with the
world arc proceeding with a steady but accelerated
ratio. The simple figures, however, tell best their
own facts, and merely require citing. The return
for the last six years runs as follows :

1859 £179,182,355
1860 210,530,873.
1861 217,485,024
186, 225,716,976
1863 248,919,020
1864 274,863,924

The increase of 26 millions of 1864 over 1863 is
divided between the foreign and colonial imports
in the ratio of seventeen millions to nine, the re-
turn from the former being £181,137,158 in 1864
against £164,235,273 in 1863, and from the latter
£93,726,766 in 1864 against £84,683,747 in 1863.
Thus, not only our own settlements, but all parts of
the world, are gradually enlarging their trading re-
lations with us, and, as a natural consequence, are
deriving a corresponding benefit from that enlarge-
ment. The largest increase of our foreign imports
is in the arrivals from Holland and Egypt. In the
former country's produce the increase has been from
eight to eleven millions sterling ; and in the latter
it has reached the extraordinary sum of from 16 to
19 millions. The impetus given by the recent
alteration of the sugar duties to the importation of
Dutch refined sugar has increased our imports
from Holland ; and the ready adaptation of a
wide area of 'land to the cultivation of
cotton in Egypt will account for the augmentation
of our imports from that quarter. The produce of
cotton alone from Egypt absorbs 14 out of the 19
millions, the stated value of our imports. The ex-
tension of steam culture on the fertile delta of the
Nile, and the improved irrigation which the late and
present rulers have completed, have added largely
to the productive powers of the soil ; and the chances
are that Egypt will become a settled source whence
we shall draw good supplies of cotton in the future,
though it may not equal in staple that which we
were in the habit of drawing so largely from the
Southern States of the American Union. Russia
has also contributed to swell the amount of our im-
ports by something like two millions sterling ; and
the foreign West Indies have added a similar amount,
while the Hanse Towns, Belgium, Spain, and
Mexico have each added a million to the former
value of their importations. From Norway, Den-
mark, and Japan the increase is but small ; while
from Portugal, Italy, and China there is a slight
falling off. Our trading intercourse with the United
States of America has naturally experienced great
vicissitudes ; but as the civil strife, which paralysed
for a time her imports, has happily ceased, we may
look forward to a renewal of the relations which
formerly prevailed. The value of our'imports from
America has experienced a considerable diminution,
of more than one million and a half beyond the de-
crease which was recorded in 1863 as compared with
1862. This has extended to Northern,Southern, and
Pacific ports alike. Our imports from France have
again increased, and in nearly the same proportion
as in 1863. The largest increase is in butter, raw
cotton, leather gloves, cloverseed, silk manufac-
tures, brandy, and refinedsugar. The only decrease
of any note is in raw silk, and that is only as com-
pared with 1863, the values being still above those
attained in 1862 and 1861. India stands at the
head of our colonial dependencies, and contri-
butes more than half of our imports, having
added this year to her general supply nearly four
millions in value. In 1862 she added 14 millions to
our imports. These large sums arise from the con-
tributions which India has made to our supplies o'f
raw cotton, the prices of that, article having ranged
as nearly as possible 10s. per, gwt, or about ld. per
lb. lower in 1864 than in 1863. Australia has like-
wise sent us more commodities, amounting to the
sum of three millions sterling, chiefly in the value of
wool. Hong Kong and the Bermudas have more
than doubled their supplies. The Bahamas, whose
imports and exports rose so suddenly in 1863, owing
to the establishment of Nassau as the depot for the
blockade runners both to and from the Secession
States of America, have again added nearly one mil-
lion to their value. The other West India Islands,
Singapore, British Guiana, and the Honduras also
show an increase ; while from Ceylon and British
North America there is a considerable falling off.
The returns which give the quantities of the princi-
pal articles imported show a decrease upon rather
more articles than usual. Oat of 14 articles usually
selected as a test there is, in 1864 as compared with
1863, an increase in nine and a falling off in five.
The nine showing an increase are cotton, flax, hemp
and jute, spirits, sugar (unrefined), timber and wood,
tobacco, wine, and wool. Those showing a decrease
are coffee, tea, silk, corn, flour, and provisions.

A NEW EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCE.—Glycerine, as
we all know, is the sweet principle of oil, and is ex-
tensively used for purposes of the toilet ; but it has now
received an application of rather an,unexpocted nature. In
1847, a pupil of M. Pelouze's, M. Sobrero, discovered that I
glycerine, when treated with nitric acid, was converted into
a highly explosive substance, which ho called nitro-glyce-
rine. It is oily, heavier than water, soluble in alcohol and
ether, and acts so powerfully on the nervous system that
a single drop placed on the tip of the tongue will cause
a violent headache which will last for several hours.
This liquid seems to have been almost forgotten
by chemists, and it is only now that Mr. Nabel, a Swedish
engineers has succeeded in applyng it to a very important
branch of his art, viz., blasting. From a paper addressed
by him to the Academy of Sciencesove learn that the
chief
advantage which this substance, composed of one p,rt of
glycerine and three of nitric acid, possestes, is that it
gunpowderchambers
-tenth
according
does, the strength of the latter being c
of the former. Hence the miner's work, which,ricehy
to the hardness of the rock, represents from 5 to 20 time!
the price of the gunpowder used, is so short that the cost
of blasting is often reduced by 50 per cent. The process
is very easy ; if the chamber of the mine presents fissures,
it must first be lined with clay to make it water tight ; this
done, the nitro-glycerine is poured in, and water after it,
which, being the lighter liquid, remains at the
.t.op. A
slow match with a well-charged percussion-cap at one end
is then introduced into the nitro-glycerine. The mine may
then be sprung by lighting the match, there being no
need of tamping. On the 7th of June last three experi-
ments were made with this now compound in the open part
of the tin mines of Altenburg, in Saxony. In one of these
a chamber 84 millimetres in diameter was made perpendi-
cularly in a dolomitic rock, 60 feet in length, and at a dis-
tance of 14 feet from its extremity; which was nearly ver-
tical. At a depth of eight feet a vault filled with clay was
found,
in consequence of which the bottom of the hole was
stamped, leaving a depth of ift. One litre and a half of
nitro-glycerine was then poured 'in ; it occupied sft. ; a
match and a stopper were then applied as stated and the
mine sprung. The effect was so enormous as to produce a
fissure 50ft. in length and another of 20; the total effect
has not yet been ascertained, because it will require several
small blasts to break the blocks that have been partially
detached by this.—Galignani.
BALLOON ASCENT.—On Monday, notwithstand-
ing the heavy rain during the afternoon, Mr.
Coxwell ascended in his balloon punctually at 6 o'clock,
taking with him Captain Rowley, of the 2d Life Guards.
The "Mars" left the Palace grounds in front of the cen-
tral transept; the drenching rain came down in torrents,
and the balloon entered a mass of rain cloud which hung
over Sydenham hills at a very low elevation. The voyagers,
however, continued up for one hour, and then descended in
a meadow adjoining the residence of Mr. Leake, at North
Cheam House, near Epsom. Here Mr. Coxwell and Cap-
tain Rowley were provided with dry clothing, and were
hospitably entertained.
PRINCE NAPOLEON.—His Imperial Highness
Prince Napoleon arrived at Kingstown, on Monday
morning, from Liverpool, in his yacht the Jerome Napo-
leon, and subsequently visited the Dublin Exhibition, in
which he spent several hours. He afterwards visited seve-
ral mercantile establishments in the city. His Imperial
Highness arrived at Liverpool on Saturday afternoon from
Holyhead, and shortly afterwards landed, accompanied by
his suite. They visited the Sailors' Homo, and were shown
through the building by the superintendent. Afterwards
the distinguished party were shown over the Custom-
house. On Sunday morning the mayor, and several other
gentlemen, had an interview with the Prince on board his
yacht, which sailed from the Mersey at noon.

Doggett's Coat and Badge.

[The following appeared in our latest edition of last
evening] :

The competitors for the livery and badge given
byDoggett, the comedian, rowed to-day, and, popu-
lar as the wager has ever been, we never saw so
great an assemblage congregated to witness it as
on this occasion. - The course was from the Swan
at London Bridge to the Swan at Chelsea, a course
infinitely greater than that usually appointed
for modern wagers. Originally the coat and badge
was rowed . for in working wherries, and against
tide ; but, although various modifications have been
made, the race still is looked upon as oue of the
most arduous of all those annually rowed for on the
river Thames. In days gone by the Ist of August
was always looked upon by theatrical managers as
an event worthy, of being celebrated in a becom-
ing manner, and often has the late celebrated
vocalist, John 13raham, appeared as Torn Tug in
the musical farce of " The Waterman," wearing the
actual livery won in the early part of the day by
the fortunate waterman's apprentice, who, of course,
was duly presented to the audience. Now, however,
times have changed, and that-which was looked upon
as one of the features of the theatrical season has
passed away, never, we suppose, to return.
The competitors for the ancient wager were as
follows :

viTCG....w
,SJl...oDDlyvt).duko,
doe,: :o,yo inassialeiivtr sr,
ihs Bermondsey.
Bermondsey
J. W. Broekwell, Lower Custom-house.
A. T. Ramage, Blackwall.
To the coat and badge, as originally given, have
been added five-eighths of the interest of the South
Sea stock, bequeathed by Sir William Jolliffe,
amounting to £4 17s. 9d., for the second
man, and the remaining three-eighths, £2 18s. 9d.,
to the third ; and the Fishmongers' Company, who
have charge of the contest, have added a guinea and
a half for the fourth and fifth, and a guinea to
the sixth, so each man receives something for the
labour of rowing such a distance. The competitors,
who are watermen whose term of apprenticeship has
expired since the preceding wager, are selected by
chance from the young men desirous to row, and
the whole of the arrangments are under the direction
of Mr. Dards, barge master of the Fishmongers'
Company.

The start was a good one, and fortune decided
in favour of

J. W. Wood, Mill-stairs, Bermondsey 1
G. S. Baker, Mill-stairs, Bermondsey
C. Lloyd, Horselydown
W. J. Dudley, Lambeth
J. W. Brockwell, Lower Custom-house
A. T. Ramage, Blackwall

4

The race was well contested throughout, but
Wood, the winner, took a very prominent position
long before arriving at the Old Swan. On passing
under Chelsea Bridge Baker made a desperate
effort to overhaul Wood, who headed him by about
six boats' length ; but in this attempt he was un-
successful, as Wood seemed quite able to carry on
the contest for another mile had it been necessary.
It was, however, a very plucky attempt on the part
of Baker, who, although defeated for the prize of the
day, was loudly cheered as he rowed in for second
honours. A couple of steamers conveyed a large num-
ber of spectators up the river to witness the race, one
of which, the Venus, was dangerously overcrowded.
It is to be regretted that some regulation is not put
in force to prevent such a proceeding, but it is to
be presumed before any such step is adopted, an
accident, which is certain to be attended' with a
great sacrifice of life, is required.