The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-31 00:00:00

SILK EXPORTS FROM CHINA.

The rapidly increasing consumption of China silk in
Europe must have considerably exceeded the most san-
guine expectations, and if, as is probable, under the
prospect of peace, the consummation is to be still• fur-
ther extended, is our supply likely to meet the demand I
We think this doubtful, even with our present prospects
of a very fine crop, and upon which point all well in-
furmed native merchants are agreed. The first crop is
reported as likely to yield eight fun—that is, from each
catty of silkworms' eggs the product will be eight cat-
ties of cocoons, and which is admitted to be a full crop;
for the success of the second and third crops there is
seldom much apprehension, as the weather is always
more favourable than for the first ; we may therefore
primps not be considered as over estimating the export
of next season if we put itat 63,000 bales ; and, although
this will be beyond all precedent, we think the wants of
the West will nearly or quite equal the supply, even on
the above estimates. During the season now closing
our export will have reached nearly 55,000 bales, and,
although much of it has cost very high rates, the result
will on the whole be satisfactory. Of old silk we be-
lieve there never was a smaller stock at Hoo-chaou,
and, if the report of native brokers may be relied upon,
the stock of raw silk is entirely exhausted, though a few
hundred bales of throwns remain on band. We must
therefore look entirely to the new crop to supply our
wants for the corning season ; and the following state-
ment of exports from China for the past five years,
against which we place the deliveries in England for the
same number of years, will show that consumption is
progressing in a greater ratio than supply. Our state-
ments of China exports are made from the Ist of July to
the 30th June, while the deliveries int England
are made up from the Ist January to the 31st December
in each year :—There were exported film China to En-
rape, in 1850 51, 22,100 bales; in 1851-52, 23,000 bales;
in 185253, 25,600 ; in 1853-54, 62,000 bales; and in
1854.55, 51,500 bales ; including shipments from
Shanghai and Canton to France direct, and from
Shanghai only (a small quantity) to India. The deli-
veries in England were during the year 1851, 21,467
bales ; in 1852, 24,456 bales
in 8
bales is 1853,
185
3,
55,2953 ba1e5.3,926b From
ales ;in
thelB is4stsoi 51,427 bales
es
; andto the let of March in 1856 there
were delivered in London alone 9,814 bales of China
silk, or at the
rate of 58,884 bales per annum, exclusive
of the deliveries in France, from the direct importations,
and which latter have
rbeen variously estimated at from
4,000 to 6,ooo.bales. Phis trade is evidently on the in-
crease if, therefore, we take the mean of these esti-
mated imports to France, and add them to the above
rate of deliveries in England, we have a consumption of
China silk in Europe estimated at 64,000 bales, or some-
thing in excess of our probable export for the coming
season. With these prospects and high quotations
from London, added to the high rate of exchange
ruling here, we are apprehensive that our opening
rates' may not prove very encouraging to early ship-
pers, as it must be borne in mind that even with
peace prospects at home high prices may check con-
sumption in some degree ; it will therefore require
groat caution on this side ; yet we doubt not, it the
home markets are not swamped by excessive ship-
ments early in the season, as was the ease in 1852.53,
the results will be as satisfactory as the above figures
would lead shippers to expect. —North Chind (Shanghai)
Herald.

RUSSIAN CUSTOMS DUTlES.—Theßussian Government
has recently published several new customs arrange-
ments. Foreign merchandise, the importation of which
is authorised by the land frontiers, or'at any port witl,
lower duties, may be conveyed by sea to porta where tte
highest duties are levied, on condition of the importer
paying the complement of the duty. From the lst
August next the duty of 3 roubles 70 kopecks (the
rouble is 4f.) per (161 kilos.) established by the general
tariff on coffee is reduced, on-importation by sea, to 3
roubles. The import duties now in vigour both b‘ land.
conformably to the ukase of the 23d June, 1854, and by
sea, according to the general tariff, are maintained until
, the revision of the latter.