Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-11-13

and in 1916 here were imported 2,392, 1863 quar-
tiers. In ls47 Great Britain imported 6,26l ,625
cws. of flour, barley, rye and Indian meal whilst
IN 1916 the importation of the same articles amount
ed TO only 2,2S5,342 quarters.
| From January to September 5, lS47, there
were imported 299,663 cwt. of hams beef, and
pork, and in 1916 only 1S4,l43 cwi. of the same
articles; the great increase was in sailed pork. OF
butter and cheese there were imported during the
former period 4lO,597 cwt. in the latter 323,499
cwt All these articles may be considered as inn
ported in consequence of the failure of the English
harvest, and had the increased consumption OF for
egn articles stopped here, there would have been
no special ground for surprise; but when we find,
on passing to articles of comparative luxury, very
considerable increase of consumption, we must look
to other causes for explanation Let us take the
articles OF sugar, coffee, tea, and spirits:
The sugar entered for consumption from January to Sep
tember ., isfo was ..............3, 100 400 cwt.
~ DO lof, c.c...,.......... ,a,os4' aos
Inc coffee IN ls4o was % ia, 40 lbs
in ls47 .25, 447, $50 "
The tea in SAG was ................ 3l,ls0, 949 /"
The spirits in 1916 was q 4sl 1928 gals
in ls47 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 00l, a79 "
No doubt the relaxations which took place in the
tariff contributed much TO the consumption of some
of these articles; still the consumption could not
have occurred unless the means Of purchase had
been supplied, and we need not look far for the
source whence those means were derived We have
only to turn to the railway world, and to remember
that, during the period under consideration, there
have been expended something like g40, 100000 of
accumulated capital in these new undertakings.
That amount has been converted from floating into
fred capital; that amount has passed from the
hands Of bankers and mercantile men to railway
contractors, and been by them distributed to labor
ers and to ron-dealers and machine-nakers for the
results of labor, and has been thrown into the
amount spent in the daily-wanted articles of food.
But no part Of this capital has been absorbed it
has merely changed hands. Embankmeats, bridges,
tunnels, stations, and railroads have been created
by its employment, but no gold or silver have abso-
lutely been employed materials in their construc-
ton. There is as much gold and silver among the
public at large ever there was, excep; what may
have left the country to purchase food with, and
that must have gone, if the people were to be fed,
if single mile of railway had not been laid down.
1t is true that the amount which the banks may
have lent to railway subscribers and spectators has
diminished their capabliy to accommodate the mer-
camille community. But this diminution has not
been TO any great extent, because the money so
loaned has been expended, has come again into cir
culatlon and has returned into the Golfers of the
banks in the shape of deposes and balances,
again increasing their means of mercantile accom-
mediation.
To return to the subject of exports and imports.
One of the least encouraging features in the busi
ness of the year has been the great reduction in the
quantities of the raw materials of leading British
manufactures which have been imported. Accord
ing to the following comparative statement there
was
Imported from January 5 10 September 5.