The daily union., 1854-02-17
COMMERCIAL.
From our Commercial Correspondent.
Nxw YonK. February II. 1854.

N1w fokKs February ~. iooA
Tho recent foreign news has no. 50 much Affected the
markets as IL was supposed would have been the case
Tbs exeRt Of adverse action in the event OF wa
has probably been et both sides Of tho Atlantic lhe
s'agnaon OF business has prevailed for months
and capital accumulaes Its unemployment viii not take
place an the question OF peace has been decided
In either event. greater activity result but whether
may determine the of enterprises and
specualions, the opinion be general lha
no very extended Will take place The necessity oil
peace Is pressing all parties That tho scarcity
food will be very great Europe is evident The existing
year Is that IN former would have been marked
by widespread famine and starvation That this will th
be be ascribed greater diversity of food
causing less general dependence upon any cophe
accumulation OF capital. which permits OF purchasesthe
extension Of commerce, which allows OF the nansporia
tion OF iood-ihe rapid communication, which conveys in
formation of necessities--and the modified aud more
friendly relations OF government In France, daring two
centuries and half 1850, dearths and famnes
every five years la Eng and The best cultivated country
Of the WORLD in ninety years ending with lSio there were
deaIths every three years In the United States such a
thing comparatively never known. This is less
owing the great Of land and peponderance OF
agTc cuurss than TO the great diversity OF food In the
sixteenth century, wheat almost the sole food OF the
French. failure OF tho crop involved starvation since
that period The great distress OF Ireland in lS47 was
owing fact that potatoes the sole dependence OF
people When they failed they not only had no ood but
buy from others National contribution only
diminished the numbers starved In ages more remote,
ted States every variety Of fruit vegetables and grain enter
into consumption of the people, who, composed OF all
nations have every variety Of tastes There is nohing
therefore amiss The most important article is
corn bread which appears all tables and is largely
uned while abroad it is known Green corn, In sum
e also largely into the food of the people, as well
as homny, mush, and all the varieties Of Indian corn,
potatoes apples, and dried fruits are more abnn
dan Ii results from this diversity that the price OF no
article can, by Of It's crop failing, be forced high
formerly Spectators may give exorbant prices, but
will take off their hands unusual rates
because the abundance Of other food offers refuge Al
this the large demands of Europe have carried
prices far above those Of the corresponding period OF lSI7
the continent The quantity exported from the United
States has been large Europe Australia, and California
is usually the under such circumstances also
large quantities held for rise, thus diminishing the
effective supply The spring hand and may prove
prolific Of green crops which, with the stocks held
by specuators may be ample for food up harvest A.
that approaches, the disposition sell will rapid
decline ia prices
The official returns OF imports of foreign wool into the
United Safes for the fiscal year 1858 show results ol
lows, as compared with lormer years