Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-12-22
SUGAR,
IT'S CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED
STATES-CROP OF ls55-PROSPECTS
OF PRiCES-ADVICE TO PLANTERS.

Edlors ~Crescen-Permit me to speak.
through the medium of your paper, to the
sugar planters of Louisiana of what concerns
them. Recent events have clearly shown that
the interest of the planter 10 not properly car.
ed for 10 your city. The very decided stand
taken BY those in whose hands thi" important
staple Of our State is confded, is, to any ho-
norable aad u~nprejudiced mind, pref judicial
t, the interest of those whom they undertake
TO serve, advocating, Is they do, the system OF
forced sales upon the levee, they advise ship
ments as fast as it 10 land frequently before)
ready to leave the sugar-house, when it is fire..
quently the case that a steamboat load will
gylut, and consequently depress the market to
actual decline in price. Now, it has been the
custom of planters, generally, to speak hard
Of these whom they term "gimlet spectators"
| Spectators are necessary; indeed, with the
present system Of disposing Of sugar, they are
absolutely essential-even those who 60 IN
between the factor and real buyer. 1t is per-
fsctIy natural that they should favor a system
which gives them an advantage in q trade, or
business, to which they devote themselves; and
as long as the "gimlet-man" proper does what
is fair and right, blame should not attach 10
either.
The writer is we'll acquainted with most Of the
operators in sugar on the Levee, and knows
them to be clever gentlemen. The blame, If
any there be, and the planters think there is,
should attach where it properly belongs. I'm.
til a different system is tried, the planters will
not be satisfied, and it is perfectly useless for
them to attempt to efect a change in the pres
system unless they can obtain the entire CO.
operation of the factor. 1t is for them to fix
the thing up, and fix a price upon sugar cons
| mensurate with the law universal, OF supply
and demand.
The largely increased consumption of sugar
| in the United States is worthy Of special note
Just at this time-is worthy to be considered
by both seller and buyer. A complete revolu-
ton in the sugar interest Of the world is going
on, and the question 10 grave one to be an
swered, whether the production Of the article
can keep pace with its consumption. In the
last Annual Review, the editor, in his remarks
upon sugar, says: I'VE had the qualification
to notice, in our last Annual Review, the re-
ceipt and disposal Of the largest crop Of sugar
ever made in Louisiana, showing an increase
of 1873 9 hhds. over the preceding crop,
which itself exceeded all previous yields. The
crop Of that year was 100000 hhds. The i'm
ports of foreign sugars for the year ending
LIST of January, 1855, according to the New
York Shipping and Commercial List was 1885,
Gas tons, equal to 33l $50 hhds.; which, added
10 the Louisiana crop, make q supply for the
year 1854 of about 78l,85O hhds. Of cane SUI
gar, besides about $4,000 tons estimated Of
sugar made of foreign and domestic molass
SEES, and about $4,000 tons of maple sugar, !
making a grand total of about $4,000 bids. |
consumed per annum, or about 69,250 hhds. |
per month" The writer has not the figures
by him, but is of the opinion that the con-.
sumption of sugar, in the United States, has
doubled in the last ten years. The Louisiana
crop Of last year which entered into the con-
sumption of this year, 1855, was l02,6 $3.50 hhds.
short of the previous year. The exact amount
of foreign imports for the year 1865, is not
known to the writer, but taking the imports
into the city Of New Orleans as a criterion,
and the known fact that the markets Of the
United States were bare of sugar at the con.
of this commercial year. we may
reasonably estimate that the imports into the
United States, up to the first of September,
little If any exceeding the previous year,
would show a considerable decrease in
the supply. 1t 10 proper 10 keep 10 view, that
not only were the markets of the United
bare Of sugar aod molasses or the FIRST
Of September last, bat also were the markets
Of Europe. The question is now ready for an
Query-WM the product Of the pre-.
sent year, 1855, afford a supply commensurate
with the demand for the ensuing year. We
IAN speak knowingly of only the Louisiana
:rop-each day in grinding has doubled the
tidings that the yield is dishear.
and that the crop will turn out much
than was reasonable to expect The
writer has been favored with evidences cons
elusive to his own mind, that the crop of the
State will not exceed much, If any, 100000
nhds., aed which will Be a dscyeose in the sup.
ply ofdomestic cane sugar for the coming year
IF about 25O, 900 hhds. The Island crops are
not considered more promising than usual
with an increased foreign demand. 1t is quite
likely that the planters there will look after
own interest.
, The Louisiana crop will not much more than
'eed the actual wants of orr own people till
he Islands sugars begin to come in, which 10
rot usually before the month Of April.
The question now is, will the Louisiana 50,
yar planters avail themselves Of what seems to
- 3 poor compensation for years Of toiia
Viii they continue to put what little sugar
hey have made on q market over which neither
hey nor their agents have any control; or will
hey hold 1t on plantation and wait for what
c~srt.inly comet The entire crop made in
be State 10 not mora than the West requires.
Western buyers prefer buying on plantation.
The prospects for good prices were never
'sttsr thsn now. but a. certain ~ planters will
70 send in their sugars, 10 usual in
heir germ, prices will a. certainly 10 down ~
hey did in December and Japnasy last, when
dir sugar wss cold It SIC, and The same 50.
Ears sold Afterwards, in the same market, for
h, in August. The spectator should not BE-
,lamed for realizing 4 profit of from 126 to
$50 per hid; yet il would have redoundsd NOR.
o The interest Of our people-the toiline plan-
srs-to have been permitted to have shared
,ortion Of the pro6ts. The fact il known to
be writer that crops Of molassss .wess sold,