New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-13
LETTER or THE sUPERTNTEND

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
STATISTICAL OFFIcg. Feb. %, 1856.


qucsting q report the commercial relations OF the
United States with all foreign nations, with the prepa-
ration Of which was charged.
Tie retoution Of the House Of Repres sntatives in
obedience to which this report has bee1 prepared wss
off red aud agreed to Decembcr II, 1853 The circU-
lar to United State. COnsUs calling for the requisite
materials was issued from this Department March 10
1894 f apprOpriGtOn Of $4,000 to GefTdy Tue eA-
ueuee was made Augu,t OF tie same year, anu The
work was entered upon the ensuing month.
Three reports on 1.-the privileges and restrictions of
the commercial intercourse OF the United states WIN
foreign natOns," similar TO the present, have a2-
peared since the establishment of thi- Government.
Tie first was communicated TO the House of Repre-
sentatyes December l6. 1898, by Mr. Secretary JEFF
frsOn in conformity TO "instrucOns" OF that body,
February Il, l79l, and embraces what il equivalent
TO some eight or ten octave pages. The second was
communicated to the Senate by NJ. Secretary For
syth, December l6 1885, in compliance with 4 resolu
tior Of that body Of December 49, lsjs and comprises
seventy-fonr octave pages. The third, and last report
was communicated TO the House of Representatives.
by Mr. Secretary Webster, March 90 1872 in accord
snce with resolutions Of that body Of September 3,
ls41 and January 81, 1912, and forms document OF
nearly six hundred pages.
In ADDITION TO these reports three other commercial
compla,iOns Issued by the Government should oc
Lamcd-tO wit: the Commercial Digest transmitted
to the Senate by President Monroe Dec y 1919, con-
flmab.y 70 q resolution Of THAI body, March 3 1917;
the Digest of Commercial Regulations showing the
changes" IN such regulations sub equent to the Di
ges Of 1919 prepared by Mr.. Secretary Adams, in ac-
1929 and communicated to that body Jan. 30, 1926
and, last, the digest Of Commercial Regulations,
prepared and printed, in three volumes under the d.
TecOn Of the Secretary OF the Treasury IN compliance
with resolution of the House, March 3, ls3l-the
Ist volume being completed for transmission to that
body May 2s 1898, and the second and third volumes
in 1886. But in neither of these works. last named,
was il required to communicate, specifically, "the
privileges and restrictions of the commercial inter-
course Of the United States with foreign natious,
by which requirement the former were characterized.
II Al.v .f
required that said report shall be similar TO that
"nuncaed TO the Senate December IL, 1899, by
Mr.. Forsyth; and the report now submitted Is, IN like
manner required TO be similar 10 that communicated
"to the Honse on the Goth of March, 1872" by Mr..
Webster. 1t may be remarked, that the observance
of this requirement, though tending TO aid somewhat,
the Accomplishment of the present work by afiOrdng
a model, has nevertheless, greatly tended also TO
restrict its scope.
The Report has been divided into three parts:
PART FTRsT- Commercial Dtgcsts
THIS branch of the work il far more comprehensive
than in the report of 1912. IT embraces succnct ac-
count of the history character and extent of the
mercal relations of the United States with each of
all foreign nations about fy in number together with
their numerous dependencies. accom- panied by some
hundreds Of tabular statements. Many of these state
ments illustrative of the character aud extent Of the
foreign commerce of the United State, cOnprehen
sive and complicated, requiring much labOr-mOre es-
pecialy series exhibiting the commerce OF the United
States with the Spanish Antilles during the last ten or
twelve year, made up figures derived fromthe orig
nal " Balon.ds Generates" OF those islands: and this
pnlt of the work closes with two summary comparative
Statements exhibiting the yau3 of exports from the
United States to nineteen of the principal commercial
countres with their dependencies, annually for Pc
riod Of thty-fve years-a few countries few years
lessfrom ls2l to 1855, both inclusive and the value
of all imports from the countries into the United
States for the same period.
Some idea of the labor involved in the preparation
Of these digests may be gained by glance ~ the
catalogue of authorities numbering more than a
IVpH He.d in txa In pOIIn
works embracing numerous volumes, to which it was
found indispensable to resort for the requisite iuforma
tiOn.
PART SEcoSD-COmpdrdtsr Tariffs.
This branch Of the work comprises tables, exhibit.
ing a comparative statement of the tariff of tae
United States with the tariffs OF all other nations,
numbering, with those OF .heir dependencies, more
than foTtytars of expectation wei as Of importa-
ton being given where found TO exist the denomina
tops Of foreign moneys weights and measures being
in all instances reduced TO the federal standard Of the
United States and each tariff being preceded by an
explanatory preface.
In addition to these comparative statements of the
tariffs Of separate nations with that of the United
States, Others given which, grouping the tariffs of
countries contiguous to each other, and having sini
lai trade the customraes OF these countries pre-
sented at glance in comparison with those OF the
tariff Of the United States regards the most impor
tant staples of commerce. In tabula, group, for
pie, compared the customrates of the nations
Of Northern Europe; in another those of Southern
Europe; in a third, those to which indirect trade
with Central Europe is subjected; fourth presents
the tariff rates Of the South American Republics;
ffth, those Of the States Of Central America; and
sixth those of Hayti and the Dominican Republic. 4
Ike course b6s been pursued with the colonial and
other possessions Of Great Britain forming four such
tSbulateo groups-East Indies, West Indies, North
America, and one composed of Gibraltar and Malta.
Another similar comparative statement exhibits, at
glance the import duties levied BY twelve of the prn-
cipal commercial nations respectively on thiry.five
of the staple products OF the Emitted States. Another
statement exhibits, at glance, the percentage In
decrease of the rnes Of duty on prominent
articles Of commerce by the customs tariffs of the
pi Ncal commercial countries Of Europe for period
Of eight yean-ffoIn 1916 TO 1853, both inclusive
showing the changes within that period. during which
no change occurred in the tariff of the United States;
while stll another exhibits the rates Of duty imposed
pfitc tcpal imports for period of nearly fifty years,
under each OF the eighteen different tariffs Of the
United States from that Of 1889 TO that of 1876, both
inclusive with the increase decrease of the rates
for that period.
Following the series Of comparative tariffs s pre-
scrted a series Of tabular statenentsprecedsd by an
explanatory introduction Illustrated by table.
exhibiting the quantities and values Of thirty Of tue
staple products exported from the United States ~
thirteen Of the principal commercial countries, to
gether with the amounts OF duties paid thereon, dur
Ing the commercial years ls5l, le5c md 1853; and
also a summary statement exhibiting the dggregG'e
value of the staple and other Vnesiic products ex
ported to the same countries during the years,
with the aggregate amount Of duties paid on the staple
PVve' 's eAloltO ana summary s's' eii' eNo'o'
ing the acreage vGlpe OF the same to the same conn
tries, for the years. with the average amOani OF
duties thereon Gccrung TO each country IN each OF tie
yeas specified.
IN elaborate series of tabular statements u next
given, exh bth in detail the import duties ! ned BY
the tariffs Of all nations, and BY those Of their de-
pnaencies, on the staple or principal productions Of
The United States-products o. the sea- Of the soil, Of
the forest, Of manufactures, &C., being specified in
distinct tables-columns being added 70 show the
rates OF duty levied the same articles Imported
nom other countries and the discrimination in avor
OF against the United States where su ch