Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-03-25
Valuable Statistics.

We gather from the Report on the CONNER
cial Relations of the United States with all For
eign Nations prepared in the Department of
State by Mr. Flagg and his assistant some stat
istics which are not only curious, bat instruct
i've to the reader who has q taste for investiga-
ton.
ENGLAYD.-It is assumed by British statsti-
cians the yearly consumption OF tobacco in
Great Britain and Ireland amounts to 10000
tons. about one half of which, it is supposed
is smuggled, owing to the excessive duties (up-
wards of 1000 per cent? levied on the article
under the tariff system of that kingdom. The
quantity of cigars and snuff imported does not
exceed two or three hundred weight per annum.
FRANoE.-The article of cotton has, for a
number of years, constituted in value, upon an
average, three quaters of all our domestic ex-
ports to France. Our other chief export to that
country is tobacco, the trade in which is mo-
nopolized by the government, the exclusive
right to purchase imported and indigenous to-
bacco being invested in the regie, or commits
sion-an association under thesu supervision of the
Minister of France.
One.half of the area of France is cultivable,
and of this nine parts are meadow; four-and-a-
half parts vineyard; fifteen parts woods and for
ests fifteen downs, pastures, and heaths the
remainder consisting Of roads, cities, canals, veg
etable gardens, &c. Itpresents every variety OF
geological formation exhibited in almost every
variety of known relations, All the depart
ments eighty five in number) contain mineral
substances. There are thirty-six coal fields in
thirty departments, and the annual produce OF
coal exceeds 100000 tons. France is surpass-
ed by England only in the production of iron,
twelve mines of which are in operation. Three
hundred thousand persons are engaged in min
ing and their operations show an annual value
of $S0000,000
Schools are provided for only about one six,
teenth of the children, and the annual revenue
from all sources is about $1S0,000, while the
national debt is over $100, 100000.
THE VINE.-The number of acres under vine
cultivation in France exceeds 100000, giving
employment in the cultivation of the vine and
the manufacture of wine, to about 100000 Of
persons, mostly females. and in its transportation
and sale to 250,000. The vine disease, now
more or less prevailing in all the wine producing
countries, has increased the average price OF
wine from 100 to 1T5 per cent. The French
Government derives considerable portion ol
its internal revenue from the manufacture of this
beverage, about 90,000.000 gallons of which are
annually distilled into brandy, the expectation
of which is under special government restric.
tions. Next to wheat the vine is the most i'm
portant vegetable production of France, and ex.
tends over the southern half of the Empire. In
1S49 there were produced in France 925O0O,.
600 gallons of wine.
REAL EsTATE.-Landed property is more mi
nutey divided in France than anywhere else in
Europe, or even than in the United States In
a few departments may be found estates of 200
acres but they are rare and daily becoming
more so, as the law divides the realty equally
among the children. The greater portion of the
farms are now less than 20 acres. Improve
ments in the methods of cultivation progress
languidly, and the methods of manuring and ro-
tation of crops and machinery continue to be
very defective.