The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-02-24
CONFESSIONAL STATISTICS, 1856.


to American wealth and enterprise. As
nation we are accustomed to boast OF the
unprecedented success that has attended
both our governmental and financial ex-
periments, and the figures, while they do
not excuse, certainly cannot condemn such
wholesale exultation. In commerce we &C
knowledge but one superior; no other ma
ton builds half as many vessels as this; our
foreign trade has trebled since 1915 and
doubled since 1912; while the vessels that
annually flock to our shores from other
countries measure their tonnage In Millions
and the value of commodities exchanged
i'm internal trade is estimated in billions.
All this is true, and yet does not overstate
the truth. The United States have ele-
ments of commercial increase unknown in
any former period or by any other nation.
A new country, virgin soil; our Northern
border washed by 1000 miles of inland
seas, our great interior traversed by the
Mississippi and its thousands of miles OF
tributary streams; with 5000 miles OF
canals and 10000 miles of railroads; with
a large annual immigration; with schools
and teeming press to spread intelligence
and quicken enterprise; with unbounded
liberty of action to stimulate exertion; with
new regions rapidly opened up to success
full and easy settlement, what is there to
set a limit to the extension of commerce
as far beyond the present as the present is
beyond past conception?
In the course of the fiscal year ending
June Both, 1856, 21,6S2 vessels have en-
tered the ports of the United States, which
measured 6,872.253 tons, an increase of
926,9 in tonnage over the previous year.
The total tonnage of the country, June 80,
was 4,67I ,653 of which 673,O19 was in
steam vessels. The vessels built during
the year were POI steam vessels, BOG ships
and barks, 697 briggs and schooners, and
479 sloops, making in all 1,7O3 vessels,
measuring 400, 1896 tons. The average
amount of tonnage owned in the United
States was, in 1880. I,191 ZIG; in 1910,
2,19O,784 in 1850, 1856, 454; and in 1856,
shown by custom house reports, is four
fifths in American vessels, while to the
British North American possessions it is
only one-fourth. We absorb four ffths of
the carrying trade of France, while to the
countries of Northern Europe we have
only half. The trade with South America
goes almost entirely in American bottoms;
the Cuban trade is IS per cent. American,
Hamburg less than one-ffth.
The domestic exports of the year were
1910, 1856, $50, an increase of $63,877,777.
The export of breadstufs and provisions
amounted to $77, 167 ,3Ol of cotton to
1891, IFS bales of 45l pounds each, valued
at $l28,382, 351.
The imports of the year were 1914 &C.,
942. an increase of $53.I71, 422 over 1855.
The increase of the exports of 1856 over
1855 is abou. 10 per cent, and the increase
of the imports for the same period is 90 per
cent. The imports of wool and wooden goods
were $33, 626, 957, an increase of over seven
millions of foreign cottons and cotton
manufacture, $50, $50, 1853, an increase of
nearly nine millions over 1855, but de-
crease of more than four millions from 1854;
of silk and silk manufacture $34,0530I1,
an increase of seven millions over 1855 and
decrease of three millions from 1854 {;
of fax and linen goods, 81, 696,668. We
purchase indirectly of German States $16,-
491 ,427, the most of it in wooden goods j;
and of Switzerland $5.368,O74, mostly in
silk piece goods and watches. The cash
duties received at New York during 1856
were 45,519,21O, an increase of 81, ILL.,
500 over 1854.
The total imports of cotton at Liverpool
last year were 2,SU9,067 bales, an increase
of 90,574 in American and 76,1O9 in other
kinds. Of this importation 2,257 ,672 were
used for English manufacture, and 10000
went to European continent, leaving bal
ance of 291 ,43O bales on hand at the close
of the year.
1t is estimated that on the 1st of April
there will be al 800 bales of India bagging
in the country, which is sufficient to cover
2,519, 400 bales of cotton and by the end
of the present year it is estimated that the
import and home production of bagging will
be sufficient to cover 6,0O3, 400 bales OF
| cotton.
SINGULAR FACT.-A correspondent OF
| the North Carolina Christian Advocate
says that at Marsh's Bridge, near Mock
vile, N. c., thirty years ago, a man by the
name of Jacob March accidently fell head
foremost on a large rock, on the bank of the
creek. from which he died in a short time
The spot on the rock, where his head struck,
the signs of blood are still visible, and also
where it run off the sides of the rock; and
what is still more remarkable, the rock lies
so near the creek, that in any moderate