Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-06-08
COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION OF THE
UNITED STATES"

UNITED STATES.
We rscur again to Hunts Merchants Magazine
for valuable statistics. The June number contains
most interesting article on the Commerce and Nsv
CATION of the United States" aud says: at is the
case that we generally import from certain countries
more in value than We send directly to them. The
balance requires to be paid in cash, and this is usual
ly done by bills drawn upon those countries which
are in debt to us. The financial operations centre
mostly in England, and she is always our largest
debtor The Magazine then gives table of the
credit aud debit side Of commercial account with
all the nations of the world, by which balance o.
81 1910 5G0 is found in favor OF the United States
"Englsnd il the chief consumer OF our produce, be
cause her capital, geographical position, and ware
house facilities, make her inevitably the central de-
pot of the worlds produce. She is, therefore. the
banker. The United States purchased in 1857
1860 sgOl4l worth of goods from all nations, anc
exported 1898 900 OOU worth Of goods in RETURN and
500, ,OOU,OOO in gold. OF this SGD 7OG.352 went tc
England, leaving balance due from her to the United
States Of $54 1873 326, for which bills were drawn
upon her in favor of all the creditor countries. The
chief of these were Cuba, Brazil and China together
$s7, 200, ,OOO and there was due those countries d
balance OF $jO,OOO 600 for coffee, tea and sugar.
Three bills were drawn against gold sent to Lon
don The greatest item was sugar and mossses
which was over s5O,OOO,000 an excess of ,OOt
over lS56 But for that untow8rd loss Of the sugar
crop impelling such 8 large foreign demsnd
$50 600 less Of gold would have been sent to Eng
land to meet the bills. France creditor nom
nay for the quantities of silks sent hither, but which
A..
never realized TO the The Importation of al
goods this year, ia quite small we'll by reason of the
revulsions a. in the OF sugar, much better crops
The general course Of trade will present sel
in the essened export OF gold to Great Britain
since, in all probability, the amount OF produce
sent thiiher will suffice to cover the bills running
on London in favor Of the creditor nations. The
smount Of produce purchased by England for bel
own use, does not vary much usual years since she
requires certain proportion of the cotton and o
food What che sends iu return, by means Of credi
operations Rucustes in value, according TO The buoy
ancy of The markets, and the facilities for credit sales
These facilities this year are smalI and most manu-
featuring districts Of Europe. well as Great Britain
| lament the oss OF the American markets.
New York figures the largest of all the States for
exports, amounting to total of Sl4 ,s03, 2SS; bu
these figures embrace near s37 900 of SPECIE anc
$40 900 600 of cotton. New Orleans stands first as
port Of direct export Of American produce. Th
exports Of California 10 foreign ports are almost all
her own product of the precious metals; and the por
ton which goes through New York swslls the sum o
the exports thence. The exports Of Massachusetts als
embrace over 1000 600 Of gold by the steamsrs
The largest amount of tonnage bSil! in one yea
was in 1855, under the inpulse of the Australian
fever, when most hipbuilding underwent 30 great
change The competition of that shipping caused loy
f.eights, which, in ts turn, induced large imports
tending TO revulson.
The total amount of exports for the year ending 3O
June, 1857, was 1852 96O6sa. Total amount of i'm
ports for came time was $36Os9U.l4l. Excess of i'm
ports s2O7O, O,5il-which is the balance above state
| as due the United States