The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-24


One Days Imports at New York-Curious
Details Of Commerce.
The aggregate amount Of the foreign aud
coastwise trade of this city is many millions pee
sppum, but we are little aware how
much of this is made up ia small
items, or bow strange some of them ap-
pear Rarely DO those not directly engaged in
commerce examine its peculiarities though they
are really Interesting tor they show us what is
the business we transact with distant comnuni-
ties, or what are the various curious wants of
life, and the Ingenious methods by which men
hope 10 realize profit from their wit or their
industry.
Taking up the Custom House returns the
other day, by accident, we glanced at the imports
of twelve hours only, and they interested US
greatly By their siugularity. For example, We
observed that the steamer Africa brought over
from Liverpool several boxes Of specie, at time
when it is going by millions 10 that very direc
lion. 1t would seem more mercantile opera
ton, under these circumstances, to have left il
behind, and drawn against IL. both for a profit
and for security. No doubt there was some pr
vste and peculiar reason for this which does not
publicly appear. In the ship Devonshire came
hundreds Of kegs Of bi-cmbonate OF
soda, which, though indispensable TO Ger
tain branches of manufacture, is now pro
duced in large quantities in this State, aud BY
an improved process is made to surpass the
foreign article. So, too, came twenty-three
casks of oil, which is here cheap and plentiful,
and manufactured to large extent; and so also
twenty-five casks of prepared paint, when we
have abundance of lead zinc, and oil of our
own, and valuable ochres applicable TO the pur.
the least of it. On the same day Bordeaux
brig brought in a large quantity of wines and
brandies, though the market is glutted and prices
are not very remunerative.
In Bremen ship came a large importa
ton Of dry hides though we have the
South American and domestic markets
almost under control, and much nearer than
Bremen by this circuitous route; glass bottles
ard demJohns, though we produce them here;
and one thousand boxes Of pipes for our
smokers German and 1rish-who like the smell
and the taste of the Dutch clay. From Port au
Prince were received, by brig, four hundred
cases of honey and twelve barrels OF syrup thus
showing that our own bees are not very indus.
tTious, or else that our hives are neglected. In
the schooner Caspian, from Jamaica, came four
kegs of tanarinds-a venture, probably, Of some
small proprietor or merchant who had
nothing else to send. From Baracoa came, in
schooner, seventeen hundred and sixteen
punches of bananas cheap enough where they
grow, but marvellously dear in New York, where
there are thousands of people who are willing to
pay for single green specimen the price Of two
ioaves of bread. A Bermudian brig came in
also with large quantity of its red skin pota-
toes, not to be compared to our MERGERS or peach
blows: onions in countless strings and toma-
toes in hundreds Of barrels-the last competing
successfully with our Southern products Of the
same kind, which are quite as good and pay no
duties. The sugar, molasses and rum, the Sc.
gars, pineapples and old copper are large items
in the accountable importation of the latter,
chiefly from the West Indies showing plainly
that there are no workshops at home to use it in
new fabrics.
Our coastwise imports are equally significant.
From Lavacca we receive--as in this instance,
by the bark Cavallo-wool, hides, and pecan
nuts, tavOrite with our little folks, and occa-
sionally found with the dessert upon our dinner
tables. In the ship Pacific, from New Orleans,
arrived several cases Of Vanilla Just in time for
our ice cream; packages of gum, for medical
use; hemp, for our Triggers and rope makers;
goat skins, which are not one of our sta
pies, and bearing a high. price since the
fashion of leather trimmings for chairs and
carriages is coming in again moss to
stuff our cushions; rope cuttings, two hundred
and iifty-seven bales, showing very plainly that
shipbuilding and caulking in New York are in
advance Of the same business in New Orleans;
and ten casks Of claret, strange enough, when we
have oceans of it here. Possibly it may have
come out Of some old cellar, the owner of which
burst up during the late panic, or it may be
remarkably fine article which the people of the
Crescent City do not know how to appreciate.
Large quantities Of lead, cash article, taken
down the Mississippi from the Western mines,
were on board the same ship, to be sold in this
city, where thousands of miles Of lead pipe are
already laid, and more are laying, and plumbers
grow rich in single season. We observed that
little beeswax came from Apalachicola, thus
showing the existence of aparies in that quarter;
cedar logs in considerable quantity, as well as
those Of juniper, which in some northern parts of
our State grows in great abundance, but only as
shrub Of beautiful form, and not with trunk
enough to be OF any use. The kind imported is
probably that known as the Jun3rus Amuicanus,
and is used for its fragrance in the manufacture
Of fans, and boxes for the preservation Of deli
cate woollen fabrics In the Kate Merrill, from
the same place, were imported eight boxes of
stcel, commodity, one would think, not well
shipped from thence 10 this port, where iron is 30
plentiful and 30 cheap. This must have been
D. cause there was no use for il in quiet Apala-
chicola.