Wilmington journal., 1864-02-04
For. Ign Traae-BIsckads.

The report of'the Secretary of War proposes dis
tnct Bureau for the management Of the foreign trade
The following extract throws considerable light the
subject
II will have been noted that in nearly all the branches
of suppy we are not yet exempt from the dependence
to greater less extent, foreign ImPortatlons-
These cau only be obtained by the command Of sterling
funds or exchanges foreign Countries and be intro
duced by evasion Of the existing blockade. Without
credit n foreign countries so established as to enable
he government to borrow without great sacrifice, If at
ALL and with tie difference of exchange approaching
daily to runous rate it became early apparent to
tsat recourse be had to great staple products,
which in the MARKERS of the world were readlly ex-
chang able for c0ia. They tad only to be placed
abroad and the same means which exported them
would serve fcr the necessary impOrtatens The busl
ness of evadug the blockade bad previously been IN
private hands alone, and while precarious, bad been
under skuI charge, source OF enormous profits So
excessive had b the rates OF freight and exchange
that calculation it was found that the charge
eperoent the of the cargo for the reightage
# s,e mer OF three hundred from the West To-
dia Isar DIS to o Cur ports, were TO the Govern
upwards of two millions oil collars in its currency
Under these '0nces the l'epsr' nent did not
hesltae to Dangurate the policy OF evadlDg the block
ade with steamers pure based and run by iis Off ers
The limited means at the command Of the Derar mcnt
abroad VIII ch could be spared from the cessity OF
procuring their supplies, we're employed in par
chasing several steamers These, under cJmpe elt eh
GERS, at engaged 10 ing cotton and
| kJCI
Department could command far too few to meet
,ts quirenents, and coEtracs made with Capt.
taets to provide sld engage in the trade other steam
era in which the Department took az interest to be
pad for in cotton either to be delivered here to be-
xpored in thea. II this way, while vessels we're
Induced to venture the business of evaCpg the block
ade, controlling influence secured over the in
portaticps made in them for private account. This
constituted important Consideration for the public
good under the temptations merely of private inter-
ests articles Of mere luxury nOgOAs use liquors,
from the superior prof they afforded than goods
of real utility to the people, were introduced by the
steamers Of private traders The steamers Owned by
the Department, four IN Dueer, were for long time
run between Wilmington and the Is auds with signal
success and almost the regularity of packets.
The prCi,s by the outward and the savings by the
nwa<d trips to the Department. were very great at
Zach trip according the current rates. the value OF
the vessel Was uly reimbursed 1t is moderate CAL
culaon estimate the gain thus effected for the De-
partment upwards of twenty millions of dollars in
currency Still the quantity Of cotton which could he
carried out by the steamers, owned held 10 part by
the Department, by means supplied the sterling
which required abroad for the wans'of the Gov
erni2eEt and ,be experiments made had only we'd to
ronsrate what resources for establishing credit and
commanding funds abroad could be afforded by larger
expectations Of staple productscotton aud tObac
co. About the tine TOO, the closing Of the port
OF Charleston by the successful operations OF the enemy
On Morris Island caused apprebenslons that the bus
ness OF evadipg the blockade would become more
difficult and precarious. This made it important
to place abroad "a rapidly possible, stock Of cot
ton which would afford means of commanding large
supplies, while they could be introduced. The Depart
taent therefore, ia conjunction with the aon Secretary
OF the Navy, who fully appreciated this Haoda OF sap
plying ths demands of bis Department tor sterling pro-
posed and succeeding in efecting arrangements with
lAe companies and Rerchents engaged n eVading the
blockade private account, by which, fair terms
of freight, payable partly il cotton here and partly in
drafts the cotton taken out by them they Undertook
on every voyage to take out sCme third, ard some
onehaf of tner cargoes of cotton for the Government
and likewise placed the command of the Government
fair proportion OF their capacities for freight the
return trip, ior the Importation of It's supplies.
The Depart ment was aided in efecting this arrange
ent ony by the patriotic feelings of the private
owners, bat also by facilities it was enabled to afford
them n commal ding calgoes of cotton without upne
cssary delays, through the preference in transporta
ton given by the railroads to cotton ordered by the
Government. Hence, B view of the importance of
continuing these arrangements with private merchants,
has become than essential that the priori.
~ of transportation the railroads should be main
siped to the Government, for under present laws, by
that preference alone these arrangements for the
exportstion of cotton be continued.
These arrangements Nude in good time, for, as
anticipated, the block lde of Wilmington, the
port of the Confederacy best adapted for evad-
log the bockace, has been of late more strin.
gent. All the blocksding SHIPS of the euemy have
been transferred from UharlestOn, and within the
b
among them those belonging to the Department have
been captured destroyed, to prevent their falling
into the bal ds OF the enemy. While the risk is now
certainly increased STILL with the additional steanars
which the contractors with the governm or the temp
tations Of private gain has brought INTO the trade it
believed the blockade may be evaded far as to add
greatly to abroad from the xporaton
Of our staple and to bring in the supplies needed By
the government Measures meantime, are being taken
to increase the facilities OF entrance into the port by
the of moveable batteries OF Wbitworths guns OF
opg &C. along the coast and to endanger the safety
1t the biockadlng vessels.
80 long staples can be exported, and supplies
introduced with reasonable exemption from captRre
here cannot be question of policy Of pursuing the
venture, and, when all The advantage to oar credit
40 oad and 10 our means OF resistance within the Con
ederacy, are estimated, it may be well questioned l
whether the whole trade should not be subaced by law
o equitable reguston to secure to the Govern
nent fair proportion OF TIE prof resaug from all
hpments. AS the trade could not be Carried on at all
xcept to fortified cities, and through the special pro-
4clion afforded bY the armament of the Government
he profits derived by the Government wJud be only
easona5 Die return The regulation of the ua1e o"sh TO
ecure participate in the profits to the GovsL msnt
md require the Introduction mainly OF articles OF use
r necessity instead OF Inxuries and noxous liquors it
believed is demanded by the general sentiment Of the
orptry. and would be readily acquiesced In by the
Of Justice and patriotic feelings OF the merchants
ngaged in the trade.
ID olftIon Engiand-Ths Lower Strata OF her so- /
clety.
There are reports of Commissioners who have ex.
mined the cotton factories aud the coal mines Of Eng
and giving fright accounts OF the degradation and
physical well moral, of the beings
ngaged In working thsn-men, wonden and children
like. From Report OF the Commissioners on the
employment OF Children-Satements ef Employers.
&C., We have the following in reference to sewing girls
of fka