The New York herald., 1870-03-21
IMMIGRATION AFFAIRS.
Interesting Comparative Statistics--Number, Ma
tionality and Destination Of Immigrants for
Fifteen Years-The Proposed Intsrna-
tional Convention Favored by the
North German Union.

AS immigration is one Of the great sources Of this
conntry's national greatness and material pros.
perIty everything connected with IL Is Of special In
terest to the public and the port OF New York Is
the great landing depot Tor fonrDltns OF al immi-
grants to the United States hence studying the vary
ing figures ana STATISTICAL tables AZ presented
through the labors OF the Bureau OF lmmigrati on
at Castle Garden, gives one pretty fair oppor-
tunity 10 arrive ut true appreciation OF the
materaf extent and character OF the lmmigra-
tion TO this country. Tue last report Of the Com
missoners OF Emigration for the year 1859 Is .
toaerably good guidebook to this end II Ii stil IN
the printers hands, but, being furnished advanced
sheets, short compilation Of such portions OF It
which have not yet been given in the HERALD Will
be useful not only TO the professional statistciaD;
but TO all others who take interest in the subject
Of emigration.
STEAM vs. SAILS.
It will be remembered. from the figures heretofore
given IN these columns that the whole number Of
enigrant passengers landed ct Castle Garden during
tue past year was 25736. OF these 80 per cent, or
go 093 arrived in IA steamships and only IL per
per cent 90 2ss in l6A sailing vessels; this gives
an average OF 513 passengers for each steamship
and OF but III for each sailing vessel
Since the close OF the year covered BY the forth
coming report the same ascendancy OF steam over
sails was maintained. During the month Of Janu-
airy there arrived 4,6f8 alien passengers rom Ei-
rope IN 81 steamships and II sailing vessels; in
February, 5,5I7 alien passengers IN ~ steamers
and sailing ships. and durng The flrst fourteen
days in March, up last Monday evening, there
were landed at Castle Garden al emigrant pa3sen-
gers from 10 steamships and SAILING vessels thus
showing an almost constant and gradual dmlnution
OF the by emlgrants OF sailing vessels and their
growing preferences for steam.
THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU or INFORMATION
This bureau shows again considerable increase
OF business over the previous year. vi the Total
arrivals during 1869 the number Sf ernigrants de-
lveTed sent to their friends or relatives through
the agency OF this bureau was 926 93 70 per cent
OF these or 1856 having arrived IN steamships
and but 2l4o, or $50 per cent 10 sailing vessels,
(which ~ almost conclusive evidence that those COM
lug by the slower aud cheaper conveyance belong
10 he poorest classes. and have but few friends in
this Country Again, IL Is remarkable that while
in 1861 the percentage OF those arrived by sail and
who passed through tins bureau was l0.A5 Of the
whole number this rate fell IN 1868 10 s53 per cent
and was again reduced IN 1869 10 $50 During the
year and through this bureau 2300 husbands received
their newly arrived wives ana families; ll5 wives
received their husbands, and in some cases also
their chdren TOO parents received their children.
2 752 children their parents and 583S brothers and
sisters received their sisters and brothers Taesc
Official figures indicate better than al most anything
else the usual course OF emigration FlrSI one mefn-
Der OF family leaves homo for the new country,
and having by industry ana economy established
himself herself In some useful ana profitable avo.
cation, the rest follow. NO higher encomum can be
paid TO the many fields OF productive and remnnc-
ratve labor which this country affords than this very
array OF reunited families.
MORTALITY AT SEA OF EMrCRANrs
As regards this point the great superiority or
steam over sails will bo evident from the follow
ing:-Among 229, ,oos sicerage passengers on steam-
ships there died 20, while l3S died on sailing shpS
among 2S, 2bS passengers -an enormous disparity OF
percentage In favor Of steam. or the whole number
who died (34s) lOl were adults and 2i1 infants.
NATIONALITY OF k,IGRAN1s.
The following table shows the number and place
OF birth OF all alien immigrants who landed at tne
port oi New York from June |, 1866, to December 81
1862 both days lncl1ded; 1t also gives the yearly
average tOr cacn natlonalCy:-~