The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-11-20
COMMERCIAL MATTERS, Etc.

Florida papers report an almost total failure
of the sponge crop.
Millions Of pounds of mustard, command
ing from two and half to four cents per
pound, are annually shipped to Europe from
around Los Angeles, Cal.
The receipts of cotton at Norfolk last year
were 1913, 672 bales, but this year they will be
much greater, on account of the facilities for
handling and com preston. The cotton ship
ping season commences September l, and
ends April /, and the receipts this year for
two and half months have already reached
140 521 bales.
Norfolk had no Cotton Exchange until
year ago, when number of enterprising cit
liens started one on an admirable basis. The
success of the institution has been complete
and the members have about determined to
enlarge its operations.
During the year 1874 the foreign trade of
England amounted in value to about $780,
900. 900. Mo ii an f500, 900 600 of this was
with sixteen countries. some of which, how
ever, are portions OF the Empire They
stand follows: With the United States,
el02, 900. 900; with France, e63 600, 600; with
British India, above ESQ, 100000; with Ger
many, nearly E45, 000 900; with Australia,
nearly e3S, 900, 900; with Russia, nearly $780,
100000; with Holland e29 OO0,O 900; with
British North America, above 81 ,OO0 900;
with Belgium, Ell, 100000; with China,
above e2O 600 600; with Brazil, nearly e15,-
100000; with Egypt, 1000, 600; with Spain
and Canary Islands above e13,OO0, 900; with
Turkey, nearly el3, 900; with Sweden,
nearly f12, 100000; with Italy, elO,OOO,OOO
During the fiscal year ended June 80, 1875,
according to the Second Assistant United
States Postmaster Generals annual report the
cost OF the inland mail transport alton was as
follows, to wit: On ST. rail routes aggregat-
ing 10, 0S3 miles in length, $9,2l6 SIS; on SO
ctA hna tine I
length, 1854 $780, on 1928 other routes, desig-
mated "star roate' aggregatipg $4,000
miles in length, S. 453, 72l; total cost during
the fiscal year, SIS, 1853, $685. which was an in
crease of S776 miles in the length Of routes
over the preceding year, and a decrease OF
S4S, 6SS in the cost thereof. The appropria-
ton to cover the expenditures for inland trans
portation during the present fiscal year is
SIT, 54S 900, and the san ne sum Is estimated
tor the next year.
Judicial Cons ruction of the Act Inerea sing
the Taxes on w Risky and Tobacco.
WASHINGTON, Nov. ia case of no ordi-
nary importance is to be tried in the United
States Circuit Court, at Richmond, Va, this
week. involving the construction Of the act of
March g. 1875, imposing increased taxes on
spirits and tobacco. The Circuit Court late
ly oyerruled the Internal Revenue Bureau
construction by deciding that the new law
did not go into effect at midnight of the Cd of
March, as had been contended by the govern
ment but at the precise time the bill received
the Presidents signature.
A large amount of tax was collected on
spirits withdrawn on the 81 of March, prior
to the signing of the act, which will have to
be refunded if the Supreme Court upholds
the ruling of the court below. The govern
ment has refused to accept the ruling as final,
and has taken an appeal to the United States
Supreme Court The Circuit Court is now
about to determine the question of fact,
namely, at what precise point of time the bill
was actually signed by the President. In this
contest, the government insists that the bur-
den of proof lies with the claimants, to show
when the bill was signed; but it is believed
that this can be satisfact rily done. The
amount involved is large, and the government
officers insist that the decision given over
turns long established practice.
The Key to the Mediterranean
An American writer, dating his letter from
Gibraltar, says:
The more l see of Gibraltar the less won
der at the tenacity with which it Is held by
England, and the dislike the Spaniards have
for the English tenure of the place. The |
strength of the position is something wonder |
full Nature and military art seem to have |
worked together in m aking " Glib" as invul |
uefhDlo rs IL Is pOSSlDlo 10 Do. MOI does CQ6 |
Engineer Department allow modern progress
in either guns or batteries to pass unnotlced
Of the former there are some fifty or sixty |
about to be changed for others OF q much |
larger calibre. Even as it is, the army of men
has never yet lived, nor has one of the Il set
OF ships yet been built, that could for two
hours Withstand the whitening fire of the
guns now in position on various parts of the
Rock.
Ten M;IEous
A HOLOCAUST OF GREENBAoKs AT THE BROOK
LYN NAVY YARD.
brooklyn Argus, 11th.l
About three weeks ago there was an arrival
at the Brooklyn navy yard. The visitor was
neither ship, gunboat, nor naval officer, and
yet this arrival created more comment among
the workmen in the yard, than has any event
of the past twevemonth.
The laborers were very much surprised one
day when q number of boxes, resembling
vitriol carboys we're brought past the sentinels
and deposited in full view of all the yard. At
first the report was spread that these mys-
FERROUS boxes contained yitriol, but that state
ment was authoritatively denied. The boxes
remained under close surveillance for several
days, end there was great speculation among
the employees as to their possible contents.
This curiosity was increased upon the ap-
pearence of two strange men who entered the
yard, ana evidently acting under official IN
structions, assumed charge of the boxes.
Not outstanding the fact that the laborers had
been ordered to keep aloof from the mysteri,
Gus packages, the men approached the two
strangers and ascertained that they were
about to open the boxes. This was accord
ipgly done Box No. was found to be filled |
with greenbacks New, bright, crisp green
backs Greenbacks that had never been soiled
or folded, but were fresh from the hands that c
finished them. There were packages Of one $
thousand dollar bills that would have filled a
wheelbarrow or delighted the greedy vision Of
government contractor And still the won- j
der grew, for when box No. 2 was opened it t
was as though govern nent vault was whit .
ing forth the National Treasury.
Heaps of one hundred dollar bills, volumes
of VS., fortunes in ffties and tens of thou il
sands, in tens and twenties, were packed in
the boxes inst nnanad hu the tuo rtrannsrS