New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-12
OTP CUPEIr Y 1'B4UE

The official reports of the commerce or the
county for December. and for the year 1850.
make disclosures TINT are really startling. Tho
value of domestic exports in December was
&o7. O7o, $50, and the largest amount ever cx-
ported III any month before Was about
$4,000, COO. The gross exports OF meTchan-
disc were SOS $50. go, against oS7,733.999 i'll
October 1879. then the laIg,Si MONTH exports
on Tccod. The agglCgatc lcr the calendar year
WIS $S39,Gl0.SiO, against 500, 80, S2j in
1870, an increase of 1921, l9O,Olj. On tic
other hand, tho vanc of imports in December,
though little lager than tor November, was
smaller than for any other month III 1850, OF
snc,, September, 1870. The high tide of M
ports. which BEGAN coming in during Tie sum-
mcr OF 1879, has been rapidly recc3ins ever
since April. 1850, when the value OF imports
was $7l.3G6.i5j. and in November il had
fallen to = -, IOS,2G9. In December. with twO
more business days, 1t WAS only Tl1,312,7oS.
Thus the Excess of merchandise exports over
imports, which was less than Sl,OOD,UDO IA
MAY last IuSc in December to 81, iN3 y /, Il
balance never before Cqudlcl. For tie calcn-
dar year, the cXcc-s Of exports at merchandise
over imports WAS 500. Is. lO7, which fui.s
SIS. 7CO. 900 below the excess IN 1872. but /,
nevertheless quite large cnouga To icln"yc the
possibility of exports Ot specie for some ;imc to
come. The specie movement during the year
WIS also moic favorable t! an that OF any other
calendar year in the history Of the coantIy
The excess of imports over exports was
500 Do, S22, against $G13715.9G0 III 1879.
The naked figures given in the official reports,
interesting as they are, do not cast much light
.,, nf
namely, whether there is reason 10 expect thrt
the foirign markets for American products will
enlarge in proportion to the increase of pTOduc-
tive capacity in this country Dut 1t Is encourage
ing to note that the exports Of the more IMPORT
ant products were not only large in the first half
of the year, when Europe was SOrcly pressed Ivy
an extraordinary failure OF crops, but were even
larger on the whole in the last half OF the year,
when the Immediate wants of Europe were met
by crops fully up to tho average. As to bread
stu-, it is true, this is not the CASE the value
of exports OF that class for the fiscal year end
ing June 80 was nearly S2j, O00, 900 larger tnan
for the calendar year ending December 81.
and only part Of this difference was due to
the decline in prices. Yet it Is surprising, on
the whole, that shipments OF grain have been
made at profit, during the last half OF year
of good crops in Europe, so closely approaching
in value and in quantity the exports during tine
corresponding part OF year of unprecedented
restitution in Europe, and 80 greatly exceeding
the largest exports ever knC WI in any half year
prior to that time. The facts clearly indicate
that the permanent dependence of EuIope upon
this country for breadttuils is steadily and
surely increasing; that agriculture in Europe is
ihn of
population, and that we may reasonably ex-
poet, whether crops abroad are good or bad, to
be able in future to find market for a greater
quantity of bIeadstuils than had ever boen tx
ported in any year prior to 1879.
The exports of cotton were in quantity the
largest ever made in any year. Though the
exact figures are not yet published, it Is esti-
mated that more than 1000, 900, 900 pounds
OF cotton were sent abroad last year, and the
value realized exceeds tn" amount rccey ed for
sales OF cotton in any year except 1866, when
the price was abnormal. The exports of provi-
sions tor the year have been fully reported,
and amount to 1,76l, l47,999 pounds, the
value being $l43, 723, GG3. The large increase
in value in comparison with the previous year,
is due in part to an increase OF IL per cent in
quantity exported, and partly to in increase of
@ per cent in prices obtained. Evidently the
foreign demand for American provisions was so
great as to have a powerful influence upon
prices here. There is nothing to indicate that
this demand is likely to diminish matpIialy
on the contrary, it grows steadily, like the de-
mand for breadstuffs, and the advance in price
indicates that the demand troads closer upon
The heels Of the supply. The exports of petro-
leum were smaller in quantity by 10 per cent
han in 1870, but the decrease in value was
only o per cent, which is not discouragng