News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-04
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.
Facts and Figures that Bewilder the
Mind.

The figures representing values and
Quantities employed by Mr.. Joseph
Nimmo, Jr., Chief of the Bureau of Statis-
TICS, In his report for 1884, on the for
elgn commerce of the United States, are
almost bewildering from their magni-
tude, and even to minds familiar with
such subjects, those which represent the
nations growth are astonishing. The
value of the imports and exports COM
bined for the year ending June 80, 1884,
was 81, 408, ,211, 302. Our commerce
with the countries of Europe was 1884,
752 063 or $3.50 per cent; with the
colonies of North America, Mexico, Cen
tral America, and West Indies it was
1928. 538, 551, or 16 % per cent; with
South America, $106, $50, S94, or 7 so per
cent; with Asia and Oceanica, S96, 1861
800, or 6s3 per cent: with Africa and
colonies, Sc, 669, ,816, or AT per cent. !;
with all other countries. $15, 103, 65S, or
LOT per cent.
The six principal ports stood, with
reference to imports of merchandise, as
follows: First, New York, 6614 per
cent; second, Boston, 9.37 per cent !;
third, San Francisco, 6.32 per cent;
fourth, Philadelphia, ATT per cent;
fifth, Baltimore, 162 per cent; and
sixth, New Orleans, 1.56 per cent.
With respect to value of exports of do
mestic merchandise the first six ports
stood in the order of magnitude as fol-
lows: First, New York, 46 83 per cent. !;
second, New Orleans, 1858 per cent. !;
third, Boston, 8O7 per cent; fourth,
Baltimore, $50 per cent; fifth, San
Francisco, 5.51 per cent; and sixth,
Philadelphia, 4. 70 per cent.
In 1884 the value of dutiable merchan-
disc entered for consumption was $667,-
575, ,3s9, against 500, ,829, 673 the preced-
ing year. The total amount of duties
was $3.50, 283, 1856, against $21O, 637, 293
the previous year.
The number of immigrants arrived in
the United States during the year was
51s, 592, against 6O3, ,322 the previous
year, to wit: From Great Britain and
ireland, 129, ,294; from Germany, 179, :
676; from all other countries of Europe,
l43, ,236; from British North American
provinces, 60,5S4. The immigration
from China fell from 8,031 in 1888 to
270 in 1884. The percentage of female
immigrants was: From Ireland, 40. 7;
from England, 3S2; from Scotland,
375; from Austria, 1913; from Denmark,
81; from France, 34.3; from Germany,
4O6; from Italy, 1872; from the Neither
iands, 4O2; from Norway, 377; from
Sweden, 81; from Russia, 37.3; from
British North American provinces, 3S. 3,
,nd from Asia. only 1.5.
The total tonnage of vessels entered
at seaports of the United States fell
from 1850, 857 tons during the year
ending June 80, 1888, to 12,0 ,095 6l3 tons
Turing the year ending June 80, 1884
he percentage of American tonnage
entered fell from III. Sc in 1856 to %. 81
in 1884, and the percentage of foreign
tonnage entered increased from %. Al i'll
1856 to rs. 66 in 1884
The percentage of imports and exports
Of merchandise carried in American ves-
>els is now less even than the percentage
of the tonnage of American vessels
entered at seaports of the United States.
The percentage of total imports and ex-
ports carried in American vessels fell
from 75.2 per cent. in 1856 to 27.7 per
cent. in 1866. Since the year 1865 the
proportion of imports and exports in
American vessels huctuated much, but
during the year ending June 80, 1884,
it was only ITO per cent.
The figures and statements relating
| to our internal commerce are most i'm.
pressive. In 1850 the number of acres
Of improved land in farms was 113, 032,
GA, against 284. I'll, ,049 in 1888. In
1850 the number of miles of railroad in
operation was 9,021, against 12l, ,592 il
| 1888. The number of tons of coal pro-
duced in 1850 was 1858, 899, agains
| 96 900, 900 in 1888. In 1850 the value
Of products of merchandise was
81 ,O19, 1O6, GIG, against SIS, 369, 579, 19l
| i'm 1093