New-York tribune., 1885-07-20
COTTON OFFICIAL STATISTICS.
| SOME UNEXPLAINED DisCREPA ANcIEs-CURREN NT
| TRADE REPORTS c0SrRAsrED.

TRADE REPORTS C0STRAsfED.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
SIR: Let me express through YOU thanks 10
the Chief of the statistic, for adding his
monthly advance statement OF exports Of breadsu Is
statement Of the bale pounds aai value OF tho cotton
exported This statement said to exports from
the principal ports, including % per cent Of the
entire exports for tho year With tae highest regard
for the gentlemen who have for years supplied
to the trade tho best cotton statements obainablc
have long felt these statements inadequate
chiefly because, after the old custom of the trade they
gave only bales idea OF weight, and OF
estimating the quality value OF cotton exported This
official statement shows how much there has
been desiring such reports The trade report for
July gives for ten months Of the current crop year
exports amounting to 3,777.621 bales. against q 1885,
79l for the last crop year. Also for the two months,
July and August, 1884, tho reports exports
amounting to l90,7sS bales, against isl.s75 bales
for July and August. 1888. Thus have, according
to the trade reports, aggregate exports for
twelve months ending June 80 amounting
to 3,9Gs4O bales for the last year.
against 1907 G66 bales for the previous year. These
are the trade reports. the official report just pub
scd gives the aggregate follows For the last year.
1865, 1897 bales and for the previous year 3s7sJsG
bales Certainly difference Of 02 .522 bales In single
years export is not small matter to be unworthy
of notice. A part OF this discrepancy Is OF
counted by the exports from the other ports not In
clnded in the preliminary official statement but this IL
Is sad, VIII cxcccu per cent OF 9o,ooo
II that statement Is correct, and the total given
includes reports from Beaufort. Charleston Galveston,
Mobile, Norfolk. Oswegachic, PeUsscoia. Savannah and
Wilmington, besides the ports named, the discrepancy
remaining Is so large that II may be well worth whie
to ascertain Its cause.
Again computing tho weight per bale from the quaint.
ties officially reported md that the bales
during last year averaged 46295 pounds while tho
bales during the previous year averaged 1880
pounds But the commercial estimate OF the weight OF
bales handled was 4s0J6 pounds IOr the last year.
against II pounds for the previous year. Here again
a. diferrnce OF no importance. III the
weight OF bales exported differs 80 widely from the
average weight of bales handled II Ia clearly important
for the trade TO know the fact Then, too II may be
parties about the weight of bales always reliable
IL is conceivable that In this respect alone the Official
abatement may OF value 10 the trade The dlner
ence I'm the weight OF bales IL will be observed amounts
TO a difference Of ~ O3 per bale In tho
average price, or about $7,700.Ooo in the value
more computing the average price from the weight
aud value officially stated II appears that the AVERAGE
of all cotton exported during the past year was Ills
cents per pound, against 1913 pound for the
yious year, an increase OF Y or cent per pound
think TO that the current trade re
ports have not given indications OF such difference In
price But meanwhile the more Important discrepancies
as 10 the weight OF bales IL Will be are both the
same side OF the The trade reports show that
the number bales greater and that the average
weight OF greater than the official statement
Indicates, reducing important quantity the
estimated supply of cotton remaining hand III seems
cieny proved value OF such reports to the trade H.
as assume 10 correctly represents 80 per cent OF Tue
entire during the twelve months ending June 10
Netc- York. July Is, 1883. Yours,