Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-07

est point this 1unQ mas ever dtldIHeu.
The coinage executed during the ifs
cal year was:
Silver dollars ~ ~ 40 40
Subsidiary silver ................ ., ~ ~ ~
Minor .............. .......'..'''- l'1o''fof IL
The highest quotation for silver 0.925
fine during the year in the London
market was 27A pence, equal to
$060821 per ounce fine in United
States money; the lowest quotation
was 1884 pence, equivalent to $0.5279S.
The average price for the year was
&c 5-16 pence, equivalent to $0.57675.
THE BULLION VALUE
Of the United States standard SILVER
dollar, at the highest price of the year,
was S0.47040, and at the lowest
$0.40O55, and at the average price,
S0.44607.
The commercial ratio of gold to sill
yer at the average price was l to
1884.
The foreign commerce of the fiscal
year 1898 in many respects has been
phenomenal The expectations Of the
products of both field and factory ex-
ceeded in value those of any preceding
year, and the grand total OF exports
was the largest ever recorded. For
the first time in the history of our
foreign commerce, the years exporta-
tibns averaged more than $100,000,0OO
per month, the total being S1,231, 49,
$50, against $1,000, 1893, $50 in 1897 and
81 ,030 ,27S,14S in 1892, no other years
having reached the billion dollar line,
OF our domestic exports, the value
Nsf agricultural products was $S53,6S3,-
$40, surprising by $54,355,33S the high
est record ever made, that of 1892. Our
manufacturers also made their highest
record of exports, those for the year
being 1920, 1854, against $277 ,2S5,3sl
in the preceding year. For the first
time also in the history of our foreign
commerce, the exports of domestic
manufactures were greater than the
imports of foreign manufactures, while
the total exports \ the year were
twice as great as the total imports
a condition heretofore unknown, the
trade balance in our favor being more
than twice as great as that of any for
mer year.
The years record for the imports
and exports of the precious metals
was also an unusual one. The impor-
tations of gold were greater than in
any preceding year in the history OF
the country, and the exports smaller
than in any year in the present de-
cade, making the
NET IMPORTATIONS
the largest ever known. The total
imports of gold were $120, 1891, CAT, and
the imports S15, 406,391, the net i'm
ports being s104,9S5 ,2S3, the largest in
any preceding year being 97,466,127
in 1881, while on only twelve previous
occasions since 1850 have the years
imports of gold equalled the exports,
The importations of silver, most OF
which comes into the country in lead
ore and base bullion, amounted to $780,
s27,7S1 in value, against S3o,593,227 in
1897 and 2S,777, 1856 in 1896 while the
expectation of the year amounted to
S55, Jos ,239 in value, against SCI, 946,63S
in the preceding year.
In the close of the report the way in
which the present banking system him
ders the development and prosperity of
the interior of the country, while pro-
noting speculation in financial centers,
is set forth in detail. The position
taken by the comptroller is criticised.
The facts set forth by the comptrol
Ter relate exclusively to the PROPOSE
ton that the notes of a failed bank
shall be a paramount lien upon the