Table shewing the relative proportions which the Exports and Imports of several Countries to and from, bear to the whole Commerce of the United States.

Our very limited space does not permit us to specify the chief articles composing the imports and exports of the United States, we shall, however, enumerate a few of the chief, especially those interesting these countries.

The items in these exports of most importance to Ireland are those of provisions, such as salt pork, beef, butter, &c. This branch of trade is rapidly increasing, and will, undoubtedly, be a formidable rival to the corresponding one in this country, as soon as the quality of the articles produced, which at present is very bad, shall have become better, with the rapidly improving agriculture of the Western States.

AMERICAN COTTON TRADE.

Raw Cotton.-The following table represents the total export of cotton from the United States, its value and average price per pound, from 1821 to 1850.

The preceding table includes three decennial periods; and if we calculate the averages for each of these periods, we shall obtain the following very interesting results:

The exportation of raw cotton from America increased, therefore, from 1831 to 1840, to the extent of 209 per cent. over the preceding ten years; from 1841 to 1850, by 343 per cent. over the same period; and by 164 per cent. over the ten years, ending 1840. The exportation of 1851 compared with that of 1821, shews the enormous increase of 743 per cent. And as the United States supplies more than three-fourths of all the raw cotton consumed in Europe, the production of cotton fabrics has probably increased in the same ratio, or perhaps even in a greater. This is, without question, one of the greatest and most important social facts presented by the history of modern commerce, as it shews an undoubted and considerable improvement in the physical condition of a large section of the human

race.

Progress of the Manufacture of Cotton Fabrics in the United States.-In 1825, the total consumption of raw cotton in the factories of the Union, amounted to only 80,000 bales, or about 30,340,000 lbs. In 1835 this quantity increased to 216,000; in 1845 it was estimated at 390,000; in 1851 at 550,000; and finally, in 1852 it had increased to 603,049 bales, or nearly double the quantity of raw cotton exported from the United States to France in 1851. The following table gives the consumption in the American factories since 1839:

The manufacture of cotton fabrics has, therefore, doubled in twelve years, and has now nearly reached the condition of that of Great Britain in 1830. The perseverance and commercial intelligence of the Americans has enabled them to open up important markets for their cotton manufacture, where hitherto it was unknown. American cotton fabrics appeared for the first time in the Liverpool markets, in competition with the British, in 1846. Increasing quantities are now sent to the Indian and China markets. The exportation of American cotton goods to Canton, dates as far back as the year 1827, but its value at that time was only estimated at 9,000 dollars, or about £1,848; since then it has been rapidly increasing, and in the year, ending the 30th of June, 1851, the export to that city was valued at 1,894,418 dollars, or about £388,997, forming a little more than 41 per cent. of the value of the tea imported into the United States from China. This extraordinary rapid growth of the cotton manufacture in the United States, notwithstanding the high price of labour, clearly indicates that the other economic conditions for the successful prosecution of this branch of industry, are of the most favourable character. America is rich beyond example in coal; has the power to produce cheap iron; is in possession of the raw cotton; and has the most complete system of canals, railways, and navigable rivers, which give her facilities of communication and transport equal perhaps to England itself. The day is not far distant, therefore, when the United States will, perhaps, be able to monopolize nearly the whole cotton trade of the world. The following table contains the values of cotton fabrics exported from the United States, from the

years 1826 to 1851, and the countries to which the exports were made for the years 1840, 1850, and 1851:

Table of the Values of Cotton Fabrics of American manufacture exported from the United States from 1826 to 1851.

Progress of Manufactures. In 1850 there were 8,500 miles of railway laid down in the United States, and 15,000 of telegraph wires. The capital engaged in manufactures was estimated at £108,829,568; the value of the raw materials employed, at £112,935,318; the sum paid in wages, at £49,284,188; the value of the articles manufactured, at £209,445,485; and the number of persons employed, at 1,050,000. According to this estimate, the average wages of all persons engaged in manufactures, would be £46 18s. 7d. per annum, a sum which is tempting enough to induce emigration for a long time to come, when compared with average wages in Europe.

NAVIGATION.

General Navigation of the United States.-The following table contains the number and tonnage of all vessels under every flag, trading to and from the United States, from the year 1846 to 1851:

In the year 1851, 75 per cent. of the whole value of the imports, 70 per cent. of the exportations, and 67 per cent. of the re-exportations, was transported in American ships.

That is, 73 per cent. as to value of the whole trade of the United States, was effected in American bottoms, and 27 per cent. in foreign. The following table represents the distribution of vessels and tonnage, according to nation, engaged in the trade of America, in the year 1850-51

According to this table 61 per cent. of the tonnage belonged to the United States, which is less favourable to them, than the comparison of the values of the merchandize transported, given above. The vessels trading under the British flag, therefore, formed a little over 30 per cent. of the whole tonnage engaged in the trade of the United States. Of this, however, the British possessions figure for 1,965,237 tons; and the direct trade between Great Britain and Ireland, and America, for 792,777 tons. So that the trade of the British North American possessions with the United States, in vessels carrying the British flag, formed nearly one-half of the whole trade effected in foreign bottoms.

Between the 30th of June, 1847, and the 30th June, 1851, the whole tonnage engaged in the trade of the United States increased 32 per cent.; the portion of it effected by it in vessels under the American flag, by 30 per cent., and under the British flag by 33. The tonnage engaged in the trade between Great Britain and Ireland, under all flags, increased by 24 per cent.;_ under the United States by 23 per cent.; and under the British flag by 23. It would thus appear that the repeal of the navigation laws enabled Great Britain to gain a slight advantage of 3 per cent. over the United States in the general trade, whilst in the cross trade between the two countries, the same relative positions were maintained. Nearly the whole of this increase may, however, be set down to the advantage of the British North American colonies. There is another fact also worthy of remark, namely, that while the whole trade of the United States with every part of the world, increased by 32 per cent.; that with Great Britain and Ireland only increased by 24 per cent. The following table shews the total number of vessels under all flags, and their tonnage engaged in the trade between the United States and the British colonies of North America, and between the former and Great Britain, for the year ending the 30th of June, 1851

Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage.

10,875 1,952,334 11,244 2,139,638 22,119 4,091,972

1,805 1,175,146 1,221

953,104 3,026 2,128,250

It may be interesting for our readers to know the extent of the trade between the United States and Cuba, in connexion with the attempts made by the Americans to obtain possession of that fertile island. In the year 1850-51, the