Full text of The Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review : November 1841, Vol. V, No. V

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I I UN T’S

MERCHANTS’ MAGAZINE.
NOVEMBER,

1841.

A rt. I.— V E N E T I A N C O M M E R C E .
T he history o f modern nations presents in the strongest light, and illus­
trates with irresistible force the truth o f the proposition, that their com
merce, and the political liberty they enjoy, have started into being, and
hand in hand marched progressively onward ; the one never declining
without dragging the other along its downward course. N or would it be
difficult to explain why this mutual dependence exists, even were the rea­
sons for it less perceptible than ages o f experience have made them.
Commercial employments, and the wealth and luxuries they bring, form
the great lever by which those engaged in them are raised to the same
broad platform before occupied exclusively by their superiors, who, having
once enjoyed the rich fruits o f mercantile enterprise, and the choice pro­
ducts o f foreign climes, form new tastes, and indulge in pleasures before
unknown, to which habit so strongly binds them, that they soon becom e
dependent upon the class o f men through whom these enjoyments are fur­
nished, until, the scales o f society gradually changing, the latter find them­
selves occupying a higher elevation than they had ever hoped to attain.
As com m erce opens path after path along which fortune leads those en­
gaged in it, sometimes plunging them into bankruptcy, at others elevating
them to wealth, and perchance to influence and power, the great mass o f
mankind, before hound down to poverty, compelled to toil hopelessly on,
wearing out their lives on the broad estates o f their titled masters, deriving
from severe labor barely enough to furnish a meager subsistence, with no
cheering promise that a happier future would in this world ever dawn upon
them, without one single avenue by which they could escape from the
mean and lowly stations in which birth and circumstances had bound
them ;— this part o f the human race, comprising a vast proportion, are no
longer confined to the degrading position occupied by their ancestors.
Means are unfolded by which the humblest,— and who does not know that
these are and ever have been the most eminent as merchants,— may rise
to opulence and distinction, may acquire honor, and share the intercourse
V OL. V .— NO. V .
50




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and friendship o f the noblest among their fellow-men. An immeasurable,
a brilliant commercial field is before them, spreading over the wide seas
and the broad rich plains o f the whole world. Grasping the advantages
thus held out, thousands from the lowest ranks have climbed to high and
enviable stations, from which, but for the prosecution o f commercial enter­
prises, they would have been forever excluded ; while the great mass from
whence they sprang, who had previously regarded the positions o f those
above them as unattainable, and their own menial condition as the irrevo­
cable, unalterable decree o f fate, soon become, in the estimation o f them­
selves, immeasurably exalted, while their reverence and respect for rank
and fortune proportionably diminish, as the possibility o f attaining them
becomes apparent. In this manner they learn their own strength, and by
exerting it are enabled to exercise a powerful influence, as well in divest­
ing rank o f many o f its most dangerous prerogatives, as in framing laws
for promoting the political and social advantages o f the great body o f their
race.
A s that portion o f men engaged in commercial pursuits become more
numerous, and by the introduction o f foreign commodities swell the wealth
and add to the prosperity o f their nation, they have in all modern times
rapidly advanced to im portance; for not only, as we have before remark­
ed, do the wealthy and noble find the luxuries thus introduced indispen­
sable to their comfort and enjoyment, but the revenue o f the country is en­
larged as its trade increases, until all classes are penetrated with the ne­
cessity o f using every exertion for its continuance and improvement.
Legislation thus falls into the hands o f those anxious to raise up a vast
and countervailing influence to resist that wielded by the landholders, the
result o f which is, that men from the middle and lower ranks o f life, by
whom the com m erce o f every nation is mainly carried on, soon acquire
sufficient influence to send individuals from their own body to represent
them in the council halls o f their country, where meeting the rich and
nobly born as peers, they learn to view them only as equals,— as men,
who in all else save the fate o f birth, are on the same broad level with
them selves; and regarding them in this light, our new class o f legislators
make every effort to wrest from them their artificial distinctions, and to
bury them forever beneath the broad and permanent fabric o f social and
political equality.
That the com m erce o f all enlightened nations o f the present age has
produced, and is now producing, in the social and political condition of
their people, the important changes to which we have here briefly alluded,
no one who bestows even a cursory glance upon their history will d en y ;
and though the same fact may not be so strikingly illustrated by an exam­
ination o f the chronicles o f ancient kingdoms, yet we shall find that the
political blessings and true freedom o f their inhabitants were greatly en­
hanced by the magnitude and grandeur o f their commerce, and maritime
advantages. V enice was one o f these, and although her people certainly
understood but dimly the nature o f that civil and political liberty, so well
defined and appreciated in our own brilliant age, yet did they enjoy both
to a degree unknown in most o f the neighboring countries that slumbered
during the heavy darkness o f the period that marked her sway. And this
was strange, nay, almost wonderful, for V enice was born and nursed in
Italy’s gloomiest age, when the Roman empire was suffering her most
terrible reverses, and while all Europe was clad in barbarism. She grew




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395

and flourished mid the wild and destructive elements o f Gothic warfare,
and still increased, while the most splendid cities in Italy were ravaged and
burnt by the savage warriors that bumbled and sacked imperial Rome.
The barriers o f nature walled out the foes that swarmed the shores o f the
Adriatic, while her isolated position hid the growing wealth that early glit­
tered to invite the rapacious invader. T o her secluded, and almost un­
known position, she owed her preservation, and when her gorgeous riches
were revealed to neighboring nations, the power she wielded was mighty
enough to guard and protect them from every hostile aggression.
The birth o f V enice was as ill-omened and uuauspicious o f future great­
ness, as in the prime o f her years she was prominent and powerful. It
was about the middle o f the fifth century that Attila, the scourge o f
Rome, thundered along the fair plains o f northern Italy. A s he passed
onward at the head o f his fierce Goths, noble cities, which the morning sun
had gilded in light, smoked, at its going down, a heap o f ruins. Death
and desolation alone were left behind, and as the barbarian host neared the
great heart o f the world, their natures seemed to grow more savage, and
their swords more keen and bloodthirsty. Neither age nor sex were
spared, and neither brave men nor stout walls could stay the course o f
northern Europe’s terrible soldiery. The inhabitants o f cities yet unsackcd, trembling for their lives, left their homes and fled to the north­
western shore o f the Adriatic Gulf, and it is to these wretched fugitives
that Venice owes her once unrivalled splendor and her glorious name.
There, upon the small islands scattered along the mouths o f the numerous
rivers that discharge themselves into this gulf, did these wanderers rear
their rude habitations, destined ere long to disappear, and be replaced by
gorgeous palaces and magnificent temples.
Upon the whole continent o f Europe, hardly a spot could have been
found less likely to attract an enemy, whether in search o f glory, or what
in those times more frequently invited conquest, empire and wealth; for
though the islands they had chosen were numerous, yet were they barren,
and with few exceptions uninhabited. From agriculture, the most meager
subsistence even for a few could not have been derived ; and nature, which
in Italy on every feature wore an aspect that promised and gave all the
enjoyments which the most delicious o f climes and the richest soil, with
its varied and luxuriant products could bestow, frowned threateningly upon
the exiles in their new home : and had prophecy,— linked with all the mys­
terious agencies and strange accidents whiph those who pretend to scan
futurity and read the ways o f its coming call to their aid, to render more
sublimely solemn and seemingly true the predictions they utter,— foretold
the greatness that should one day grow up on those little isles, and rise
until the whole Christian world should contemplate its magnitude and feel
its pow er; had it foretold that from the little band o f refugees gathered
together on those drear spots, so small and sea-girt that the waves almost
embraced each other as they travelled along their surface, there would, in
the lapse o f time, spring up a nation so mighty, that kingdoms should be
awed and shaken by its strength, and that Rome herself should receive
from it the aid to hurl one pontiff from his seat, and with a rival claimant
fill anew the papal throne; had it been foretold that from the clustering
huts o f its childhood should arise the Venice o f the twelveth, thirteenth,
and fourteenth centuries, the storehouse, the commercial heart, the great
and almost sole factor o f southern and western Europe, the queen o f the




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Adriatic, clad in gold and jewels like the fabled hero o f some fa iry ta le;—
had this prophecy been uttered, how many would have deemed it less
likely o f fulfilment, than the wildest fancy o f a disturbed dream !
If the spot to which these outcasts fled possessed so few advantages cal.
culated to awaken desires o f conquest in the minds o f warriors who would
otherwise have directed their arms against it, the obstacles to be overcome
in reaching it, and the natural barriers with which it was surrounded, af­
forded the most powerful means o f defending it against the attacks o f an
invading foe. The islands we have mentioned were protected against the
waves and the open sea by long slips o f land, formed by the deposit o f in­
numerable rivers, while communication with the shore was rendered ex­
tremely difficult by a vast bed o f soft mud, extending a number o f miles
from the land, covered with water to the depth o f not more than two or
three feet, and navigable for light skiffs only ; except along the narrow
beds o f the rivers that traversed this lagune, where the water was much
deeper : and these estuaries which led to the open sea, whether entered
from the outer barrier or from the shore, were as difficult to find as to
pursue, and to a pilot not perfectly acquainted with their deviating course,
their navigation was extremely dangerous. Through these narrow timedeepened channels, that wound secretly along among the little spots thickly
grouped above the surface o f the sea, did the exiles pioneer their way,
and amid the intricate places where the mariner’s bark had seldom before
ventured, necessity taught them a safe and rapid navigation.
And this stern, all-powerful master, to whose creative hand every age
is indebted for the development o f some brilliant genius, the fuller ripen­
ing o f some noble intellect, the germs o f new nations and o f new laws, and
the beginning and end o f vast revolutions among men ; to which individ­
uals owe their darkest vices and most terrible crimes, and without which,
their noblest virtues and rarest talents would remain hidden from them­
selves, and to the world unknown ;— this fashioner o f mankind, and sculp­
tor o f men’s fortunes, had fastened its iron grasp upon the Venetian wan­
derers ; had chained them to their barren new-found home, and taught
them to look upon it as the sole world o f their ambition, the. boundary of
their hopes, the limit o f their greatness, the source o f their subsistence,
and the only patrimony they could bequeath their children. Thus regard­
ing it, and with no alternative save the fate they had so recently escaped,
they settled upon the islands that clustered nearest to each other, and
there engaged in the only employments their situation afforded, consisting
o f the manufacture o f salt and fishing.
Years rolled on, and with scanty returns following these laborious avo­
cations, the colonists advanced slowly upward, overcoming a thousand ob­
stacles, and increasing gradually in wealth and importance. Fresh con­
tinental outrages swelled their numbers, by driving from their native land
new exiles, who on the bosom o f the Adriatic found that security and
quiet o f which Italy was deprived ; and for this they were willing to en­
dure the privations that frowned upon them in their adopted home. New
islands were in this manner peopled, and upon them arose new habitations,
until the few dwellings, from whence had ascended the smoke o f the earliest
settlers, spread into the wide and permanent foundation o f a great city,
and the handful o f refugees who had originally sought an asylum there,
gave birth to a new European nation.
T h e interests o f this colony, during the first stages o f its existence,




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397

were neither multifarious nor important, and for their management and
preservation few laws were necessary. From the earliest periods o f so­
ciety, however, legislation, either patriarchial or otherwise, has been found
indispensable to the happiness and well-being o f every community ; and
the. source from whence that o f the isles proceeded, furnishes strong testi­
mony o f its impartiality and purity. Their form o f government was in
that age a perfect anomaly, and in our own would be considered one o f
the most extreme simplicity and republicanism. For extraordinary pur­
poses, a general assembly was called, where a majority o f the people pass­
ed upon the measures proposed for their consideration, while each island
o f any note chose a tribune or judicial magistrate, whose duty it was to
administer, expound, and sometimes declare the law, being responsible to
the general assembly for the faithful discharge o f his trust.
Such was the simple machinery by which these islands,— inhabited by
men born and educated in different communities, and thus strangely
thrown together,— were politically linked to each other, and notwith­
standing their varied and conflicting prejudices, engendered by birth, and
fostered by the nurture and associations o f that dark period, the interests,
like the fate o f the colonists, were soon harmoniously blended. Circum­
stances unforeseen and too powerful to be resisted, had forced them to­
gether for mutual protection;— necessity compelled them to regard each
other as friends,— to unite their scattered strength for the safety o f all, and
to strive zealously and with a single mind for the common weal. T h ey
had made their homes on the wide sea, and reared their dwellings from
its bosom,— they had found security and peace, were beyond the reach o f
tyranny, feared not the sword or the axe o f military murderers, were
contented with their condition, and before many generations were pros­
pered beyond all parallel. Their numbers were continually enlarging,
for the mild laws and tolerant government they enjoyed, so different from
the political slavery and despotic institutions that prevailed upon the con­
tinent, strongly invited the oppressed and discontented to take refuge within
their jurisdiction. A s the inhabitants increased, the employments their
predecessors had engaged in, would no longer support them. N ew chan­
nels o f industry must be sought out, and a more prolific source o f sub­
sistence discovered. And here again necessity carved the way, and with
one hand pointing to starvation and want, with the other guided them on
to a golden future.
Commerce, with her thousand treasures since unlocked, then slumbered
from one end o f Europe to the other. Her rich stores o f wealth lay
hidden and unexplored, and judging from the education and habits o f men,
centuries would probably elapse, ere commercial pursuits would be
generally engaged in. Indeed, at that time, nothing appeared more im ­
probable. The grand trade in which mankind were employed, was in
wielding the sword against their fellows, and nations, while they regarded
each other as natural enemies, seldom wanted a pretext for open warfare.
Blood flowed freely on all sides, and the strong man overcame and
plundered the weak. T o have found permanent security in any king­
dom either for person or property would have been impossible, for the
power that guarded them to-day, might, by the strong arm o f some
foreign or domestic foe, be swept away and levelled with the dust to­
morrow. Great risk was incurred in the transportation o f merchandise
from one country to another, it being exposed to seizure upon the land




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Venetian Commerce.

by hordes o f robbers, and upon the sea by pirates; while the intercourse
between different nations was so defectively regulated by treaty, and so
little governed by the modern principles o f international law, that the
rights o f foreigners were seldom protected ; and instead o f being allowed
the secure enjoyment o f their property, it was frequently wrested from
them, without the hope or prospect o f remuneration. It is not surpris­
ing, then, that few in that age ventured to embark in traffic, nor could
it be expected that many would have hazarded their fortunes upon the
chances o f a pursuit so uncertain. T o prudent men, it seemed a dan­
gerous method o f attempting to better their fortunes, while to the timid,
it presented obstacles almost insurmountable. Our refugees o f the Adria­
tic knew the fate to which commercial enterprises were exposed, and
could but poorly appreciate the immense advantages to be derived from
them. Something must be undertaken, however, to support the population
that daily pressed more strongly upon the means o f subsistence, and to
open a trade with the countries around, and become the carriers o f
neighboring nations, was a project that, impracticable as it appeared, was
the only one o f any description within their reach. And this they adopted,
and slowly commenced their com m ercial career. Ships were built,—
rough, rude, and ill-shaped, as were most ancient craft, but no less able to
bear their burdens and plough the wave ; and these, awkwardly equipped,
and manned by those to whom the roaring o f the sea had been familiar
music all their lives, were sent to neighboring ports and distant cities,
with goodly freights, to be exchanged for products intended for the marts
o f other nations. And thus in time, and for those days and that war­
like age, speedily too, did the com m erce o f these islands increase. Many
a voyage, long and hazardous, full o f risk and danger, was undertaken,
and upon nearly all o f these, old Neptune and Fortune jointly smiled.
It was at first strange to see noble ships, heavily and richly laden, bound­
ing onward to those once desolate isles, and stranger still to see their
inhabitants, so recently the poor and hunted refugees, unlading from these
ships, and piling upon their shores the costly merchandise o f far-off climes.
But it soon became no uncommon sight, and the novelty had scarce
passed away ere Venice arose glittering in her newly acquired wealth,
and assumed a proud station among the cities o f the earth. Surrounding
nations could not but perceive the new rival that had appeared to dis­
pute the palm o f maritime greatness,— they saw the elevation to which
she aspired, and marked the strides with which she was hastening
towards it. The vast wealth she possessed, would soon have marked
her for their prey, but when the prize promised the. cost o f seizure, it was
too well guarded to be captured by an enemy o f ordinary strength. Her
natural position, too, so inaccessible, and girt about with difficulties, was
strengthened by artificial barriers and military defences ; and instead of
leaving each island isolated and exposed to the separate attacks o f an
invading foe, sixty o f them, which clustered about Rialto, the principal
orte in the group, were connected with that and each other by convenient
well-constructed bridges.
A s V enice advanced thus rapidly in the scale o f wealth and strength
and commercial importance, her citizens lost none o f that vigor, indus­
try, and enterprise, which had formed the sole elements o f their prosperity.
Th eir ambition seemed to increase with their numbers, and every acces­
sion to the com m erce and wealth o f their city, served but to sharpen




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399

their minds for new maritime undertakings. T heir entire thoughts were
devoted to schemes o f traffic, and their souls absorbed in the contempla­
tion o f anticipated gains. T o increase the riches and add to the dis­
tinction o f their city, all the energies they possessed were employed ; and
a circumstance o f no little importance in the history o f V en ice, shows for
how much o f her wealth and grandeur she was indebted to the religious
enthusiasm and popish superstition, that prevailed throughout Europe
during the dark ages.
In the early part o f the ninth century, while some ten or twelve
Venetian ships were lying in the harbor o f Alexandria unlading and
receiving cargoes, a plan was formed for carrying o ff the body o f Saint
Mark, whose remains were said to repose in a church o f that city, the
walls o f which, being composed o f rare and elegant marble, the inhabi­
tants were tearing down, and with their rich materials, were erecting a
costly and spacious palace. T o these holy relics, so pursueth the his­
torian, the populace were devotedly attached, as well by reason o f the
mysterious veneration usually inspired in superstitious minds, by the con­
templation o f remains o f such supposed sacredness, as by the performance
o f sundry miracles, gravely alleged to have been effected by their super­
human virtue and ghostly influence. T o the scandal o f those robed in
the holy orders o f that early period, we are sorry to write,— though a re­
gard for truth, and for the words o f our chronicler compels us,— that the
priests appointed to guard and watch over these precious relics, seem to
have entertained a lower estimate o f their value, than men o f such pro­
fessed godliness should have done ; for so dazzled were they by a liberal
offer in gold, made to them by the captains o f these vessels, that they
sold the defunct saint, which was conveyed on board one o f them by the
following stratagem. These traitorous priests, being the only persons al­
lowed to approach the body, cut a huge slit in the cerements in which it
lay, and having abstracted it therefrom, a female saint was deposited in
its stead : though this substitution, as we are gravely told, came near
being discovered, for no sooner were the sacred robes o f Saint Mark dis­
turbed, than a perfume o f such surpassing richness proceeded from them,
that crowds assembled to inhale its rare sw eetness; who becoming some­
what clamorous about the safety o f their favorite saint, and entertaining
suspicions that all was not right, could only be appeased by an examination
of the substituted relics, which, appearing like the real ones,— for the
slit in the cerecloth had been perpetrated behind,— they retired satisfied ;
while the saint, which had in the mean time been placed in a basket and
covered with large joints o f pork, was conveyed on board the vessel by
porters, who kept the populace at a distance by lustily crying that abo­
mination o f all good mussulmen for sale.
Possessed o f so rich a freight, the fleet, after undergoing a strict
search for contraband goods, sailed for V enice, and on the voyage were
overtaken by a storm so terrible, that but for the timely appearance o f
the saint, who solemnly stalked the deck, and commanded the captain to
furl his sails, all would have been lost. They at length arrived at their
destined port, when the joy o f the Venetians in the acquisition o f so re­
nowned a saint was unbounded. Their city was solemnly consigned to its
protection, the saint or his lion was wrought and emblazoned upon her
standards, and impressed upon her coin-ge, and the war-cry o f her citi­
zens ever after has been Viva San M a rco! In honor o f this saint, a




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fair was afterward instituted, and this, combining commercial pursuits
with religious devotions, brought vast numbers to Venice, whose immense
expenditures, added to the traffic they engaged in, greatly enriched the
Venetians, who perceiving the benefit to be derived from canonized re­
mains, purchased them at extravagant prices ; and when this could not be
done, they were not unfrequently stolen. The rage for these at length
became so ungovernable, that fierce and bloody conflicts sometimes ensued
between rival claimants ; one o f which was fought between a Venetian and
Pisan armament, the cause o f the quarrel being, that the former had re­
fused to share with the latter, one half the body o f a saint, which had been
pilfered from a neighboring island by their joint exertions. In this engage­
ment, the Pisans suffered terribly, losing besides the holy relics they covet­
ed, some twenty galleys, and about five thousand prisoners.
Rendering the religious enthusiasm o f that dark period subservient to
their insatiable thirst for wealth and commercial pursuits, the Venetians
were continually extending their maritime enterprises, swelling the
amount o f their shipping, strengthening their naval armament, and daily
weighing heavier in the scale o f nations. V enice had already, in the
tenth century, taken a high stand among the kingdoms o f the earth. She
was the emporium o f Italy and G reece ; and while Pisa, Genoa, and Amalfi,
which in time arose to be her principal rivals, were scarcely known, she
had becom e the exclusive factor between Europe and the Levant. By
the establishment o f treaties, she had acquired jurisdiction over many o f
the neighboring ports, while by negotiations and alliances with the
Greek emperor and the sultans o f Egypt and Turkey, extensive and va­
luable privileges and exemptions had been secured to her numerous mer­
chants trading to those countries.
Down to a period so late as the very last o f the tenth century, Venice,
content with the absolute sovereignty o f her hundred isles, had entirely
abstained from all attempts at foreign conquest. T o all her citizens, ample
employment had been afforded in carrying on commercial enterprises o f un­
rivalled magnitude, and being entirely engrossed in those pursuits, so conge­
nial to their tastes and inclinations, and so immensely profitable withal,
they had escaped the influence o f that warlike spirit, which raged to so fear­
ful an extent upon the continent o f Europe. It was to the peaceful relations
which they had succeeded in cultivating and maintaining with neighbor­
ing and distant ports, that they in a great measure owed their wealth
and elevation ; and to preserve these unimpaired from the destructive in­
fluence o f warfare, formed a marked feature in their foreign policy ; so
much so indeed, that for a long time, they had consented to pay a large
sum o f money annually to the pirates o f Narenta, to purchase an exemption
from the plunders o f that fierce people. But the attitude o f Venice,
which had so long been o f the most neutral and peaceable character, was
about to undergo a vast change. Her citizens were gorged wijh wealth,
and loaded with the costly luxuries o f all climes. Their individual riches
would have purchased principalities, and the gold which their fathers had
toiled through many generations to amass, had, as in time, and in all na­
tions it ever will, reared a proud aristocracy, whose ambitious minds
sought to grasp a territory, commensurate with the fast growing strength
o f the wave-washed republic. That spirit o f the simplest democracy, which
had o f necessity prevailed among the Venetians during their earlier his­
tory,— which had bound them together as one great family— that desire




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401

o f mutual preservation, which had caused them to forget all distinction o f
rank and wealth and country, which had compelled them all to engage in
the same humble employments, and had introduced, as far as such a thing
is practicable, a pure and harmonious equality throughout their narrow bor­
ders, were rapidly disappearing, or had ceased to be altogether. Many
families, claiming to be noble, had sprung up, and forgetful that their an­
cestors had been fishermen and mariners and makers o f salt, regarded
the middle and lower orders with contempt, and already assumed and
wielded some portion o f that power, which in the hands o f an aristocracy
is ever dangerous and threatening to the liberties o f any people.
If ambition to extend their territory prevailed among the higher orders,
the middle and lower classes required little urging to embrace a scheme
which promised to add so immensely to the numerous commercial advan­
tages they had already acquired. There were many among them, too, as there
ever is in populous cities, o f discontented minds and desperate fortunes,—
such men as in peaceful times are useless— nay, a positive curse to the
community in which they live, but who in times o f strife and danger,
fight with a brave heart and a stout arm ;— less for their country, it is true,
than for gold and their own individual advantage. By these, a military
expedition against any nation or people, was sure to be hailed as the road
to honor and fortune, and every warlike demonstration by the government,
met with their unqualified approbation.
It was under the influence o f this state o f public feeling, that V enice
enrolled her warriors for the first expedition ever undertaken by her for
foreign conquest:— and this was near the expiration o f the tenth century,
after more than four hundred years o f peace with all nations ;— a length
o f time, we venture to say, that no other people on earth ever succeeded in
maintaining uninterrupted neutrality.
And even this expedition, the Venetians declared, was not intended for
the acquisition o f foreign territory, but to chastise the Narentine pirates,
whose depredations upon their commerce had at length become intolerable.
This formed the pretence for fitting it out, but the result showed that to
humble these sea-robbers was a part only o f the objects to be achieved.
The fleet sailed from V enice in the spring o f 997. For those early days
it was a powerful armament, and was commanded by the doge in person.
The progress o f this naval force was a succession o f triumphs, many o f
which were accomplished without striking a blow. Numerous islands,
some o f considerable magnitude, were captured, while every town along a
wide-stretching coast was reduced to subjection. The Dalmatian towns,
which the fierce Narentines had long pillaged without mercy, hailed the
approach o f the Venetian fleet with acclamations o f joy , and proffered
oaths o f fealty and subjection to the doge, as their deliverer and sovereign ;
and it was not until the fleet anchored off the islands o f Conzola and Lesina, the outworks o f the Bay o f Narenta, that any resistance was encoun­
tered. The latter o f these, in particular, was defended with the most des­
perate bravery. It was naturally a place o f great strength, and was
strongly fortified and garrisoned. But the skill and courage o f the V ene­
tians overcame every obstacle, and both these important strongholds were
at length compelled to yield. The Bay o f Narenta was now open to the
victorious fleet, which sailed in and desolated the surrounding country with
fire and the sword.
The conquest o f these territories once effected, their permanent subjection

VOL. v.— no. v.




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to the government o f V enice was not for one moment lost sight off. Their
importance in a commercial point o f view was o f great magnitude, while
the influence o f the republic would be much increased by this broad addi­
tion to its former limited domain. The government o f the conquered towns
was accordingly administered by a podesta, appointed to preside over each,
and these officers were chosen from the principal families in V enice, and
ruled in its name, while the native inhabitants were entirely excluded from
all participation in public affairs.
The brilliant successes that attended this expedition, not only surprised
the Venetians themselves, but excited the astonishment o f other nations.
T o them she appeared a new-born giant, leaping from the cradle to strength
and empire ; for though her citizens had long been famed for their wealth,
and the extent o f their shipping, yet they had never been deemed skilled
in warfare, or men to be feared in battle. This first achievement then,
so bold in its conception, and so rapid and effectual in its execution, per­
formed too by a people unknown in arms, was regarded with much the
same wonder as would have been lavished upon the exploits o f some
mailed champion o f superhuman prowess, who in the golden days o f chiv­
alry should have suddenly and mysteriously appeared, to challenge and
unhorse all knights who dared to appear in the field against him. The
importance o f the little republic was vastly increased by this indication o f
strength, and the pride o f its citizens was elevated in proportion. Like
the citizens o f imperial Rom e in her palmiest days, those o f V enice boast­
ed o f the might o f their sea-girt home, which even in distant lands often
served as a shield to protect them from injuries and oppressions.
Wide-spread and numerous as were the commercial advantages o f the
Venetians, they were yet too few and narrow to gratify the spirit o f this
wonderful people for maritime adventure. Towards the end o f the tenth
century, a new and far-stretching field was opened to them, by a series o f
skilful negotiations with Comnenus, the Greek emperor. This monarch
not only renounced in favor o f V enice the pretensions to nominal sover­
eignty which he had previously asserted over Dalmatia, but granted to her
shipping free entrance into all his ports, naturalized her residents at Con­
stantinople, and compelled the merchants o f Amalfi to pay a heavy an­
nual tribute to the cathedral o f St. Mark. The vast opportunities thus
presenting for engrossing the commerce o f the east, were monopolized by
the Venetians at every point. The prerogatives her negotiations had se­
cured, over those possessed by any other maritime power, gave to her mer­
chants the most important advantages, and enabled them in all their com ­
mercial undertakings to grasp facilities which were in many instances
denied to those o f other nations.
The enjoyment o f this eastern trade was a source o f immense profit to
the Venetians, and soon rendered them anxious to extend it beyond even
the broad limits which had been granted them by the Greek emperor. T o
attempt this by negotiation with the warlike nations inhabiting the coun­
tries o f the east, was, at the period we have mentioned, utterly impracti­
cable ; to secure further privileges by force, alone and unaided, was ap­
parently impossible. The only mode then by which this could be effected,
was to join the crusading host, which, composed o f the most splendid chiv­
alry on earth, was then marching and glittering along the plains o f south­
ern Europe, ready to burst, with the fury o f ten thousand thunderbolts,
upon the turbaned infidels o f Palestine. Let it not be supposed that a de­




Venetian Commerce.

403

sire to redeem the land o f the cross from the tramp o f unbelievers, prompt­
ed Venice to engage in the holy war which drenched the cities o f the
east in Christian and Saracen blood, and deprived Europe o f thousands o f
her bravest knights. The religious fanaticism which prevailed at this time
throughout the vast limits o f the papal world, was here met and overcom e by
the stronger passion o f gain, which rendered all things subservient to its in­
fluence. Unless, then, wealth or dominion were to be acquired, mid the
grand conflict into which the whole world seemed rushing, the politic V e ­
netians would have been careful to keep aloof from its raging ; but when
both were promised, they no longer hesitated to enter upon the holy quar­
rel, that, under pretence o f crushing the infidel power in Palestine, they
could enlarge their territories, and swell the bounds o f their oriental com ­
merce. But one obstacle to prevent this existed. The Greek emperor
was highly incensed that the crusaders should make his territories the
highway to Asia ; and V enice was bound to support the views o f this mon­
arch by the strongest ties o f self-interest. This consideration prevented
her for a period o f two years from furnishing an armament to support the
Christian host in the east, and caused her to waver between the desire to
preserve unimpaired the commercial privileges she had already acquired,
and the ambition to seize upon new territories. The latter at length pre­
vailed, and the rich land o f holy Syria, with its varied elements from which
to form a vast oriental commerce, was the prize for which V enice armed
her fleets, and sent forth her armies.
T w o hundred vessels were fitted out, well armed and provisioned, and
these, officered by able men, sailed for the H oly Land. This naval arma­
ment, if we remember the early period at which it was furnished, may
well be deemed one o f immense magnitude. It attracted the attention o f
the whole Christian world, and was regarded as one o f the most important
resources possessed by the crusaders. It may very properly be consider­
ed too, as no inaccurate indication o f what the commercial navy o f V enice
was at that period, for the vessels o f war she possessed were origin illy
constructed to protect the shipping o f her citizens from the depredations o f
piratical and other cruisers, and were probably by no means too numer­
ous to effect this object. N or is it by any means likely that the ever
politic and cautious Venetians would part with so many o f their armed
ships, as to leave their com m erce wholly unprotected; and this again
shows how vast their navy must have been, when so many as two hundred
vessels could be detached from it, and sent upon a distant foreign service.
The services performed by this armament during the first campaign
were o f very little importance ; and the second one passed away without
shedding much glory upon the Venetian arms. During the third, however,
they accomplished a number o f brilliant achievements, and evinced the
most distinguished prowess in the assault and capture o f the strongly de­
fended towns o f Sidon, Berythus, and A cre. The crusaders, victorious
at every point, advanced into the Holy Land, and their brave and chivalrouscommander Baldwin, then more envied than the most powerful crowned
head in Europe, distributed among his allies the conquests he made with a
liberal hand. In this parcelling out o f territory and bestowment o f privi­
leges, Venice was not forgotten. One fourth part o f the city o f A cre was
assigned to her, a free com m erce throughout the new kingdom o f Jerusa­
lem, and within its limits an absolute exemption from all jurisdiction, save
that o f her own magistrates. And yet she was dissatisfied, and regarded




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with ill-concealed jealousy and discontent, the territories that were given
to other members o f the Christian host.
Twenty years succeeding this campaign rolled on, and the Venetians,
who during that period had been actively engaged in a wide-spread and
lucrative commerce, were again called upon to arm and aid the Christian
cause in Palestine. The infidels were then victorious, the second Baldwin
had met with the most terrible reverses, a thousand fierce assaults had
thinned the shining ranks o f his mailed warriors, the swords o f the Sara­
cen host gleamed before the battlements o f Jerusalem, and all Christendom
trembled for the fate o f the H oly City. Upon Venice, possessing a navy
the most powerful and efficient o f any kingdom on earth, and which was
then indispensably necessary if the Saracens were to be met on any thing
like equal terms, the eyes o f all Europe were directed ; and she was sup­
plicated to save the knights o f Baldwin from total destruction, and the
Christian cause in the east from utter annihilation and defeat, by again
embarking her goodly battle-ships for the H oly Land. The same feeling
o f self-interest, the same desire for conquest which had before prevailed,
again entered the council chamber o f the Venetians, and, shrouded in the
guise o f Christianity, another mighty armament was fitted out, consisting
o f more than two hundred vessels, some o f which were banked with a
hundred oars, each requiring two men. This mighty force sailed upon its
consecrated mission, and entering the Bay o f Jaffa, then filled with an im­
mense Saracen fleet, bore down upon it in order o f buttle. The conflict
that ensued was terrible and bloody, and historians relate that for two or
three miles around, the sea was crimsoned with gore. The Saracens were
defeated with dreadful loss, and the victory thus acquired by the Venetians,
placed their influence paramount in the councils o f the crusaders. The
doge proceeded at once to Jerusalem, where he succeeded in obtaining,
in addition to the extensive privileges already possessed by his country, an
entire street in each city in the kingdom o f Jerusalem, together with a
bath, bakehouse, market, and ch u rch ; and besides this, all the imports o f
V enice were to pass free o f duty, no taxes were to be paid by her citi­
zens, and a trial before their own magistrates was solemnly secured to
them.
The grand object o f the republic,— the extension and security o f her
com m erce, the safety and prosperity o f her citizens engaged in it, and a
desire to render them independent o f the laws and judicial tribunals o f the
foreign lands into which the spirit o f enterprise and adventure led their
steps,— was here secured upon what seemed to be an enduring basis; and
while the great mass o f the crusading host thought only o f accomplishing
their spiritual mission o f driving the infidels from the holy places they had
so long desecrated, the Venetians never for one moment forgot their tem­
poral welfare, but were coiffimmlly grasping those civil and commercial
advantages, which placed, tneir glittering city o f the isles upon the very
pinnacle o f earthly grandeur. Their energy, their bravery, and more
than all, the untiring perseverance they possessed, had accomplished re­
sults o f the most important and brilliant character, had made them the
wonder and admiration o f the world, the fear and envy o f surrounding na­
tions. As champions o f the cross, none were reputed more valiant; and
resolved to maintain a reputation which brought with it wealth, territory,
and national strength and grandeur, they thirsted for new conquests, and
eagerly embraced a proposition to assist the crusaders in the reduction o f




Venetian Commerce.

405

\soalon and T yre ; one third o f each with their dependencies being pro­
mised to the Venetians in case o f success.
Roused into full action by this golden offer, V enice again manned,
armed, and sent forth a powerful fleet, and an imposing farce was enacted
to learn upon which city the God o f battles willed their avenging arms first
to fall. T w o scrolls, upon one o f which was written Ascalon, and upon
the other Tyre, were deposited in an urn, and this was solemnly
placed upon the altar. Mass was then celebrated; after which an orphan,
chosen for the purpose, drew forth one o f the fatal scrolls, containing the
name o f T y re. Towards this ancient and doomed city, which had been
captured by Alexander fourteen hundred years before, the Christian host
advanced, and encircling its vast walls by land and sea, the siege com ­
menced. The defence was long, desperate, and bloody, but T y re at length
fell, and Ascalon, a place o f much less strength, soon afterward surren­
dered to the Christian force.
The immense possessions embraced within the dominions o f the repub­
lic, and the vast amount o f foreign territory over which she was contin­
ually extending her authority, at last awakened the jealousy and fear o f
the Greek emperor. So powerful a neighbor on the European frontier
was dangerous to his own sovereignty, and he dared to provoke the ire o f
Venice, by committing the first act o f unprovoked aggression upon her
citizens. This was immediately and terribly revenged. The doge with
a mighty fleet swept the whole imperial coast. The entire Archipelago
was visited, and many o f its islands captured. The shores o f the Morea
experienced his vengeance, and the rebellious towns o f Dalmatia were
chastised.
Defeated at every point, and overwhelmed with losses on all sides, the
emperor deemed himself fortunate in securing a peace wi.h his powerful
adversary on any term s; and the Venetians, relieved from the prosecu­
tion o f foreign warfare, again resumed those commercial employments
from which had sprung their pre-eminent wealth and strength. The
maritime field which their enterprise and bravery had opened was almost
boundless. Spreading far away into the eastern world, it placed within
their reach the rarest products o f oriental climes ; and these, while they
ministered to the cupidity o f the merchant, and by their ready sale at an
immense profit, repaid him a hundred fold for the gold expended and the
risk incurred in their purchase, gratified the gorgeous tastes and luxurious
habits o f that half barbarous, yet glittering age. The ports o f all nations
gladly welcomed the deep-freighted ships o f V en ice to their waters, and
the rich cargoes o f rarest foreign manufacture they brought, were eagerly
sought after by the inhabitants o f every land. The City o f the Isles was
literally filled with magnificence and gold. Her streets were crowded
with palaces, and blazing domes rose loftily up on every side. W ith every
sun the treasury o f the state increased, its citizens multiplied, its power
enlarged. Peace liberally strewed its blessings, and bestowed its gifts
with a lavish hand. But war again came,— another holy war o f a most
novel and unseemly character,— a strife between two holy prelates, each
claiming St. Peter’s keys and the papal chair, in which the republic en­
gaged, and gained more glory than had descended upon it in all its pre­
vious battles.
In the middle o f the twelfth century, to the great scandal o f the Catholic
church, a double election called two successors to infallibility and the chair




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o f St. Peter. These holy rivals thundered their respective claims through­
out Christendom ; but while Alexander the Third derived his title from the
almost unanimous voice o f the whole sacred electoral college, Victor the
Fourth, with scarce the shadow o f legitimate right, clutched the sacred
seat by force, backed and supported by the vast power o f Frederick Barbarossa the emperor. Alexander, after suffering personal outrage and im­
prisonment, at length escaped from the imperial city, and when years o f
wandering and bitter exile had passed, he landed obscure and alone in the
streets o f V enice, and threw himself upon the generosity o f the doge.
H e was joyfully received, and though demanded as a fugitive by the em­
peror, the Venetians braved his threatened vengeance and refused to deliver
up their distinguished guest. Preparations for war were immediately com ­
menced, and Alexander, after buckling on the sword o f the doge with his
own hand, and bestowing upon him the pontifical blessing, saw the Vene­
tian armament depart to fight his cause against a hostile force o f twice its
size and strength. The two fleets met o ff the Istrian coast, and after a
terrific conflict o f more than six hours duration, the Venetians were vic­
torious, and forty-eight galleys, with Otho the emperor’s son who com ­
manded them, fell into their hands. The doge returned in triumph, and
at Lido was met by Alexander in person, when a solemn cerem ony was
performed, which continued to be celebrated during the existence o f the
republic.
The holy father, as soon as the doge touched the land, presented him
with a ring o f gold, and said, “ Take this ring, and with it take on my au­
thority the sea as your subject. Every year on the return o f this happy
day, you and your successors shall make known to all posterity, that the
right o f conquest has subjugated the Adriatic to Venice, as a spouse to her
husband.”
The pride with which the Venetians cherished the papal grant bestowed
by these figurative nuptials, is most forcibly exhibited by their celebration
for the long period o f more than six hundred years upon every fresh return
o f the feast o f A scen sion; and that this celebration must have been both
splendid and imposing, let the language o f the historian testify. “ The doge
and his clarissimi,” saith he, “ having heard mass in the church o f San
N icolo, embarked on board the gorgeous Bucentaur, a state galley, blaz­
ing with gold, enriched with costly ornaments, and preserving such fanci­
ful identity with the original fabric, as could be obtained by perpetual re­
pair without total reconstruction. Gliding through the canals amid festive
shouts and triumphal music, this superb pageant arrived at the shore o f
Lido, near the mouth o f the harbor, and there the princely bridegroom,
dropping a golden ring into the bosom o f his betrothed, espoused her with
this brief but significant greeting, “ W e wed thee with this ring in token
o f our true and perpetual sovereignty.”
The destruction o f the em peror’s fleet was soon followed by the defeat
and total rout o f his entire army, and humbled on all sides, he sued for
peace. Negotiations were opened with Alexander, and the emperor, hu­
miliated in the dust, and loaded with the dreaded curse o f excommunica­
tion, sought an interview with him in V enice. There, in the magnificent
cathedral o f St. Mark, they m e t: Alexander, with the triple crown blazing
upon his brow, clothed in the vestments o f his holy office, surrounded by
a glittering throng o f cardinals, prelates, and ambassadors, encircled by all
the imposing grandeur o f ecclesiastical pomp ; the emperor, with uncovered




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407

head, and purple mantle cast aside, prostrate, and creeping onward to kiss
the feet o f his former enemy. W iih imperious pride and a thirst for re­
venge that casts a dark shade over the character o f one claiming to be the
only earthly vicar o f Christ, the haughty pontiff trode upon the emperor’s
neck, and when the latter dared to murmur at this foul indignity, it was
again repeated more firmly than before. But his degradation, deep as it
was, did not end here, for we are told that when the pope left the cathe­
dral, and prepared to mount his charger, the emperor held his stirrup, and
assisted him into the saddle.
W ith his once mighty enemies powerless at his feet, Alexander, accom ­
panied by the doge, and surrounded by a magnificent train, proceeded to
Rome, where the latter was entertained in all the gorgeous splendor that
could be lavished upon the most honored guest o f the imperial city. The
high and brilliant reputation which V enice had now acquired, was unsur­
passed by that o f the mightiest nation in Europe. She was hailed as the
deliverer o f Italy, the champion and protector o f the holy see. The power
o f the emperor in the Italian cities had been crushed by her, and while
this secured to the Venetians the gratitude o f the Lombard towns, it also
relieved them from all apprehensions o f their once powerful and danger­
ous neighbor.
A short time after this, and while V enice was in the full blaze o f her
glory and ranked as the first maritime state on earth, the infatuated fol­
lowers o f the cross started the fourth crusade. A naval force must be
furnished and ships supplied to convey the crusading host to the Holy
Land, and ambassadors were despatched to V enice, the only nation able
to raise and equip an armament o f the requisite size and strength. Th ey
were received by the doge in a manner suited to their distinguished rank,
and as the proposition they bore was o f the utmost importance to the whole
republic, a grand meeting o f more than ten thousand citizens was held to
deliberate upon its acceptance. Before this vast assembly the ambassa­
dors appeared, and falling upon their knees, as the chronicler saith, with
many tears implored the Venetians to look with pity upon the H oly City
in the bondage o f the infidels, and for G od’s sake to join in avenging the
wrongs o f Jesus Christ. The tears shed and supplications uttered upon
this occasion, would probably have effected little towards inducing the re­
public to extend the required aid, had they not been backed and supported
by the most substantial considerations. Eighty-five thousand marks was
offered for the use o f the necessary fleet, and this, with the prospect that
existed o f securing both territory and treasure by the expedition, proved a
temptation too strong to be resisted by the Venetians, who promised to
furnish palanders for the transport o f four thousand five hundred horse and
nine thousand esquires; ships for four thousand five hundred knights,
twenty thousand sergeants on foot, with provisions for this vast force for
the space o f nine months ; in addition to which they agreed to equip fifty
galleys for the love o f God, free o f expense ; tacked to which apparently
generous and disinterested offer, was the extraordinary condition, that ail
conquests made by land or sea, should be divided equally between the con­
tracting parties.
This business-like and truly mercantile arrangement, requiring an im ­
mense outlay, and involving preparations upon a scale o f gigantic magni­
tude, was most faithfully carried out on the part o f the Venetians. The
entire armament stipulated for was furnished, and although some difficulty




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was experienced by the captains o f the crusading force in raising a sum
large enough to com ply with the agreement on their part, yet, after some
concessions made by the doge to enable them to effect this object, it was
finally accomplished, and nearly five hundred vessels, having on board
forty thousand troops, together with stores, provisions, and a powerful train
o f the stupendous artillery o f that period, sailed for the H oly Land.
It is not within our purpose to give the history o f this crusade, nor shall
we describe the wide-spread operations and immense conquests o f those en­
gaged in it. Our readers are no doubt familiar with the startling events
and chivalrous actions o f those times, and to fill our pages with them here,
would be but a repetition o f what may be found in the numerous volumes
o f both truth and fiction that chronicle the splendid exploits o f that roman­
tic and gorgeous age. The results o f the expedition were, in a com m er­
cial aspect, o f vast importance to the republic, and it is o f these only that
we shall make brief mention.
The mighty armament departed from Venice, but it was not destined to
transport its warriors to scourge the infidels on the plains o f Palestine.
Against the Christian city o f Zara, which had thrown o ff the Venetian
yoke, the doge and barons, in opposition to the interdict o f the pope, first
directed their arms ; and when its walls were battered down, and its streets,
deserted o f their inhabitants, were occupied by the besieging force, the city
was pillaged o f its treasures, and these were divided between the allied
forces. The crusading host next advanced upon Constantinople, also un­
der the dominion o f the cross, and celebrated as the magnificent capital o f
the Greek empire— the lesser Rom e o f the eastern world. This vast city
was attacked, and after a host o f glorious exploits performed by the V ene­
tians upon their favorite element the sea, and by the mailed chivalry o f
France upon the land, its huge walls and enormous batteries were finally
carried by storm, and the Christian force poured into the devoted town.
T he amount o f treasure that fell into their hands is almost incredible. The
most splendid temples were rifled o f their rich ornaments, and holy
churches despoiled o f their consecrated plate. The entire city was given
up to universal pillage, and a division o f the spoils, determined upon with
the most scrupulous exactness, was then made between the French and V e­
netian armies. This accomplished, Baldwin, Count o f Flanders, a descend­
ant o f Charlemagne, and one o f the most distinguished leaders o f which the
crusaders could boast, was chosen emperor, and the doge, after being in­
vested in the name o f his country with an immense territory, in which
were comprised the familiar names o f Egospotamus, Nicomedia, Adrianople, part o f Eubea, Egina, Megalopolis, Methone, Patras, the Cyclades,
Sporades, and numerous other isles o f the Archipelago and Adriatic, be­
sides a long line o f ports stretching along the entire shores o f the empire,
returned to his native city, clothed in addition to his former title with the
imposing style o f Despot o f Romania, and lord o f one fourth and one eighth
o f the Roman empire.
Adding these territories to the possessions the Venetians had previously
acquired, and they present a foreign domain o f vast extent, with com­
mercial resources o f incalculable value. Much o f this was in time re­
conquered by its old masters, or willingly surrendered by the republic,
too politic to weaken its strength at home, by the maintenance o f a military
force in foreign lands; but as these kingdoms were released from its sway,
care was taken that the commercial privileges its citizens had acquired




Venetian Commerce.

409

from their enjoyment, should be preserved. N or was this often difficult
to accomplish, for V en ice gathered and dispensed through the agency o f
her vast shipping almost the entire luxuries o f the known world, and the
trade o f her citizens was on this account eagerly courted by all nations.
A t the close o f the fifteenth century, V enice was in the meridian o f
her glory,— at the very summit o f her power. Nearly one hundred years
before this, and her annual exports and imports to and from the lagune had
amounted to the enormous sum o f twenty-eight millions eight hundred
thousand ducats ; worth in those days many times what it would be at
present; and even this was now prodigiously increased. Her dominions, too,
embraced a wide range o f territory ; her riches were immeasurable, and her
resources various and powerful. From the Po to the eastern boundary o f
the Mediterranean and the Don, stretched her long line o f close-linked
maritime stations; filled with the rich merchandise o f all climes, ena­
bling her to grasp almost the exclusive monopoly o f trade throughout the
European and eastern world. A t home, her manufactures flourished
a century in advance o f the age. The culture o f silk, introduced into the
lagune from Constantinople, was most successfully prosecuted ; and while
its domestic use was interdicted to all save the high magistrates o f the re­
public, her looms supplied the remainder o f Christendom with the most
splendid specimens o f this delicate and costly fabric. H er cloths, com ­
posed o f the finest fleeces o f Spain and England, were unrivalled in their
beauty ; and for the creation o f her rich linens, the flax o f Lom bardy
afforded ample materials. From the manufacture o f gilt leather alone,
one hundred thousand ducats were annually produced, while liquors, con ­
fectionery, and waxen tapers, the last o f which were consumed to a
great extent in the performance o f holy services at Rom e, increased and
swelled the varied exports o f the Ocean Queen. Costly mirrors from the
glass-houses o f Murano adorned the gorgeous palaces o f E u rop e; and
while the choicest luxuries o f the age were profusely manufactured on
every hand, in the laboratories o f V enice were distilled and sublimated
the rarest chemical preparations required either by medicine or the arts.
The republic was not at this period more distinguished for its far-stretching commerce, the perfection o f its manufactures, its internal strength,
and the wide-spread dominions over which its sovereignty extended, than
for its elegant literature, and the number o f its citizens celebrated for their
genius and learning. Am ong these, the names o f Erasmus, Bembo,
Gaunto, Navagero, Sabellico, and several others, are surrounded with as­
sociations and a fame o f the most glittering character. V enice had now
arrived at the epoch o f her loftiest elevation, from which she gradually
fell, until at last she was blotted out from the scale o f nations. T o fol­
low her darkening fortunes, and trace out the causes o f her fall, is not
within our present purpose. Civilization and the arts, borne onward by
the mighty science o f printing, slowly traversed the slumbering states
of Europe, awakening their dark-minded inhabitants to a knowledge o f
the resources within their reach ; and as other nations, under the influence
of this new light, arose from their long sleep, shook o ff the lethargy o f
ages, and started in the race o f improvement, Venice, surrounded by ri­
vals, where she had before known no competition, commenced her downward course. Long and hard she struggled to maintain her brilliant
stand as the first maritime power on earth, and many and fierce were the
battles she fought to preserve her hard-earned conquests; but one after
vol. v.— no. v.
52




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another were wrested from her, until at last the islands o f the lagune
bounded her once vast sovereignty. The reformation spread its blazing light
throughout Europe, and in its track followed the arts and scien ces; bar­
barism fled at its approach, industry in its thousand branches was awaken­
ed, new maritime states arose, and England, with all her energies and
half her wealth applied to the extension o f her commerce, and the in­
crease o f her naval strength, soon occupied that pre-eminent rank as a ma­
ritime power, which the arm and the policy o f V enice had become impo­
tent to retain.
And thus did her glory and strength fade away, while her citizens, too
proud to engage in the commercial employment to which they owed all their
former greatness, passed their lives in continual dissipation and the most
enervating pleasures. Many o f ancient families and noble blood, who had in
this manner expended their entire fortunes, were reduced to abject w ant;
and to these, begging licenses were officially granted by the state, and
assuming a particular dress, with a hood drawn over the face to conceal
their features, these noble beggars, under the name o f the shamefaced,
walked abroad and asked alms. That stern independence which for cen­
turies had prevailed in the Venetian councils, elevating them beyond the
reach o f foreign influence, had departed ; and with it had gone the honor,
the dignity, and the virtues o f her nobles and her citizens. The once
mighty elements o f her power had fled, her shipping had disappeared, her
commercial interests were rapidly decaying, her once proud navy was no
more, and the vast line o f maritime stations she had formerly possessed,
no longer acknowledged the sway o f the Adriatic Queen. Stript o f her
strength, and regarded with contempt by kingdoms once her slaves, V e ­
nice, for a century before she was blotted from the catalogue o f nations,
slumbered on nerveless and inactive, unheeded by her neighbors, and be­
com ing weaker and less formidable as every successive year rolled by;
until at last, when Napoleon, holding the entire north o f Italy in his grasp,
presented himself before her, and haughtily demanded her surrender, the
members o f the grand council, carried away by fear, precipitately and
without a struggle delivered their country into his hands. Three thou­
sand French soldiers at once marched into the c ity ; every vestige o f its
independence was swept away, and in the division o f territory that ensued,
V enice was transferred to A ustria; and on the 18th o f January, 1798,
the Austrian emperor assumed the control o f his newly acquired do­
main. And in this manner did a maritime power, boasting an unbroken
sway o f more than eleven hundred years, sink into the grave o f departed
empires ; and thus passed away that republic which had withstood the re­
volutions, battled with the shocks, and endured the changes o f centuries.
W e have called V enice a republic, and yet for many centuries before
her fall, she hardly deserved the name. The doge was early invested with
an irresponsible power, which on some occasions he exercised in the most
despotic manner ; and after the lapse o f a few hundred years, the great
body o f the people ceased to exercise any important influence in matters
o f state. The prerogatives o f the doge at length became dangerous
to the interests o f the nobility, and one after another were lopped off,
until at last he became a mere puppet in their hands. Then commenced
the reign o f the Forty and the Ten ; and finally was erected that fearful
tribunal, the Grand Inquisition o f State. These mighty arms o f the go­
vernment, acting with mysterious secrecy, and enforcing a code o f laws




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Thermometrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

Whose mildest provisions sanctioned poison and the dagger, upon even the
suspicion o f crime, wielded the destinies o f V enice ; and yet she pre­
served the name and outward semblance o f a republic. H er citizens
were seized, tortured, imprisoned, secretly tried and executed, and yet
they boasted o f freedom, the supremacy and purity o f their laws, and o f
the wisdom o f their institutions. But with all the imperfections and de­
formities o f her political and moral system, sanctioning, as they unques­
tionably did, the darkest crimes, and the most terrible punishments, V e ­
nice, during the long line o f centuries through which she flourished,
stood in the front rank o f nations, surpassed by few in the justice and
humanity o f her government, excelled by none in her knowledge o f
the arts and sciences, and in the perfection o f her manufactures, and
outstripping all in the magnitude o f her commercial interests, and in the
extent and splendor o f her maritime power.

A rt. II.— T H E R M O M E T R IC A L O B S E R V A T IO N S A S CO N NECTED

W IT H N A V IG A T IO N .

THE UTILITY OF THERMOMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS IN ASCERTAINING THE RE­
LATIVE HEAT OF THE SEA-W ATER
PASSAGE OF

A

FROM TIME TO TIME, TO DISCOVER THE

VESSEL THROUGH THE GULF STREAM, AND

FROM

DEEP

W ATE R INTO SOUNDINGS,---- BANKS AND ROCKS, IN TIME TO AVOID DANGER,
ALTHOUGH, OWING TO TEMPESTUOUS WEATHER, IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE

TO

HEAVE THE LEAD, OR OBSERVE THE HEAVENLY BODIES \ ---- AND ON PRESERV­
ING VESSELS FROM LIGHTNING.

T he Merchants’ Magazine has been so well conducted, and contains so
much useful matter, which “ comes home to the business and bosoms o f
mankind,” that I am pleased by making it the vehicle o f my remarks
upon two o f the most important subjects to which the attention o f the
nautical and mercantile community can be called.
The first head o f my paper is the title o f one which was read before
the American Philosophical Society o f Philadelphia, in the year 1790,*
by the late General Jonathan Williams o f the United States arm y ,f whose
* Trans., vol. II, p. 82.
t I cannot permit this opportunity to pass without bearing testimony to the great me­
rits of this excellent man. Like his relation Dr. Franklin, the tendency o f his thoughts
and actions was utility to his fellow creatures, to whom he also set an example o f refined
manners, uprightness o f conduct, and good will, which can never be forgotten by those
who had the happiness o f his acquaintance. He entered the American army in the year
1801, and rose to the rank o f colonel o f engineers. It is to him that our country is in­
debted for the idea o f the military academy at W est Point, and for its organization, a
task o f no ordinary difficulty. His admirable, mild, but firm discipline, subdued tem­
pers disposed to be unruly, eradicated bad habits from among the pupils, while he stim­
ulated all to an honorable ambition to excel in their private deportment and in their
official duties. His government was pare.ntal, and he was beloved as a father by the
youth under his command.

Science has selJom been applied more beneficially to for­

warding the business o f mankind, than in the instance o f Mr. Williams’ experiments.




412

Thermometrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

attention was first called to the subject under consideration, from having
made, in the year 1785, by the direction o f his relation Dr. Franklin, the
experiments mentioned in his description o f the course o f the G ulf Stream,
an account o f which was annexed to his “ maritime observations,” address­
ed to the learned A . L e R oy o f Paris,* and he determined to repeat these
experiments in his future voyages. Accordingly, in one from Boston to
Virginia, two from Virginia to England, three from England to Halifax,
and four from Halifax to N ew York, he kept regular journals o f the heat
o f the air and water at sunrise, noon, and sunset, and by consulting these,
and the observations made at the dates written, together with the tracks
o f the ship’s way, marked on the chart annexed, it will not only appear
that D r. Franklin’s account o f the warmth o f the G ulf Stream is confirm­
e d ,!
also that banks, coasts, islands o f ice, and rocks under water,
may be discovered when not visible, and when the weather is too boister­
ous to sound, with no other trouble than dipping the thermometer into
the sea-water. His experiments also establish the following facts.
1. That the water over banks is much colder than the water o f the
main ocean, and it is more cold in proportion as it is less deep.
2. T h e water over small banks is less cold than that o f large ones.
3. The water over banks o f the coast, that is, those immediately connected with the land above water, is warmer than that over those which
admit deep water between them and the coast; but still it is colder than
the adjacent sea.
4. The water within capes and rivers does not follow those ru les; it
being less agitated, and more exposed to the heat o f the sun, and receiving
the heat from the circumjacent land, must be colder or warmer than that
in soundings without, according to the seasons and temperature o f the at­
mosphere.
5. The passage, therefore, from deep to shoal water may be discovered
by a regular use o f the thermometer before a navigator can see the land;
but as the temperature is relative, no particular degree can be ascertained
as a rule, and the judgment can only be guided by the difference. Thus,
in August, Mr. Williams found the water o ff Cape Cod to be 58° o f Fah­
renheit, and at sea 69° ; in October, the water o ff Cape Cod was 48°,
and at sea it was 59°. This difference was equally a guide in both cases,
though the heat was different at different seasons.
T h e chart and first journal o f Mr. Williams, from Boston to Virginia,
shows that the water on the coast o f Massachusetts was at 48° ; at sea,
between the coast and the stream, 59° ; in the G ulf Stream, at its edge,
67° ; between that and the Virginia coast, further south, 64°, and in sound­
ings on that coast, 56°.
and every navigator is under lasting obligations to him, for the knowledge o f the means
o f securing their safety at times when the compass, the log, or the quadrant, nay, the
organs o f vision, avail them nothing.
* Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., vol. II, p. 328.
+ T he increased heat o f the Gulf Stream, although doubtless familiar to navigators, it
is believed was first noticed in print by Dr. Blagden in his paper on the subject, in the
Transactions o f the Royal Society o f London for 1781. On the 30th September, 1777,
the water was at 76 deg. o f Fahrenheit, and eleven deg. above that o f the sea, before
the vessel came into the current. Mr. Strickland found this difference to be even
greater, as will appear presently.




Thermometrical Observations as connected m ih Navigation.

413

The second journal from Virginia to England, shows that the water on
the coast o f Virginia, in December, was at 4 7 ° ; between the coast and
the stream, 60°, and in the stream 70° ; near the banks o f Newfound,
land the thermometer fell from 66° to 54° ; passing these it arose again
to 60°, and then continued a very gradual descent as he went north, till
he struck soundings, when it was at 48°.
In Dr. Franklin’ s journal o f November, 1776, the thermometer fell
10 °; near the banks and after passing them, it arose nearly to its former
height. This agrees with Mr. Williams’ journal nearly in the same place,
made nine years afterward.
The third journal from England to Halifax shows the changes in the
heat o f the water, as he sailed over the banks and deep water alternately,
with an accuracy that exceeded his expectation, the land appearing as the
thermometer indicated an appro ch to it.
The journal from Halifax to New York, not only shows the variety o f
depths passed over, but indicates the inner edge o f the G ulf Stream.
On the chart annexed to Mr. Williams’ paper, the tracks o f his seve­
ral passages are marked, with the daily heat o f the water, by which the
variations on the approach to land may be seen at one view. The edge
o f the G ulf Stream is also traced, according to the experiments, as far as
the banks o f Newfoundland.
In addition to his journals, Mr. Williams has subjoined an account o f
some experiments on fish, (cod and halibut,) which show that their heat was
16° colder than the water at the surface, from which it may be supposed
that the water at bottom is in proportion colder than that above : air 57°,
water 52°, fish’s belly 37°. Lat. 44° 5 2 '; (July, 1790 :) air 57°, water 53°,
fish’s belly 37°.*
The difference o f heat which marks an approach to land, he found to
be 6 degrees in three hours run, and long before the vessel was near
enough to be in danger. In a former voyage, it was found that near the
coast, in very hot weather, the water at the bottom, in 18 fathoms, was
12 degrees colder than at the surface. This difference o f heat is more
remarkable in winter than in summer, for Captain Billings o f Philadel­
phia, in a voyage to Oporto, in June, 1791, found that the water on
the coast was 61°, and in the Gulf Stream 77°. By Mr. W illiam s’
journals it appears that, in November, 1789, the water on the coast
was 47°, and in the G ulf Stream at 70 °.f
Returning towards the coast
o f North Am erica, Captain Billings discovered his passage across the
Gulf Stream by a sudden fall in the mercury o f 5° from noon to night;
and about 5° further west, by a further fall, in the space o f 8 hours,
he discovered the coast, where he got soundings before he saw the land.
On the subject o f the utility o f the thermometer at sea, Captain
Thomas Truxton, the well-known United States naval commander, wrote
to Mr. Williams the following letter:—
* These experiments were made by an officer o f the British packet Chester­
field, Captain Schuyler, July 11, 1790. The preceding day, in another experiment,
the temperature o f the air was 57 deg., that o f the belly o f the fish 39 deg., water
52 deg., depth 46 fathoms.

These results were communicated to Mr. Williams by Cap­

tain Schuyler.
t Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., vol. ID , p. 194.




414

Thermometrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

E xtract o f a letter from Captain Thomas Truxton to Jonathan Williams.
“ P erth A mboy , 12th August, 1799.
“ Y our publication will be o f use to navigation, by rendering sea voyages secure,
far beyond what even you yourself will immediately calculate, for I have proved the
utility o f the thermometer very often since we sailed together,* not only in crossing
and re.crossing the Gulf Stream that runs along our coasts, but in the Ethiopian, Indian,
Arabian and Chinese seas, Gulf o f Bengal, Gulf o f Siam, the various straits in the east,
ern world, and in many other parts o f the globe.
“ It will be found a most valuable instrument in the hands o f mariners, and particu.
larly so to those who are unacquainted with astronomical observations, and calculations
for determining the longitude at sea; these particularly stand in need o f a simple me.
thod o f ascertaining their approach to, or distance from the coast, especially in the winter
season ; for it is then that passages are often prolonged, and ships blown off the coast,
by hard westerly winds, and vessels being in the Gulf Stream, without its being kn ow n ;
on which account they are often hove to, by the captains supposing themselves near
to the coast, when they are very far off, and by this means favorable spirts o f wind are
lost. On the other hand, ships are often oast on the coast by sailing in the eddy o f the
stream, which causes them to outrun their common reckoning. Eevery year produces
new proofs o f these facts, and o f the calamities incident thereto.”

Mr. W illiams gives the following important directions to navigators:—
D IR E C TIO N S T O N A V IG A T O R S .

“ Take with you at least three thermometers, for fear o f accidents.
Let them be kept in one place some days previous to your sailing, in or.
tder to try their uniformity. The plate should be o f ivory or metal, for
wood will swell at sea, and as the glass-tube will not yield, it is for this
reason very liable to break; bell-metal is the best. Let the instrument
be fixed in a square metal box, the bottom o f which, as high as the mark
30°, should be water-tight, so that in examining the degree o f heat, the
ball may be kept in the w ater; the remainder o f the length should be
open in front, with only two or three cross-bars to ward off any accidental
blow, like the thermometer used by brewers. F ix one instrument in some
part o f the ship in the shade, and in open air; but as much out o f the
wind, and in as dry a place as possible. The after part o f one o f the
after-stanchions, under the quarter-rail, may answer, if no better place
can be found.
“ Let the second instrument be neatly slung with a sufficiency o f line
to allow it to tow in the dead water o f the wake.
“ Put the third away safely in your chest, to be ready to supply the
place o f either o f the others.
“ W hen you make your observations, begin by noting the state o f the
air from the instrument on deck. Throw the other out o f the cabin win­
dow, and let it tow two or three minutes, then draw it up and examine it
the instant you can bring it to your eye, with the ball still in water, and
note the degree. This is a necessary precaution, for the mercury will
soon fall when the thermometer is wet, especially if exposed to any wind.
W hen you examine the water at night, take care not to heat, the instru­
ment by a candle, which should be al ways in a lantern ; do not touch the
tube, nor breathe upon it, while you examine i t ; lest you should com ­
municate heat by the touch, or take it away by causing an evaporation,
which is the effect o f blowing upon a wet thermometer.
“ Endeavor to make all your experiments in a uniform manner ; do not
* Captain T . commanded the ship in which Dr. Franklin and Mr. Williams were
passengers from Europe to the United States, in the year 1785.




Thermometrical Observations as connected, with Navigation.

415

try the water one day out o f the cabin windows, another over the side, or in
a bucket, but keep to one steady rule ; it is not so material which way you
do it, as it is to do it always the same way. If a bucket be used, let it
tow long enough to take away its heat, for the cook may have had it full
o f hot water.
“ Pay constant attention to the changes in the temperature o f the air,
and compare them daily with the changes in that o f the water. This will
account to you for the alterations on the surface o f the sea, (especially in
calm weather,) which naturally follow the alterations in the incumbent
atmosphere. The difference between deep water and soundings will, un­
der the same temperature o f the atmosphere, still be the same. If, when
in open sea, you should perceive a small change in the water, without be­
ing able to account for it by an alteration o f latitude, or o f the weather,
you may suspect a current from the northward if colder, from the south­
ward if w arm er; and as circumstances may permit, you will do well to
ascertain it.
“ Compare your observations from time to time with those mentioned
in the journals and noted on the chart, and if you find any difference when
in the same situation, repeat your experiments, so as to be sure that the
error is not on your side.
“ Although it is not pretended to give accurate accounts, from the few
experiments that have been made, it is presumed that the following will
be found near the truth.
“ F rom the coast of E urope .— From the channel o f England to the
Tagus it will be generally found, that the water over soundings is about
three degrees colder than at sea. And that the first symptom o f sound­
ings is at a great distance from the land, for the coast, (unlike that o f
America,) approaches from imperceptible depth to soundings so gradually,
that it is not easy to say when you can get the ground. But were you to
approach the rocks o f Scilly, western coast o f Ireland, Orkneys, & c., the
alteration would probably be sudden and very decisive.
“ O n the coast of N orth A merica .— At the edge o f the Grand Bank,
the water is 5 degrees colder than the deep ocean to the eastward. The
highest part o f the Grand Bank is 10° colder still, or 15° colder than the
ocean eastward.
“ As the banks deepen between them and the coast o f Nova Scotia, the
water grows about 6° warmer, till you get quite within them, when it rises
to about the temperature o f the deep ocean without; on soundings, the
mercury will again fall to the temperature o f the inner banks. So that,
in coming from the eastward, a fall o f 5° will indicate your entrance on
the edge o f the Grand Bank, and a further fall o f 10° will indicate your
being in soundings. Passing the summit o f the banks, a rise o f 6° will
show the western edge o f the Grand Bank, and a further rise to the tem­
perature o f the deep ocean without, will indicate the deep water within
the banks. W hen the mercury falls again to the temperature o f the in­
ner banks, you strike soundings on the coast o f Nova Scotia.
“ An important observation occurs here. The Isle o f Sable is a little
bank o f sand above water, which receives heat readily from a hot sun
and communicates it rapidly to the shoals under water, upon the principle
mentioned as to land-locked places. If, therefore, you com e too near that
island in hot weather, the thermometer will probably vary from these
rules ; in that case, you may get bottom. If, however, the previous ob-




416

Thernmnetrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

servations are well made, you need not be in danger; for you can, by your
meridian altitude, shape your course as far to the northward or southward
as you choose.
“ On the coast o f N ew England, o ff Cape Cod, the water out o f sound,
ings is 8° or 10° warmer than in soundings, and in the stream it is about
8° warmer still. So that, in coming from the eastward, a fall o f 8 degrees
will indicate your leaving the stream, and a further fall o f 8 degrees will
indicate your being on soundings.
“ On the coast from Cape Henlopen to Cape H em y, the water out o f
soundings is 5 degrees warmer than in soundings, and in the stream about
5 degrees warmer still. So that, in coming from the eastward, a fall o f
6 degrees will indicate your leaving the stream, and a further fall o f 5
degrees will give notice o f soundings.
“ B y this sort o f comparison, a navigator may readily ascertain when
he leaves the stream and enters on soundings. It is not presumed to speak
positively as to the degrees, except where it has been proved by experi­
ment.”
In the year 1810, Mr. Francis D. Masson writes to Mr. Williams from Clif­
ton, England, and sends his journal to show “ with what fidelity the thermom­
eter indicated the Banks, and the approximation to islands o f ice
on this
Mr. W . remarks, “ The important point o f comparison is the difference in
the heat o f the water in different places, in or near the stream (g u lf) in the
ocean, out o f the stream on the coast, and near islands o f ice, not the dif­
feren ce between the heat o f the water and the air, as some have imagined.
This latter is merely a concurrent observation, serving to account for or­
dinary changes, and thereby to guide the judgment. From Mr. Masson’s
journal it appears that in April 28, 29, the temperature o f the sea on the
shoals o f Sable varied from 40° to 43°; at five p. m . o f the last day the
influence o f the G ulf Stream raised it to 6 2 -6 4 ; at ten p. m . the tempe­
rature between the stream in deep water and the coast was 54°, which is
about a mean between the two ; then standing o ff shore at nine the next
morning, 30th, the air and water were both at 60°. On the first o f May,
the mercury fell to 46°, (fourteen degrees,) no bottom— probably an ice
island obscured by fog ; at two p. m . the glass stood at 54°, but in one
hour it fell to 46°, and an island o f ice appeared at the distance o f seven
miles.”
Subsequently the ship proceeds in a regular degree o f heat during
seventeen hours, till six p. m ., when the water again cooled, and fell to 56°
at midnight, without bottom in eighty fathoms. Next morning appeared
“ an island o f ice abreast one hundred yards, one hundred and fifty feet
high, and a mile in diameter! W e were sailing directly towards it. The
obscurity was so great, that at that distance it appeared like a while cloud
extending from the sea over our masts. W ater at 3 9 °.”
Thus far from Mr. W illiams. W hen I read for the first time his paper
in the Transactions o f the Am erican Philosophical Society, I was forcibly
struck with its importance, and made use o f it in the year 1804, when pre­
paring my edition o f W illieh’s excellent Domestic Encyclopedia for the press.
1 also added the result o f the observations made by the late Mr. Joseph
Donath, o f Philadelphia, during a voyage to Hamburg in the year 1791,
which confirmed the utility o f the thermometer in detecting the vicinity o f *
* Archives o f Useful Knowledge, by the author, vol. 1. p. 254.

Mr. Masson’s ob.

servations were made on board the British packet Eliza, from N ew Y ork to Falmouth.




Thermometrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

417

ice islands previously to their being seen. He also furnished the follow­
ing facts that occurred at a subsequent date. On the eighth o f May, 1794,
when on the banks o f Newfoundland, the thermometer immersed in sea­
water fell from 9° to 3°,* in the course o f six hours, viz, from four p. m .
to ten o ’clock ; at twelve at night it fell to 2 ° .f The captain, alarmed at
the circumstance, immediately, as by previous agreement, awoke Mr.
Donath, who suspecting the diminution o f temperature in the water to pro­
ceed from an approach to islands o f ice, advised the captain to stand off.
He did so, and when daylight appeared they saw several o f them, distant
about four or five miles. A t ten o ’clock, in thirty-five fathoms water, the
thermometer rose to 6°.:j: The late Mr. W illiam Poyntell o f Philadelphia,
also informed me that he had amused himself during a voyage to London,
about the year 1801, in examining the temperature o f the water, on vari­
ous occasions, and he found the principles laid down by Mr. Williams to be
correct.
Mr. William Strickland o f England, who visited the United States in
1794, has added his testimony in confirmation o f Mr. W illiam s’ remarks
on this subject. H e says that “ in the month o f August, (26th,) there was
a difference o f 20° o f the thermometer between the water on the Grand
Bank o f Newfoundland, and in the same latitude in the ocean not far to
the east o f it. The thermometer fell in four days from 72° to 52°; its rise
showing when the ship quitted the bank. The vicinity o f Sable Island
bank, on the fifth o f September, caused a fall o f seven degrees, and on the
seventh o f that month, a bank, not marked in any chart he had seen, in
fifty-five fathoms, caused a further fall o f 11°. Mr. Strickland’s journal
from Am erica to England confirms the previous observations made in this
track. The thermometer again fell no less than 20° on passing to the
southeast o f Newfoundland, and rose again 9° in the same latitudes,
where, in his outward-bound voyage, he supposed himself crossing a branch
o f the G ulf Stream. The fall from hence o f the thermometer, as the coast
of Europe approached, is very remarkable and uniform.|| Mr. Strickland
annexes to his paper the journal o f his voyages from Hull, in England, to
New Y ork, in 1794, and that from Philadelphia to Falmouth in 1795, dur­
ing which daily observations on the temperature o f the atmosphere and the
sea are recorded, with many useful remarks, and a chart o f his two routes
and o f the G ulf Stream, with the temperature o f the water.
In a paper on this subject in the third volume o f Dr. Brewster’s and
Jameson’s Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, page 247, by Andrew L iv­
ingston, the author, says that “ it is now placed beyond dispute, that the
thermometer indicates the proximity o f the shores o f the middle parts o f
the coasts o f the United States o f Am erica, but I am not aware o f any ex­
periments having been made to the northward o f 43° 12 min., in which
latitude the thermometers used by Mr. Masson on board the packet ship
Eliza were broken. Many circumstances lead me to incline to the opin­
ion, that to the north o f the Tropic o f Cancer, in the northern Atlantic,*
* 52 deg. to 38 deg. o f Fahrenheit.
t 45 deg. o f Fahrenheit.

Mr. D. used Reaumur’s scale,

t 36 deg. o f Fah.

Domestic Encyclopedia, article Thermometer.

11 Mr. Strickland, (now Sir William Strickland, Bart.) addressed his communication to
Mr. Williams, whose paper he had read.— Trans. Amer. Philos. Society, Philadelphia,
vol. V, p. 90.
VOL. V .— NO. V .




53

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Thermometrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

the thermometer is a useful indicator o f an approach to land. My jour­
nal on board the ship Asia, from New Orleans to Gibraltar, in 1818,
(August and' September,) shows that at that season the nearness to land or
soundings in the Gulf o f Mexico, and in the strait between Cuba and the
Tortugas and Martyr’ s reefs, had no effect upon the thermometer, but that
as soon as we passed Cape Florida, when conscious o f our proximity to the
shore to the south o f Cape Canaveral, it will be perceived how faith fu l a
monitor it proved. The instant it fell two or three degrees I caused the
ship to be tacked, nor did it in a single instance betray me, as it invari­
ably fell before we could find soundings with one hundred fathoms. I call
it a valuable instrument, and it truly proved so on that occasion to me, for
with the wind dead on shore for twelve or fourteen days, in a ship o f two
hundred and seventy-six tons, we had only four men and a boy fit for duty,
all the rest, officers included, being sick with fever. On the coast o f
A m erica no vessel need run ashore without a previous warning o f the
proximity to land, if there is only a thermometer on board, and it is regu­
larly attended to.”
This testimony o f a British navigator is very valuable,
and gratifying to the friends o f the author o f the important measure o f ther­
mometrical observations on sea-water, and complimentary to his memory.
The last authority I shall quote, is a writer C .” in the Salem Gazette o f
June last, who evidently is an old shipmaster. His testimony is positive as
to the importance o f the thermometer, and he writes from ample experience.
I was induced to turn my attention to this subject at the present time,
in consequence o f the melancholy disaster which befell the packet ship
W illiam Brown, Capt. Harris, when on her passage from Liverpool to
Philadelphia, by running against two islands o f ice in immediate succession,
on the 19th o f April, 1841. Capt. Harris stated to the editor o f the North
Am erican, that the first suspicion he had o f the contiguity o f ice, was the
terrible collision,* a fact confirm ed to me by Capt. H. himself, on the 9th
o f August. Seeing it stated frequently that the masses o f ice in this year
on the banks were greater than ever known, I was led to inquire why he
had not anticipated their proximity from the sudden coldness o f the air,
which I presumed must have occurred. He replied, that he was not sen­
sible o f any change o f temperature in the air, by reason o f the wind blow­
ing southeast from the ship towards the ice, in place o f west, which would
have driven the cold air from the ice directly towards her. It did not oc­
cur to him to try the temperature o f the sea-water, although he is aware o f
the utility o f thermometrical observations in leading to a discovery o f
banks, and in former voyages had recourse to them with advantage. The
loss o f the William B row nf may, therefore, fairly be ascribed to their
* North American, June 21,1841.
t The ship William Brown left Liverpool, March 13, 1841, with sixty.five steerage
passengers, bound to Philadelphia. On the 19th April, at about 9 o’clock o f a dark and
foggy night, wind southeast, in lat. 43 deg. 40 min. north, and long. 49 deg. 39 min. by
account, the ship, when going at the rate o f ten knots an hour, ran against an iceberg,
and shortly after she struck another. On examining the pumps, two feet of water were
found in the hold, and the ship was filling fast. Capt. Harris, with six o f the crew and
one female, got into the small-boat, and the mate, Fr. Rhodes, into the long-boat, with
three o f the crew and thirty-three passengers. At midnight the ship went down with
thirty persons.

In the morning Capt. H . resolved to try to reach Newfoundland, and

advised the mate also to make the attempt, but the boat being so deep they could not




Thermometrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

419

omission during a few days previously to her foundering, and on the day
and night o f that sad event, for the immense masses o f ice in the vicinity
must have caused a very sensible diminution o f heat in the water, although
from the cause mentioned the change in that o f the air was not apparent;
and had the cause o f the fact been suspected, danger might have been
avoided by an alteration o f the course o f the ship, or by lying to until day­
light. Doubtless many other vessels have been lost from the same cause,
o f the fate o f which nothing is known. Mr. Williams, in his remarks up­
on Mr. Masson’s communication to him, refers to “ the miserable fate o f
the ship Jupiter,” the loss o f which vessel from running against an ice
island had probably taken place shortly before the date o f his writing, viz,
1810.* I have recorded the loss o f the British packet Lady Hobart, in
July, 1803, from the same cause,f and I know o f a second that occurred
in the year 1822, in another British packet. I had a friend on board each
o f those vessels, in both o f which the passengers and crews reached Hali­
fax or some part o f the coast in boats. A fifth misfortune from the same
cause occurred to the ship Lady o f the Lake, on the 11th o f May, 1833,
when on a voyage from Belfast to Quebec, with two hundred and thirty
passengers, all o f whom, fifteen excepted, went down with the ship. A n ­
other vessel, the Jane, with passengers, was lost in the ice, and fifteen were
drowned. I presume no thermometrical observations had been made in any
o f these vessels.£
Desirous o f availing myself o f every source o f instruction and authority
upon the all-important topic under consideration, I will give a summary o f
the remarks o f a writer with the signature “ C .” in the Salem (Massachu­
setts) Gazette,|| and already quoted, who sayshe “ has had much experience
in crossing the Grand Banks at all seasons o f the year.”
1. He advises that “ no vessel, as early as March 15th, should cross the
manage her, and they steered south until late in the afternoon, when they fell in with
large quantities o f ice. A', night the wind blew strong from the south, with hard squalls,
rain and hail, and a high sea, and as the boat took in water fast and leaked badly, it
was impossible she could live without lightening her. On consultation, it was resolved
by the mate and crew, to prevent the loss o f the whole, that some should perish. At
10 o’clock, sixteen o f the passengers who were most in the way, and prevented the crew
from bailing out the water or working their oars, and were moreover almost dead from
cold, were thrown overboard. It was not without the greatest difficulty that they could
keep the boat afloat or clear her from the ice. Early the next morning they met with
the ship Crescent, o f Portsmouth, N ew Hampshire, Capt. Ball, who took all on board and
brought them to Havre. Capt. H. was six days in the boat and at the helm, without
sleep, when he was picked up by a French fishing vessel o f Dieppe, Capt. Lewis Lebas.
They were then two hundred miles from land. T w o days before this a schooner made
towards them, but a fog arose, and they lost sight o f her.
* The ship Jupiter, bound from the United States to England, ran against an island o f
ice, and soon after leaked to such a degree as obliged the captain to take to the boats,
in which all on board were accommodated. There were three passengers, viz, two
English ladies, and Mr. Darsie o f Baltimore. After several days they reached some port
o f Nova Scotia. I am indebted to Capt. John Meany, o f Philadelphia, for this informa­
tion.
t Domestic Encyclopedia, vol. V , p. 111.
t Niles’s Register, 1833.
II United States Gazette o f Philadelphia, June 22, 1841.




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Thermometrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

bank north o f 42° 30 min., and thinks that vessels are safer farther north
the last o f April or first o f May, say 441° to 4 5 °.” *
2. “ The best safeguard during the night, is a frequent attention to the
thermometer. By placing it in water drawn from the sea, it will tell to a
certainty the approach to ice.”
O f this he gives a case decidedly in point.
I view the use o f the thermometer so important to ascertain by the tem­
perature o f sea-water the presence o f a vessel in the G ulf Stream, and the
proximity o f banks, rocks, or ice islands, that I think regular daily obser­
vations with it on the temperature o f the sea-water, with such remarks as
may occur, and the record o f them in the log-book, ought to be conditions
in the policies o f all vessels insured.
Insurers would also find it their interest to reprint part o f the papers
o f Mr. Williams, Sir W illiam Strickland, and Mr. Masson, with the charts
o f the two former, and the remarks o f Mr. Williams on the journal o f the
last, and to present the pamphlet to the captain o f every vessel insured by
them. If printed, they ought to be bound in boards, if not leather, to pre­
vent their certain and rapid destruction which would result from their be­
ing merely covered with paper. The preservation o f the vessels mentioned
in this paper, by their use, and the loss o f others for want o f them, would
seem to leave no doubt as to the propriety o f the measure.
II. TO GUARD VESSELS FROM THE EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING.

This tremendous agent is doubtless the cause o f many losses at sea.
One was on board a sloop bound to Georgia, with stores for the United
States.troops then in service in that state. It took place in the month o f
Decem ber, several years since, off the southern coast, but I cannot state
the particulars. Another and very serious case happened more recently.
T h e fine packet ship Poland, from New Y ork to Havre, was struck on the
I6th May, 1840, when five days out, and entirely destroyed by the fire
that ensued. She had twenty-four cabin passengers, eleven in the steer­
age, and a crew o f twenty-eight, officers included. After floating in a
burning vessel for forty-eight hours, they were saved by the providential
meeting with the N ew Y ork packet ship Clifton, from Liverpool, Capt.
Ingersoll. The value o f the cargo, including $70,000 in specie, was
$132,000. Mr. Harris o f Plymouth, England, in a very valuable paper,
on the importance o f lightning rods to ships, gives the particulars o f four
merchant ships, and six frigates or ships o f war, which were struck by
lightning, with more or less damage in five o f them.
In none o f these was there a conductor, while on one occasion, in Port
Royal, Jamaica, in 1815, several ships surrounding the ship o f war Norge,
and having conductors up, remained untouched, while that ship and a mer­
chant ship, neither o f which had them, were struck. The N orge was
“ completely disabled.” H e adds, that in the course o f the last war, great
* A retired shipmaster o f high standing, who had often sailed between Philadelphia
and Liverpool, recommends to all vessels leaving England early in the spring, to pass
the banks in about lat. 41 deg. to 42 deg., because the chance will be that then the ice­
bergs will not have reached that far south; and to those leaving in June, to cross the
banks not further south than 45 deg., on the belief that by that time the ice will have
drifted southward. The William Brown, as stated, met with the ice in lat 43 deg. 40
min. on the 19th o f April, an unusually early date for their appearance.
t Edinburgh N ew Philosophical Journal, vol. III.




Thermometrical Observations as connected with Navigation.

421

part o f the British Mediterranean fleet, o f thirteen sail o f the line, under
Lord Exmouth, were disabled by lightning, and were then furnished with
conductors from Malta dockyard. The Glory, and the Duke o f ninety
guns, under Sir. R . Calder, were also much damaged, the latter while in
action under a battery ! N o greater proof can be required o f the utility o f
conductors in preserving vessels from lightning; nor o f the danger conse­
quent upon their being without them. Metallic rods and chains have
hitherto been employed as conductors, but Mr. Harris justly remarks that
“ they are inapplicable to ships in consequence o f their masts, (the only
parts to which they can be attached,) being exposed to elongation and con­
traction, and to the necessity which frequently arises for removing the
higher masts altogether, and placing them on deck.”
The chains more­
over “ are usually packed in a box, and are intended to be set up when o c ­
casions require, so that, as observed by Mr. Singer, in his work on elec­
tricity, they frequently remain in the ship’s hold unemployed.” * Mr.
Morgan, in his lectures on this subject, also condemns them, and recom ­
mends strips o f copper or lead in preference. Mr. Harris gives the fol­
lowing directions for fixing these strips.
“ T o protect a ship effectually from damage by lightning, it is essential
that the conductor be as continuous and as direct as possible from the
highest points to the s e a ; that it be permanently fixed in the masts,
throughout their whole extent, so as to admit o f the motion o f one por­
tion o f the mast upon another, and in case o f the removal o f any part
o f the mast, together with the conductor attached to it, either from accident
or design, the remaining portion should still be perfect, and equivalent to
transmit an electrical discharge into the sea. T o fulfil these conditions,
pieces o f sheet copper, from one eighth to one sixteenth o f an inch thick,
and about two feet long, and varying from six inches to one inch and a
half in breadth, may be inserted into the masts in two laminae, one over
the oth er; the butts or joints o f the one being covered by the central por­
tions o f the other. The laminae should be riveted together at the butts,
so as to form a long elastic continuous line ; the whole conductor is in­
serted under the edges o f a neat groove, ploughed longitudinally in the aft
side o f the different masts, and secured in its position by wrought copper
nails, so as to present a fair surface. The metallic line thus constructed,
will then pass downward from the copper spindle at the mast head along
the aft sides o f the royal-mast and top-gallant-mast, being connected in its
course with the copper about the shieve-holes. A copper lining in the aft
side o f the cap, through which the top-mast slides, now takes up the con­
nection, and continues it over the cap to the aft side o f the top-mast, and
so on as before, to the step o f the mast. Here it meets a thick wide cop­
per lining, turned round the step, under the heel o f the mast, and resting
on a similar layer o f copper, fixed to the kelson. This last is connected
with some o f the kelson bolts, and with three perpendicular bolts o f copper,
o f two inches in diameter, which are driven into the main keel upon three
transverse or horizontal bolts, brought into immediate contact with the
* This neglect took place on board the packet ship N ew Y ork, which was twice
struck by lightning on the 19th April, 1827, on her passage from N ew Y ork to Liver­
pool. A conducting chain at the time o f the first explosion was stowed away in its box
below, but was set up immediately afterward, and probably prevented the firing o f the
ship.




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British Import Duties.

copper expanded over the bottom. The laminae o f copper are turned over
the respective mast heads, and secured about an inch or more down on
the opposite side ; the cap which corresponds is prepared in a somewhat
similar way, the copper being continued from the lining in the aft part o f
the round hole over the cap, into the fore part o f the square one, where it
is turned down and secured as before, so that when the cap is in its place,
the contact is complete. In this way we have, under all circumstances, a
continuous metallic line, from the highest points to the sea, which will
transmit the electric matter directly through the keel, being the line of
least resistance. Since the mizen-mast does not step on the kelson, it
will be necessary to have a metallic communication at the step o f the mast
with the perpendicular stancheon immediately under it, and so on to the
kelson as before, or otherwise carry the conductor out at the sides o f the
vessel.”

A rt. III.— B R IT IS H IM P O R T D U T IE S .
RESUMPTION OF

THE

EVIDENCE

GIVEN

BEFORE

THE

COMMITTEE OF THE

HOUSE OF COMMONS ON IMPORT DUTIES.*

In a former number o f this work we gave an abstract o f the report of
the committee o f the house o f commons on import duties, and the evi­
dence o f John M‘ Gregor, Esq. W e now proceed to an analysis o f other
evidence corroborative o f the views set forth by the said committee, which
will prove equally interesting.
EVIDENCE OF JOHN BOWRING, E SQ ., L L . D.

The next important witness examined was John Bowring, Esq., L L .D .,
who had been sent abroad on a mission to ascertain the general state
o f the commercial relations between Great Britain and other countries,
and to suggest any modifications to the governments which might lead to
an extension o f those relations. It appeared to him that every duty is
protective which excludes any foreign article coming in competition with
the home articles, or which raises the price o f the home article by putting
the duty upon the foreign ; and, obviously, it is to exclude the foreigner
from the field o f competition, by raising the price in the interest o f the
protected commodity. He objected to protective duties, in a fiscal point
o f view, on the ground that their immediate operation is to diminish
trade, and the diminution o f trade clearly diminishes the elements of
taxation. In countries where the protective system has been carried on
to its greatest extent, the revenues are least productive. In France, for
example, the customhouse levies per head, under a protective system, is
only about one ninth o f that which is levied in England per head, under
the British system, which is more liberal.
In reference to the operation o f protective duties on the general interests
o f the country, Mr. Bowring remarked, that “ a great objection to a protect­
ing duty is, that it levies an enormous amount o f indirect taxation; and
that this taxation wholly escapes the public treasury. If any example be
taken, it will be seen how it works. I have made an estimate o f the probable
* For an abstract o f the report o f the committee o f the house o f commons, on im.
port duties and the evidence o f John M ‘ Gregory; see Merchants’ Magazine for Au­
gust, 1841, vol. v. N o. ii, p. 145.




British Import Duties.

423

amount o f taxes levied on the people o f this country by the inhibition o f the
import o f live-stock and butchers’ meat. I have grounded it on the statistics
o f the only country where I have got any thing approximative as to consump­
tion. Prussia consumes 485,000,000 lbs. of butchers’ meat, with a population
o f about 14,000,000. I estimate that the consumption o f butchers’ meat
in this country cannot be less than 50 lbs. per head per annum ; and it
has been frequently estimated at double that amount. N ow this, on
25,000,000 o f consumers, makes a consumption o f 1,250,000,000 lbs. per
annum. If the prohibition o f foreign cattle and foreign butchers’ meat
only raise the price here one penny a pound, it will be found that there is an
indirect taxation o f more than £5,000,000 levied upon the community. If
the added value be 2d. a pound, which I am disposed to think is nearer
the truth, it will be seen then that £10,000,000 are taken from the com ­
munity in consequence o f the prohibition o f foreign meat; and if it
should appear that the estimate is correct, which many statisticians have
considered as the average o f consumption in this country, viz, 100 lbs.
per annum,— that is, about a third o f a pound a day per individual; if the
consumption be as great as that, then £2 0,00 0,00 0 are levied annually
upon the consumers upon that article alone. I have taken another exam­
ple in the case o f sugar, on which there is a protecting duty, to favor the
colonial interest. The returns that have been obtained in different quar­
ters appear to show that the consumption o f the United Kingdom is about
17 lbs. per annum per individual; upon that, if the additional price paid
be 2d. a pound, which is a very low estimate, that is a taxation o f about
£3,500,000, growing out o f the protection which colonial sugar has in
preference to the sugar o f other countries.
“ The consumption o f sugar in Great Britain is returned at 17T'F lbs.
per head, as estimated on a population o f 24,000,000. The consumption
in France by the last returns is about 4 t3j lbs. per head. In the states o f
the Germanic League, the consumption is 3T8ff lbs. per head; and it is
estimated that the average consumption o f the whole o f Europe is about
21 lbs. per head. Hence it is obvious that the protective duty operates
more severely on England, it being about seven times as great, as upon the
population o f Europe generally, inasmuch as the consumption o f sugar is
seven-fold greater.”
Mr. Bowring gave another example with reference to a fluctuating duty,
namely, that on corn. He supposed that the annual consumption o f every
sort o f corn in Great Britain is 45,000,000 quarters, upon which, if the
rise o f price, in consequence o f the exclusion o f competing foreign corn,
be 5s. per quarter, it is clear that the corn laws impose an indirect taxa­
tion o f more than £11,000,000 upon that community ; and the general
objection with respect to all those protective duties is, that it is impossible
to calculate their extent, that the amount taken from the consumer is not
to be reached or estimated. He also inferred that they diminish the con­
sumption o f other articles by raising the price o f articles which are o f ab­
solute necessity, and thus preventing the buying o f many other articles
which might be o f convenient or o f secondary luxury. “ There is,” said
he, “ a diminished demand for the protected article, and also a diminished
demand for that labor which would pay for the non-protected article.”
With regard to the influence o f protective duties upon the revenue o f the
country, it clearly appears that where protection acts as a prohibition, and ihe
foreign article is excluded, there can be no revenue at a l l ; it is destruc-




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British Import Duties.

tive o f revenue, when the imports are diminished by its operation, which
is in fact the argument which was most effectually urged upon the Minister
o f Finance in France, in the negotiations with which Mr. Bowring was
charged with Lord Clarendon ; that at that time they were receiving
somewhere about £3,500,000 nett revenue upon a population o f 35,000,000,
whilst, in England, under a system less protective than theirs, they were,
upon a population o f 24,000,000, getting nearly £2 0,00 0,00 0 o f nett
revenue.
Mr. Bowring also gave other examples, where some branches o f trade
have risen to a state o f great prosperity in different parts o f the world,
without any protection being given them. “ Y ou may take, for instance,”
said he, “ two o f the most extensive manufactures, the cotton trade in
England, and compare it with the cotton trade in France ; it is known
that the cotton trade in England is the least protected o f our trades— that
it was in fact a persecuted trade in its orig in ; that taxation was levied
upon cotton goods, in the interest o f the woollen trade ; that cotton manu­
facturers have been throughout the advocates o f free trade, yet the devel­
opment o f that trade in England is perfectly unexampled. In France, the
cotton trade is the most protected o f trades ; it was protected from its
origin ; it is only within a few years that the finest numbers o f cotton
twists have been admitted into France ; there is an absolute prohibition
on all articles o f cotton manufacture except the very high numbers o f cot­
ton twists, which are used for making lace. The cotton trade has made
very small progress in France, compared with the cotton trade o f E n g­
land ; the state o f cotton laborers is frequently one o f very great suffer­
ing ; the number o f bankrupts among the cotton manufacturers o f France
has been great, and when the home market is glutted there is no means
o f relief by going to the foreign market, inasmuch as the price at which
they produce, the fictitious price created by the protective system, is much
higher than the prices o f the nations with which they compete. The con­
sequence is, that as a means o f relief, the government have been in the
habit o f giving a large premium on exportation, which is another taxation
levied upon the French people ; they paying in the first case a much
greater sum than they need pay for the cotton garments they wear ; and
secondly, the cost o f the increased price upon the article which France
exports, in order to enable her to get rid o f her superfluous production.”
The committee were made to understand that the increased price o f all
kinds o f cotton goods, whilst France has the same facility as England,
arises mainly from the protective duty ; and that the only manufacture in
France towards which a liberal system has been applied, is the manufac­
ture o f silk. Foreign cotton goods are excluded— foreign silk goods from
any part o f the world pay a duty o f from 13 to 15 per c e n t; yet so sound
and healthy is the manufacture o f silk, upon the whole, that France is able
to export four fifths o f the whole o f the silk goods she produces. So that
while o f cotton, protected in every conceivable way, the amount o f her
exports is trifling, and principally growing out o f other circumstances, that
o f her superiority in taste, her exports o f silks are, as before mentioned,
four fifths o f the whole which she manufactures.
From the knowledge Mr. Bowring possessed o f the general state o f
trade in Europe, and in the United States, he thought that Great Britain
must anticipate hostile legislation, on the ground that many countries have
made representations o f this character: “ W e are willing to adopt a sys-




British Import Duties.

425

tem o f reciprocal modification ; and i f you are not willing to meet us on
that ground, we must adopt a system o f further protection, and even o f
prohibition.”
It appeared to Mr. Bowring, that the British tariff has been established
without any regard to a general principle ; that it is not protective in all
its bearings, and that it is not made most productive to the revenue. That
it is not protective, as the tariffs o f France, Spain, Austria, and Russia
are, o f which the object is to exclude all foreign manufactures. That there
are some duties that are productive, while there are others that are not,
and that there is no general policy, no comprehensive end or object run­
ning through the English tariff as a system. H e thought that the interests
o f protection and the interests o f revenue are frequently incompatible ; and
that one o f the two ought to be made the object o f customhouse legislation,
which should be simplified, even beyond the simplification o f the Prussian
tariffs. If some ten or twelve articles, in which there is no competition
with the home producers, were made the main objects o f taxation, and
upon those articles the highest duty imposed which could be recovered,
and if then all other imports were left free, he thought that would be the
wisest and most beneficial system o f legislation that could bd adopted.
Mr. Bowring spent a considerable time in Spain, and watched the oper­
ations o f the high and prohibitive duties in that country, where, perhaps,
the protective system has been pushed to its greatest extent, and where
exports are in so low a state, and where com m erce and manufactures pro­
bably suffer more than in any other kingdom in Europe. H e stated that
he had frequently travelled with smugglers, and had seen the way in which
their goods are conveyed from one part o f the country to the other, some­
times by fraud and sometimes by force ; that the laws are completely in­
efficient wherever the recompense to the contrabandist'is large, or where
the'difference o f price is considerable, between the price in Spain and the
price in the producing country ; that exclusively o f the demoralizing effect,
the revenue o f that country had been considerably diminished from what it
would have been if the goods had been admitted at a moderate duty ; and
that the only parts o f the country where there had been any thing like a
general prosperity, are the parts in which the prohibitory customhouse
legislation had not been introduced. The Biscayan provinces having a
fiscal legislation o f their own, have always resisted the authority o f the
general government to impose prohibitory laws upon them ; and the con ­
trast in the condition o f the people in that country and every other part o f
Spain, is remarked by all who travel through that country. The condition
of the ports o f Spain, and the general misery o f the people, is mainly at­
tributable to their bad commercial system ; the grass grows in the streets
at this moment in their principal commercial places.
In speaking o f the unequal taxation in different continental countries,
and the heavily taxed labor o f England in competing with the more lightly
taxed, or untaxed labor o f foreign countries, Mr. Bowring remarked
that “ wages are only one element in the cost o f production ; and it is
quite clear that we have not the greatest advantages where we pay the
lowest rate o f wages, for in many cases the competition is strongest with
foreign countries. W here we produce to the most advantage will fre­
quently be found to be where we pay the highest wages ; and the reason
is obvious— the low rate o f wages in this country exists principally where
labor is bought in its rudest shape, where there is very little skill, as in the
VOL. v . — n o . v .
54




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British Import Duties.

case o f the hand-loom weavers ; and this labor, where there is little skill, is
placed in competition with the whole world : it is a species o f labor which
is everywhere purchasable, and all production which is bought in the re­
gion where this labor is applied for general competition, must be in a peril­
ous state. Those o f our manufactures are most successful in which we ob­
tain the greatest aptitude and the most intelligence from the laborer, and
in these our great superiority is found over other countries. F or example,
the pacha o f E gypt has chosen to be a great manufacturer ; the price he
pays to his laborers in the cotton manufactories he has established, is thirty
paras a day, which is less than two p e n ce ; that is the price now fixed in the
manufactories o f Egypt. H e has the advantage o f having the raw mate­
rial, probably at two-thirds o f the price that is paid here, it being grown
upon the s p o t; besides that the manufacturers choose for the manufactures
o f the pacha the superior qualities, before the general supply is sent down
to the markets for exportation. Notwithstanding this advantage o f having
the raw material so cheap, and having labor at a price so incredibly low, he
cannot compete with the manufactures o f England ; and wherever English
goods come in contact with the Egyptian, they are found to be cheaper.
So in the regions o f Syria, where the rate o f wages is from four to five
shillings a week, the Syrian articles compete successfully, and frequently
drive out the Egyptian, though it would appear, if the question o f wages
were the only question, that the Egyptian must have a great advantage
over them. The question o f the amount paid for rude labor is not so im­
portant a one as it is believed to be.
“ The least instructed laborer can everywhere produce certain rude
manufactures; the consequence is, that those manufactures will be very
badly paid for. A ll those laborers, in fact, who are employed in producing
those common fabrics must necessarily be in a very bad condition, because
they find competing labor in every part o f the world : the way to benefit
their condition is not by protecting them by legislation, but by extending
the field o f demand for labor, by increasing their manufacturing aptitude,
and directing their attention to labor o f a more productive and better com ­
pensated character.”
Mr. Bowring was in favor o f adopting the plan o f introducing, on all
articles which yielded but a small amount o f duties, what is called by the
French droit de balance, that is, a duty on registration, to repay the ex­
pense o f machinery for obtaining correct statistical returns. H e thought it
important to British manufacturers, who have to compete in foreign mar­
kets, that every article required by them in the process o f the manufacture,
should be landed from the ship into the warehouse with as little delay, and
at as little expense as possible. “ Such facilities,” said he, “ always in­
crease trade ) I may mention the fact, that there are two ports in Italy
which are free ports, in one o f which the transfer o f goods is very much
facilitated, and in the other very much impeded : the trade o f Leghorn has
greatly increased under the free system ; and that o f Genoa, though nomi­
nally a free port, has continued stationary under the restricted system.
The great facility connected with the warehousing o f goods has been
among the main causes o f the prosperity o f the Hanse T ow ns.”
A t the conclusion o f Mr. Bow ring’s examination, he expressed it as his
opinion, if the corn laws were repealed, that the first effect would be, that
the fluctuations o f prices would be very much diminished ; that there would
be a considerable rise on the continent, and some fall in England ; that




Illinois, and its Resources.

427

there would be on the continent a re-direction o f capital to agricultural ob­
jects, which is now being devoted to manufacturing purposes ; that there
would be a considerable increase o f trade, and a demand for labor, and a
very great increase in the consumption o f corn in England, probably equal
to the whole amount with which foreign countries would be able to supply
them. _

A rt. IV .— IL L IN O IS , A N D IT S R E S O U R C E S .
A lthough the preponderance o f wealth and power in the United States
still lies east o f the Alleghany mountains, yet it is abundantly evident that
the true elements o f our future greatness and glory are centred in that
vast and fertile valley which stretches from the Alleghanies westward to
the R ocky mountains. This magnificent valley includes about two thirds
o f the entire territory o f the United States ; contains more than a million
and a quarter o f square miles ; and is capable o f sustaining a population
o f one hundred and fifty millions o f souls. There is, probably, no part o f
the globe o f equal extent which has so small a proportion o f waste land
and so great an amount o f soil fit for cultivation. It is not only the gar­
den o f Am erica, but o f the world, and M. de Tocqueville, the French tour­
ist and philosopher, declares it to be “ the most magnificent dwelling-place
prepared by God for man’s abode.”
This immense valley, at least six times as great as the whole o f France,
and ten times larger than the island o f Great Britain, is watered by rivers
which have been formed on the same scale o f vastness and grandeur.
These, taking their rise in the mountains on either side, meander through
the rich plains below for hundreds, and, in some instances, for thousands
o f miles, until they lose themselves in that ceaseless flood which rolls
along the bottom o f the valley, called, in the pompous language o f the
natives, Mississippi, or the Father o f W aters. The Mississippi rises in
latitude forty-eight, amid the frosts and snows o f the wintry north, and
having coursed its devious way for three thousand miles, discharges itself
into the Mexican Gulf, in the region o f perpetual summer. In the course
o f its wanderings it receives the waters o f no less than fifty-seven large
navigable rivers, which, with their tributaries, distribute fertility and beauty
throughout the valley, and cross it in such a variety o f directions, that there
is not a spot, unless it be in the great plains o f the Upper Missouri, that is
more than one hundred miles from some navigable stream. In this great
congregation o f confluent waters are many rivers o f the very largest class.
The Missouri sweeps away from the base o f the R ock y mountains for more
than three thousand miles ; the Arkansas has a course o f fifteen hundred;
and six others wind their way among the rich bottoms and rolling prairies
for about a thousand miles. Besides these great rivers and their lesser
confluents, the country is everywhere crossed by rivulets starting from
springs and fountains, which gradually swell into larger streams, and bend
their way among the lesser valleys towards the ceaseless flood which is
ever rolling its turbid waters to the ocean.
This great valley has been naturally enough divided by Darby into four
sections. That portion which lies below the mouth o f the Ohio, possessing




i

428

Illinois, and its Resources.

peculiarities o f surface, soil, and climate, is called the lower valley ; and
that which lies above this point, the upper valley. The country watered
by the Ohio and its branches takes the name o f the Ohio valley, and that
which lies along the Missouri is called the valley o f the Missouri. The
Upper Mississippi valley differs somewhat from all the others. It is not
so low, marshy, and warm as the lower valley : it is not spread out into
such immense plains as the country which borders the M issouri: and its
surface is not so diversified as that which lies along the waters o f the
Ohio.
The head branches o f the Mississippi flow from an elevated tract o f
table-land, abounding in marshes and small lakes, and producing a spon­
taneous growth o f wild rice. This lofty level, which is about one thousand
five hundred feet above the G ulf o f M exico, not only gives rise to the
waters which glide to the south through the great Mississippi valley, but
also to those which run north into Hudson’s Bay, and east into the St. Law ­
rence. From Lake Itaska, its extreme head, the Mississippi winds along
through many deviations towards the south, and after passing through a
succession o f lakes and rapids for about seven hundred miles, is precipita­
ted down the falls o f St. Anthony. T en miles below the falls it receives
one o f its largest branches, the St. Peters, from the west, and a little fur­
ther down, another, the St. Croix, from the east. From these points, until
it reaches the northern borders o f Illinois, a distance o f some two hundred
and fifty miles, it curls among a multitude o f islands, which in the summer
are clothed so densely with forest trees, grass, and wild flowers, as often
to prevent the eye from reaching the opposite shore. The land on the
borders o f the stream breaks into bluffs, which are divided by valleys and
creeks, and clothed to the summit with the same splendid verdure as the
islands, while the ravines below abound with crystals o f quartz, carnelians,
and other precious stones.
The valley o f the Mississippi presents everywhere the most indubitable
proofs o f a diluvial formation. “ N ow here,” says M. de Tocqueville,
“ have the great convulsions o f the globe left more evident traces : the
whole aspect o f the country shows the powerful effects o f water, both by
its fertility and by its barrenness. The waters o f the primeval ocean ac­
cumulated enormous beds o f vegetable mould in the valley, which they
levelled as they retired. Upon the right shore o f the river are seen im­
mense plains, as smooth as if the husbandmen had passed over them with
his roller. A s you approach the mountains, the soil becomes more and
more unequal and sterile : the ground is, as it were, pierced in a thousand
places by primitive rocks, which appear like the bones o f a skeleton whose
flesh is partly consumed. The surface o f the earth is covered with a
granitic sand, and huge, irregular masses o f stone, among which a few
plants force their growth, and give the appearance o f a green field covered
with the ruins o f a vast edifice. These stones and this sand discover, on
examination, a perfect analogy with those which compose the arid and
broken summits o f the R ocky mountains. The flood o f waters which
washed the soil to the bottom o f the valley, afterward carried away por­
tions o f the rocks themselves ; and these, dashed and bruised against the
neighboring cliffs, were left scattered like wrecks at their feet.”
These evidences o f a diluvial formation are scarcely less marked on the
eastern side o f the great river. From the summit level, which gives rise
to the Mississippi, and forms the brim o f the great lakes to the south point




Illinois, and its Resources.

429

o f Illinois, including the W isconsin, and the states o f Ohio, Indiana, and Illi­
nois, appears once to have been a great plain, with a gradual inclination to
the two great rivers which form its borders. The ravines and valleys
appear to have been gradually scooped out by the abrasion o f the waters,
while those points which presented greater resistance to their influence
still remain, and constitute the bluffs which so often diversify the scenery
on the margins o f the rivers.
The state o f Illinois, which forms the southwestern portion o f this slope,
extends from the mouth o f the Ohio upwards along the east side o f the
Mississippi for 380 miles, with an average width o f about 150 miles, and
an area, including a small portion o f Lake Michigan, o f 59,000 square
miles, being larger by about thirteen hundred square miles than the state
o f New Y ork. On the south it extends to 37 degrees o f north latitude,
and on the north reaches to 4 2 i degrees. Its southern extremity is con­
sequently nearly on a parallel with Richmond, Virginia, arid its northern
with Albany, in the state o f N ew Y ork. In consequence o f this great ex­
tent from north to south the climate is various, but there is little essential
variation in the inexhaustible richness o f its soil, whether it sinks into
“ bottoms,” rises into “ bluffs,” or spreads into “ prairies” or “ barrens.”
It will be seen by a glance at the map, that its situation is exceedingly
favorable to a commercial intercourse with the surrounding states. The
Mississippi meanders along its western border for 700 miles : the Ohio
washes it on the south : and on the east it lies against Lake Michigan and
the Wabash. Besides this very extensive water communication along its
borders, its interior is also traversed by several large navigable rivers.
T h e Illinois, which is formed by the junction o f the Des Plaines and Kan­
kakee, two rivers which gather their head waters within a few miles o f
Lake Michigan, sweeps through the state in a southwesterly direction, and
joins the Mississippi a few miles above the mouth o f the great Missouri.
It is navigable for steamboats at a moderate stage o f water to Peru, a dis­
tance o f more than 200 miles, without reckoning the windings o f the chan­
nel in navigation ; from which point the Illinois and Michigan canal, 100
miles long, connects it with Lake Michigan, thus opening to a great por­
tion o f the state a market through the lakes and Erie canal to N ew Y ork.
R ock river rises in W isconsin, and after traversing the northwestern part
o f the state, empties into the Mississippi above the 41st degree o f north
latitude. It is navigable, with the exception o f one or two obstructions in
the shape o f rapids, for near 200 miles. The Kaskaskia, another large
river, waters the southern part o f the state, and enters the Mississippi about
midway between the Missouri and Ohio. The Muddy is still further south,
and also discharges its waters into the Mississippi. The large streams on
the eastern side o f the state are the Iroquois, a tributary o f the Kankakee ;
the Vermillion, emptying into the Wabash ; and the Embarras and Little
Wabash, both o f which also find their way into the Wabash. Besides
these are many smaller streams, crossing the country in every direction,
some o f which, particularly at the north, afford a valuable water-power for
propelling machinery.
These extensive channels o f intercommunication have been still further
extended by artificial means. The public authorities commenced a sys­
tem o f internal improvements, some years ago, on an extended scale, which,
although checked for the present by the embarrassments under which the
state is laboring, will doubtless ultimately be completed, making every




430

Illinois, and its Resources.

part o f the state accessible, and opening to the great markets o f the Union
the inexhaustible productions o f the rich interior. Am ong these the most
important is the Illinois and Michigan canal, connecting, as we have al­
ready stated, the waters o f the Illinois river with those o f the lake. It
was commenced as a state work in 1836, and congress, to advance its con­
struction, contributed every alternate section o f land on each side o f the
canal, the value o f which, when the work is completed, will, it is thought,
more than defray the expense o f construction. The work is still in pro­
gress, notwithstanding the embarrassments o f the state, and will probably
be completed in the course o f the next two years. It passes through a
region o f inexhaustible fertility, and when finished will give a powerful
stimulus to the producing interests o f the state. It is a curious fact,
strongly indicative o f the character o f the country, that this canal, the
length o f which is about one hundred miles, will be supplied with water for
the greater part o f this distance from Lake Michigan. A vast number o f
other works equally practicable and important have been projected, and
some o f them commenced, but are now in a state o f suspension, and cannot be
again resumed with any prospect o f success until the resources o f the state
are called into requisition, and its population considerably increased.
The general surface o f Illinois is level or only moderately undulating.*
The northern and southern portions are broken and somewhat hilly, but no
part o f the state is traversed with mountains, or even ranges o f hills. A t
a few miles distance from the bed o f the rivers the land often rises into
“ bluffs” from fifty to one hundred and fifty feet in height, intersected by
ravines, beyond which is an extended surface o f table-lands, divided into
“ prairies,” “ barrens,” and forests. The low lands lying between the
bluffs and the margins o f the rivers are called “ bottoms,” and have been
formed by the alluvial deposits o f the streams.
These “ bottoms” constitute the richest land in the west. The soil is
often twenty-five feet deep, and when thrown up from the digging o f wells,
produces luxuriantly the first year. The most extensive and fertile tract
o f this description o f soil is what is called the American Bottom, com m enc­
ing at the mouth o f the Kaskaskia, on the Mississippi, and extending north­
ward to the bluffs at Alton, a distance o f ninety miles. Its average width
is five miles, and it contains about 288,000 acres. The soil is an argilla­
ceous or a silicious loam, according as clay or sand happens to predomi­
nate in its formation. This tract, which received its name when the Mis­
sissippi constituted the western boundary o f the United States, is covered
on the margin o f the river with a strip o f heavy timber, having a thick
undergrowth, from half a mile to two miles in width, but from thence to the
bluffs it is principally prairie. It is interspersed with sloughs, lakes, and
ponds, the most o f which become dry in autumn. The land is highest
near the margin o f the stream, and consequently when overflowed retains
a large quantity o f water, which is apt to stagnate and throw o ff miasma,
rendering the air deleterious to health. The soil is, however, inexhaustibly
productive. Seventy-five bushels o f corn to the acre is an ordinary crop,
and about the old French towns it has been cultivated and produced suc­
cessive crops o f corn annually for more than a hundred years. Besides
the American Bottom, there are others that resemble it in its general char­
* This account o f the surface and soil o f Illinois is mostly condensed from Peck’s New
Guide to Emigrants.




Illinois, and its Resources.

431

acter. On the banks o f the Mississippi there are many places where simi­
lar lands make their appearance, and also on the other rivers o f the state.
The bottoms o f the Kaskaskia are generally covered with a heavy growth
o f timber, and are frequently inundated when the river is at its highest
flood. Those o f the Wabash are o f various qualities, being less frequent­
ly submerged by the floods o f the river as you ascend from its mouth.
W hen not inundated they are equal in fertility to the far-famed Am erican
Bottom, and in some instances are preferable, as they possess a soil less
adhesive.
These bottoms, especially the American, are the best regions in the
United States for raising stock, particularly horses, cattle, and swine. The
roots and worms o f the soil, the acorns and other fruits from the trees, and
the fish o f the lakes, are sufficient to subsist and fatten the swine ; and the
horses and cattle find inexhaustible supplies o f grass in the prairies and
pea vines, buffalo grass, wild oats, arid other herbage in the timber during
the summer, and rushes in the winter. The soil is not so well adapted to
the production o f wheat and other small grain as o f Indian corn. T h ey
grow too rank, and fall down before the grain is sufficiently ripened to
harvest. T h ey are also all, or nearly all, subject to the very serious ob­
jection o f being unhealthy.
A large part o f Illinois consists o f the lesser prairies, which spread out
between the creeks, rivers, and timber lands, being mostly undulating, dry,
and extremely fertile. T h ey are, however, sometimes level, and in other
cases wet. In the southern part o f the state they are small, varying in
size from those o f several miles in width to those which contain only a few
acres. A s you advance to the north they widen and extend on the more
elevated ground between the water-courses, and are frequently from six to
twelve miles in width. Their borders are by no means uniform. Lon g
points o f timber often project into the prairies, and points o f prairie project
into the timber between the streams. In many instances there are copses
and groves o f timber embracing from one hundred to two thousand acres
in the midst o f the prairies, like islands in the ocean. This is a common
feature in the country between the Sangamon river and Lake Michigan,
and in the northern parts o f the state generally. The lead mine region,
especially, abounds with these groves. These prairies are devoid o f tim­
ber, and are covered with rank grass, over which the fire annually sweeps,
blackening the surface, and leaving a deposit o f ashes to enrich the soil.
The tough sward which covers them, effectually prevents the timber from
taking root ; but when this is destroyed by the plough, the surface is soon
covered with a thick growth o f timber. There are large tracts o f country
in the older settlements, where thirty or forty years ago the farmers cut
their winter’s supply o f hay, which are now covered with a forest o f young
and thrifty timber. The prairies have a rich, productive s o il; are gen­
erally favorable to the preservation o f health; and are well adapted to all
the various purposes o f cultivation.
Another kind o f land which abounds in this state is called, in the dialect
o f the west, “ B arrens.”
In the early settlement o f Kentucky, the inhabi­
tants, observing that certain portions o f the country had a dwarfish and
stunted growth o f timber scattered over the surface or collected in clumps,
with hazel and shrubbery intermixed, inferred that the soil must necessarily
be poor, and hence called these tracts barrens. It was, however, soon as­
certained that, so far from their being barren, they were really among the




432

Illinois, and its Resources.

most productive lands in the state. The name has, however, been retain­
ed, and received a very extensive application throughout the west. In
general, the barrens o f Illinois have a surface more uneven or rolling than
the prairies, and which more frequently degenerates into ravines and “ sink­
holes.”
Th ey are almost invariably healthy; have a greater abundance
o f pure springs, and possess a soil better adapted to all the purposes of
cultivation and the different changes o f seasons than either the bottoms or
prairies. They are covered with wild grass, and with oak and hickory
trees and shrubs, which are scattered over their surface, and are gnarled
and dwarfish, in consequence o f the repeated fires which sweep over them;
but when these are stopped, healthy sprouts shoot up from the mass o f
roots which have accumulated in the earth, and grow with amazing rapidi­
ty, so that the want o f timber on these tracts can easily be supplied.
What is called Forest or Timber Land also abounds in Illinois, but is
very unequally distributed over the state. W here the prairie predominates
timber is, o f course, a desideratum, but as it shoots up with great strength
and rapidity as soon as the soil is broken by the plough, this circumstance
does not prove a bar to the settlement o f the country. The kinds o f tim­
ber most abundant are oaks o f various kinds, black and white walnut, ash,
elm, sugar maple, honey locust, hackberry, linden, hickory, cotton wood,
pecaun, mulberry, buckeye, sycamore, wild cherry, box, elder, sassafras,
and persimmon. In the southern and eastern parts o f the state are yellow
poplar and b eech ; near the Ohio are cypress ; and on the Calamich, near
Lake Michigan, is a small tract covered with white pine. The under­
growth consists o f red-bud, pawpaw, sumach, plum, crab-apple, grape vines,
dog-wood, spice-bush, green brier, hazel, & c. F or ordinary purposes,
there is now timber enough in the state without resorting to artificial cul­
tivation.
The more uneven portions o f the country are divided into knobs, bluffs,
ravines, and sink-holes. Knobs are ridges o f flint limestone intermingled
and covered with earth, and elevated one or two hundred feet above the
common surface. Th ey are o f little value for cultivation, and have a thin
growth o f dwarfish trees like the barrens. The steep hills and natural
mounds that border the alluvions have obtained the name o f bluffs. Some
are in long parallel ridges, others like cones and pyramids. They are some­
times formed o f precipices o f limestone rock from fifty to one hundred
feet high. The ravines are the depressions formed between the bluffs, and
often leading from the prairies down to the streams. Sink-holes are circu­
lar depressions o f various sizes, from ten to fifty feet deep, and from ten
to one hundred yards in circum ference. They frequently contain an out­
let for the water received by the rains, and indicate a substratum o f secon­
dary limestone.
There are but few tracts o f ground in the state where loose stones are
scattered over the surface or imbedded in the soil, and these are chiefly in
the northern part. There are, however, quarries o f stone in the bluffs,
along the ravines, and on the banks o f the streams. The soil throughout
the state is mostly porous, easy to cultivate, and exceedingly productive.
There are no mountains ; no ranges o f hills ; but few ledges ; and only a
small amount o f irreclaimable wastes o f any kind in the state. Its capa­
bilities o f production are therefore immense, and probably greater than
those o f any other state, comparing area with area.
A m ong the products o f the soil, grapes, plums, crab-apples, wild cherries,




Illinois, and its Resources.

433

persimmons, pawpaws, black mulberries, gooseberries, strawberries, and
blackberries, are indigenous, and grow wild in great profusion. O f the
cultivated fruits, apples, pears, quinces, peaches, and grapes, thrive well, and
can be raised in abundance. The cultivated vegetable productions o f the
field are Indian corn, wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, Irish potatoes, sweet
potatoes, turnips, rye, tobacco, cotton, hemp, flax, the castor bean, & c.
Maize, or Indian com , is the staple. N o farmer can live without it, and
many raise little else. It is cultivated with great ease ; produces ordi­
narily fifty bushels to the acre ; often seventy-five ; and not unfrequently
reaches even to a hundred.
The number o f bushels raised in 1839
amounted to twenty-two and a half millions. W heat is a good and sure
crop, especially in the middle part o f the state, and in a few years Illinois
will probably send immense quantities to market. The number o f bushels
raised in 1839 was 3,263,552. Hemp grows spontaneously, but is not
extensively cultivated. Cotton is raised in the southern part o f the state,
and in 1840, 200,000 pounds were produced. 30,000 pounds o f rice were
gathered in the same year, and 2,591 pounds o f hops.
The stock o f the farmer consists principally o f horses, neat cattle, swine,
and sheep. Horses are more used here than in the eastern states. T h ey
do much the greater proportion o f the ploughing, and o ff from the stage
routes the travelling is chiefly performed on horseback. The number in
the state in 1840 was, according to the returns o f the United States mar­
shal, 200,741. Illinois possesses fine grazing lands, and raises for mar­
ket considerable quantities o f beef, which is sold in the western states. In
Alton alone, 5000 beeves were killed during the past winter, prior to the
first o f February. The number o f neat cattle in the state was, in 1840,
612,244. Pork is one o f the staples, and thousands are produced almost
without trouble or expense, as they are raised on the fruits and nuts which
grow wild in the woods. N ear 70,000 were slaughtered in Alton last fall,
and in the whole state the number, as returned by the marshal, is
1,445,925. Sheep have not been hitherto raised in very great numbers,
but the flocks o f the Illinois farmers are rapidly increasing, and the num­
ber in the state now amounts to 486,751. Poultry are raised in great
abundance. Ducks, geese, and other aquatic birds, visit the lakes and
streams during winter and spring, and prairie hens (grouse) and quails
are very numerous, and are taken in great abundance.
But the resources o f Illinois do not stop with her large and navigable
rivers ; the inexhaustible fertility o f her s o il; or the abundance o f her ani­
mal and vegetable productions. She is also rich in minerals. Coal, second­
ary limestone, and sandstone, are found in almost every part o f the state.
Iron has been found in the south, and is also said to exist in considerable
quantities in the north. Marble and granite are found in several counties,
and the quantity quarried in 1839, amounted in value to $71,778. Copper
has been found in small quantities on Muddy river, and in the bluffs o f
Monroe county ; and in greater abundance on the Peekatonokee, near the
northern boundary o f the state. Crystalized gypsum has been discovered
in small quantities in St. Clair county, and quartz crystals in Gallatin
county. . Gold is found in Jo Daviess and Fulton counties, from which gold
was produced in 1839 to the amount o f $5,250. Silver is also supposed
to exist in the vicinity o f Silver creek, and in early times a shaft was
sunk here by the French, and it is said that large quantities o f this metal
were obtained.
55
von. v.— no. v.




Illinois, and its Resources.

434

But o f all the mineral productions o f the state lead is the most abundant.
In the northern part o f Illinois and the territory adjacent, are the richest
lead mines hitherto discovered on the globe. Th ey lie principally north
o f R ock river and south of the W isconsin, but some have also been found
on the west side o f the Mississippi. F or many years the Indians and
French traders were accustomed to dig lead in these regions, but they never
penetrated much below the surface. In 1823, the late Col. James John­
son, brother to the Hon. Richard M. Johnson, obtained a lease o f the
United States government, and made arrangements to prosecute the busi­
ness o f smelting, which he commenced with considerable energy the fol­
lowing year. This enterprise attracted the attention o f other capitalists,
and in the course o f three or four years, this sequestered spot literally
swarmed with miners, smelters, merchants, speculators, and gamblers o f
every description, until, in 1829, the lead business was entirely overdone,
and the market for a while destroyed. Since that time, however, the
business has revived, and continues to be profitable. The supply exists
over a tract o f country about two hundred miles in extent, and appears to
be inexhaustible.
In 1839, the United States marshal found twenty-three smelting-houses,
principally in the county o f Jo Daviess. The capital invested in the busi­
ness was $128,600, and the quantity o f lead produced 3,546,000 pounds.
The government received six per cent o f the lead produced for rent. The
following table, from Peck’ s Gazetteer o f Illinois, exhibits the amount o f
lead made in this region from 1821 to September 30, 1835.
Pounds o f lead made from 1821, to Sept.
do.
for the year ending Sept. 30,
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
.Total,

1823,
1824,
1825,
1826,
1827,
1828,
1829,
1830,
1831,
1832,
1833,
1834,
1835,

335,130
175,220
664,530
958,842
5,182,180
11,105,810
13,344,150
8,323,998
6,381,900
4,281,876
7,941,792
7,971,579
3,754,290
70,420,357

The coal o f Illinois is o f the bituminous character, and lies principally
in the ravines and points o f the bluffs. Exhaustless beds are found in the
bluffs o f St. Clair county, bordering on the American Bottom, and large
quantities are carried across to St. Louis for fuel. There is, however,
scarce a county in the state in which it does not abound. The quantity
dug in 1839 was over 376,000 bushels.
Common salt, (muriate o f soda) is also found in various parts o f the state,
held in solution in the waters o f the springs, and the manufacture is carried
on in several counties to a considerable extent. The springs and land are
owned by the state, and the works leased. During the last year more
than 20,000 bushels were produced, principally in Gallatin and Vermillion
counties, and the supply can be increased to any desirable extent.




Illinois, and its Resources.

435

The manufacturing interests o f Illinois are still in their infancy, but the
time is not distant when its manufactories will cope with those o f the
older states. Steam mills for flouring and for sawing timber, have been
erected in the southern and middle portions o f the state, and are rapidly
increasing in num ber: while mills driven by water-power are in operation
at the north. It is worthy o f remark, too, that in those portions o f the
state not supplied with a constant water-power, coal and wood for fuel
abound. The best water-power is found in the northern part, and it has
already been improved to a considerable extent. Mills for various pur­
poses have sprung up along the streams, particularly along R ock river
and its branches, and the Illinois and F ox rivers. The Illinois and Michi­
gan canal also furnishes an admirable water-power, superior probably to
any other in the west. T h e rapids in the Fox river, four miles above
Ottaway, have a descent o f sixteen feet, and an abundant supply o f water
at all seasons o f the year, while, from the rapids down, the river has such
a descent as will enable its waters to be used for propelling machinery.
The improvements on the Great and Little Wabash, and the Kaskaskia,
will also make the waters o f those streams available for hydraulic purposes,
and whenever mills shall be required there is nothing to prevent their rapid
multiplication. In 1839, the number o f flour, grist, and saw mills, was
1,502, and the value o f manufactured products, $2,306,619.
Education. The same provision has been made by congress for the
support o f schools in Illinois as in the other new states. The public lands
are surveyed into townships six miles square, containing 36 sections, o f
640 acres each, and the section numbered sixteen, in every township, is
given to that township for educational purposes. Besides this provision,
which applies only to the local townships, three per cent o f all the public lands
within the state, sold, or to be sold, after its admission into the Union in
1819, are to constitute a fund for the support o f education, under the direction
o f the state authorities, provided that one sixth is to be exclusively devoted to
the support o f a college or university. T w o entire townships, or 46,080
acres, have also been bestowed for the support o f education, which, with a
moiety o f the surplus money divided between the states, constitutes a fund
which is estimated at about three millions o f dollars, a large portion o f
which, however, will long be unavailable. The interest which resulted
from the education fund in 1839, and which was divided according to the
law, was $4 4,32 6. But the state lacks a well organized system o f com ­
mon schools, without which education can never generally prevail.
Besides several respectable academies, there are in this young state six
institutions which take the name o f colleges, viz : Illinois College, at Jack­
sonville, under the direction o f the “ new school” Presbyterians ; M cD on­
ough College, at Macomb, belonging to the “ old s c h o o l S h u r t l e f f C ol­
lege, at Alton, which takes its name from D r. Shurtleff o f Boston, who
made it a munificent donation ; McKendree College, at Lebanon, St. Clair
county, belonging to the Methodists ; and Canton College, in Fulton county,
and Belvidere College, in W innebago county, two new institutions which
have only recently been chartered. But notwithstanding this great show
o f literary institutions, it will probably be found that education languishes
in Illinois, as indeed it does in most new states. The foundation which is
laid, however, in the prospective education fund, is o f great importance,
and we may confidently expect that the intellectual resources o f this vast
and beautiful region will ere long be as abundant as its physical.




436

Illinois, and its Resources.

T h e following particulars are derived from a tabular statement prepared
by J. A . Townsend, o f Alton, Illinois:
Quantity.

/

I
I
1
1
1

N o. o f persons employed in mining,
“
“
agriculture,
“
“
com m erce,

1
1
1

the census o f 1840, and the number o f square miles in the several counties, see Mer-

1

1
I
I
1
I
1
I
1
I
1
I
1
I
1
1
1
1

476,573
200,741
612,244
486,751
1,445,925

Value.

Population,*
.
.
.
.
.
.
Horses and mules,
.
.
.
.
.
Neat cattle,
.
.
.
.
.
.
Sheep,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Swine,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Poultry,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
W heat,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Barley, buckwheat, and rye,
Oats, .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Corn,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
W o o l, (pounds) .
.
.
.
.
.
Beeswax, (pounds)
.
.
.
.
.
Potatoes,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Hay, (tons)
.
.
.
.
.
.
Flax and hemp, .
.
.
.
.
.
T oba cco,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
S u g a r , ................................................................
W ood , (cords)
.
.
.
.
.
.
Dairy, (value o f produce)
.
.
.
.
Orchards, (value o f produce)
Domestic goods, .
.
.
.
.
.
Garden and nurseries .
.
.
.
.
Stores,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Stores, (capital invested in) .
Skins, ginseng, & c.
.
.
.
.
.
Bricks and lime, .
.
.
.
.
.
Carriages and wagons, .
.
.
.
.
Flour, grist, saw, and oil mills,
Flour, & c. (manufactured) .
.
.
.
Brick and frame houses, (built in 1839) .
Houses,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Tanneries, .
.
.
.
.
.
.
Sole and upper leather, (sides)
Saddleries, (products) .
.
.
.
.
Distilleries, breweries, & c. .
.
.
.
Distilleries, breweries, (products, N o. o f gals.)
Manufactures, (not enumerated products)
Manufactures, (not enumerated capital) .
Manufactories, total amount o f capital, .
T otal value o f products, exclusive o f capital and
cost o f buildings,
.
.
.
.

3,263,552
49.366
5,681,931
22,523,630
634,349
26,676
2,086,516
138,125
15,604
475,250
399,713
124,138

$9,033,345
9,183,640
973,502
1,337,775
340,600
2,039,720
76,470
1,136,386
4,504,727
285,457
6,669
521,629
1,005,000
1,560,000
28,515
49,964
248,276
445,621
118,132
1,108,096
97,996




/

1,374
5,085,457
258,838
262,406
135,712

«

1,502
2,306,619
4,020
2,044,108
154
68,808

223,118
255,252

153
1,554,109

388,195
361,522
338,195
3,969,912
51,811,606

,
•

•

,
.

1,227
97,781
2,523

* F or a statement o f the population o f each county in the state o f Illinois, taken at
chants’ Magazine for October, 1841, page 391.

«

*

437

Dutch Commerce.
N o. o f persons employed in navigating the ocean, .
“
“
navigating rivers and lakes, .
“
“
learned professions,
N o. o f deaf and dumb,
.
.
.
.
.
.
“
blind,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
“
insane and idiots,
.
.
.
.
.
.
“
colleges, .
.
.
7
N o. o f students, .
“ academies,
.
.
41
“
“
“ common schools,
. 1,200
“
“
“
students at public charge, .
.
.
.
.
“
white persons over 20, who cannot read and write,
“
pensioners,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

75
85
1,931
311
80

200
311
1,907
33,724
1,318
28,780
155

A rt. V .— D U T C H C O M M E R C E .
DUTCH

TERRITORY

AND

POPULATION---- SYSTEM

OP

COMMERCE---- IMPROVE­

MENTS OF AGRICULTURE---- MANUFACTURES---- IMPORTS AND EXPORTS-----N A V ­
IGATION---- DUTCH AT THE HEAD OF EUROPEAN PROGRESS-----GENERAL SOCIETY
OF COMMERCE OF THE LOW COUNTRIES---- ITS CHARACTER AND COMMERCIAL
OPERATIONS-----RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF MANUFACTURES IN HOLLAND, ETC.

T he following official report on Dutch commerce, was recently address­
ed to the Minister o f Foreign Affairs, by M. Bois le Comte, French Min­
ister at Hague. Exhibiting, as it does, a clear and comprehensive view o f
the present condition o f Dutch com m erce, from an authentic source, it
will be found not only interesting to our commercial readers, but valuable
for reference :
“ W hen I exposed to the predecessor o f your excellency what remained
to Holland o f its ancient marilime and commercial power, I tried to es­
tablish, by official calculation, the political influence and the produce o f her
colonies. I am to complete this work with the assistance o f the results
obtained during the year 1839, and the documents presented to the States
General in 1840.
“ The same uncertainty continues as to the real state o f the population
o f those colonies. The Dutch Government itself has but approximate and
vague valuations in this respect. M. Beau gives the number o f the popu­
lation o f Java as eight millions, but he reduces that o f the other islands in
a great degree, by the observation that culture and social organization
alone can produce a great development o f population. A s to Sumatra, I
should prefer to his estimations, which are evidently too low for that island,
those o f MM. Vanden Bosch, de Capelle, and Nahuys, who give the number
o f its population as five or six millions; but nothing contradicts his opin­
ion that the population o f Borneo does not exceed three millions, that o f the
Celebes two millions, and the Moluccas 500,000. This would give twenty
millions o f inhabitants to a territory three times as large as France, the
half o f which is governed by the Dutch themselves, or by princes named
and directed by them.
“ In the Dutch Indies there are 10,000 Europeans, including the army,
and 30,000 negro slaves. By emigration, partly permanent and partly




438

Dutch Commerce.

periodical, there are about from 200,000 to 300,000 Chinese in the Dutch
Indies, o f whom 100,000 are in Java alone, men who are both useful and
dangerous— brokers, retailers, artisans, and cultivators; they perform
every service which requires most intelligence and activity. A t Java they
manage plantations o f cane and tea ; at Sumatra that o f pepper ; at R iow
that o f palm trees ;* at Gamba and at Banca, the working o f the tin mines ;
and at Borneo that o f the gold mines.
“ The English census, in 1815, gave the number o f the population as
4,500,000. The population has doubled in fifteen years from the increase
o f health in the population, and from the disappearance o f the small-pox,
which made as much ravage in Java as the plague in Turkey, or the yel­
low fever in Am erica.
“ N o change has taken place in 1839 as to the general system o f com ­
m erce. The ports before named in each o f the islands receive foreign
vessels, the Moluccas alone are forbidden theirs; the Government, which
has reserved to itself the purchase o f spices, keeps up the monopoly o f
opium and salt. Strangers are allowed to establish themselves in the ports
open to com m erce. It is forbidden to penetrate into the interior. Three
entrepots in the island o f Java (Batavia, Samarang, and Sourabaya,) and
two free ports, one at the northern extremity o f the Neerlandish Archipego, and the other at the southern, Riow and Coupang, complete the system.
“ The improvements o f agriculture com m enced by Count Yanden Bosch
have not only been realized, but exceeded by the harvest o f this year. I
here annex the statements o f the exportation o f Java in 1838. I compare
it with that o f 1790, under the old company, and with that o f 1828, under
the government which preceded that o f M. Vanden Bosch.
“ The separation o f Belgium, where the industry o f the United Low
Countries had been concentrated, caused the metropolis to despair o f tak­
ing part in the provisioning o f her colonies o f 1830. King W illiam has
succeeded in conquering the difficulty, and in reviving the manufacturing
industry o f Holland, and in enabling the Dutch to furnish the Javanese
with their cotton stuffs, which are their principal articles o f importation
from Europe. Thus this branch o f com m erce has doubled in the space o f
ten years, and yet the European manufacture has not destroyed native in­
dustry at Java, as it has been the case in the Indies. The population o f
Java, itself supplied in a great measure from Europe, sends to the other
islands two millions’ worth o f linen o f an inferior quality. Cloth and silk,
which are only made use o f for the clothing o f priests and princes on days
o f cerem ony, are very little bought in these possessions. The total amount
o f the importation o f Java in 1839 was eighty millions o f francs : forty-five
millions com ing from Holland, thirteen and a half millions from England,
876,000f. from France, 1,300,000 from Hamburg and Sweden, a million
from the United States, and the rest from A sia.-)" The exportations have
* “ The Hague Gazette denies that the Chinese cultivate pepper at Sumatra, or the
palm at Riow. It is the gum called terra japonica which M. Bois le Comte must have
mistaken for the produce o f the palm.
t “ According to the official statement o f the commerce o f Java, in 1839, the total o f
importation was 68,000,000 o f francs, o f which about—
32.000.
000f. from Holland.
8,000,000f. “ England.
700,000f. “ France.
900,000f. “ Hamburg, Sweden, Denmark, and Bremen.
600,000f. “ America.
26.000.
000f. “ The Cape o f Good Hope, Bengal, and the rest o f Africa.




Dutch Commerce.

439

risen to 136,800,000f. ; 100,820,000f. for Holland, 4,300,00f. for France,
l,00 0,00 0f. for Sweden and-Germany, 2,050,OOOf. for the United States,
and the rest for the Asiatic countries.* T h ey consist f few natural pro­
ducts, but o f great value.

9

Kilogrammes.

Coffee
.
.
.
Sugar
.
.
.
R ice
.
.
.
Indigo .
.
.
T in
.
.
.
Nutmegs and cloves

.
.
.
.
.

40,934,000
54,500,000
68,000,000
596,000
2,975,000
553,000

Value in francs.

.
.
.
.
.
.

50,565,000
23,738,000
9,941,000
7,578.000
5,057,000
4,707,OOOf

“ I beg your excellency will permit me to illustrate these figures by a
few points o f com parison:—
From the Metropolis.
The possessions o f the English com ­
pany import
175,000,000f., o f which 67.000,000f.
The possessions o f the English g ov ­
ernment import on an average
462.000. 000
215,000,000
The French colonies imported in
1838 ...........................................
65.000. 000
75.000. 000
176.000. 000
The Spanish colonies in 1838
34.000. 000
24.000. 000
1,300,000
The Portuguese colonies in 1836
80.000. 000
The Island o f Java in 1839
45.000. 000
The Dutch colonies o f Am erica in
1839
80,000,000
“
7,000,000

“ The commercial relations o f Sumatra, and o f the other islands in the
Sound, carried on in a great measure by the natives, cannot be estimated
here ; a part entering Java, from thence to pass into Europe, contributes
to increase the com m erce o f this island.
The possessions o f
pany export .
The possessions o f
ernment export

the English com For the Metropolis.
.
.
.
295,000,000f. o f which 80,000,000f.
the English gov­
.
.
.
562,000,000
“
387,000,000

* “ According to the same document, the exportations in 1839 amounted to about

120, 000,0000
81.000.

000f. for Holland.

4,000,000f. “
1,600,OOOf. “

England.
France.

l,200,000f. “

Denmark, Sweden, Hamburg, and Bremen.

200,OOOf. “ Spain, the Isle o f France, Bengal, China, Japan, & c.
23.000. 000f. “ The Indian Archipelago.
f “ A ccording to the official statements, the exportations o f 1839 consisted o f the fol­
lowing articles:—
Value.
Coffee............................................................. 46,781,729 kilogrammes 48,000,OOOf.
Sugar................................................................53,839,114
“
23,000,OOOf.
R ice.................................................................. 68,144,634
“
9,500,OOOf.
Indigo..............................................................
588,764
“
7,500,OOOf.
T in ................................................................... 2,941,723
“
4,800,OOOf.
Spices...............................................................
563,303
“
4,700,OOOf.
Divers articles............................................................................................23,000,OOOf.




440
The
in
The
The
The
The

Dutch Commerce.
French colonies have exported
1838
.
.
.
.
83,000,000 o f
Spanish colonies in 1838
156,000,000
Portuguese colonies in 1836
31,000,000
Island o f Java in 1839
.
136,000,000
Dutch possessions o f A m erica
15,000,000

For the Metropolis,

which
“
“
“

80,000,000
34,000,000
9,000,000

110, 000,000

“
15,000,000
“ The tonnage o f the vessels which transport these exchanges is taken at
their entering port as well as their leaving i t :—
For the Exchanges
with the Metropolis.
F or the possessions o f the English
company at .
1,050,000 tons, o f which 224.000
The possessions o f the English govern<
it
ment
.
.
.
.
.
6,373,000 <
2,162,000
it
The French colonies, in 1838
421.000
770,000 iC
a
The Spanish colonies, in 1838
274.000
1,044,000 t c
u
Java, in 1839
.
.
.
.
105.000
546,000 <<
All the Dutch Indies, in 1840, Java
u
included
.
.
.
.
272,000 ( (
272.000
The Dutch possessions o f Am erica in
1839*
40,000

“ Thus the navigation and com m erce o f Holland derive from the island
o f Java alone almost equal advantages with those obtained with the naviga­
tion and com m erce o f England from the vast Indian continent and its hun­
dred million o f inhabitants. The exchanges made between England and
the Indies amount to 147,000,000 francs. Those o f Holland with Java
amount to 146,000,000 francs. T h e navigation between the Indies and
England occupies 214,000 tons ; that between Java and Holland occupied,
in 1839, 195,000 tons, and in 1840 more than 220,000. These results
have been brought about by the combination o f two ideas. One o f them
is political— the substitution o f labor for impost, and the position o f pro­
tectors assumed by the Dutch over the relations o f the natives with each
other ; the other is commercial, being the formation o f the general society
o f com m erce.
“ The Dutch boast o f having been at several epochs at the head o f Eu­
ropean progress, and o f having given birth to the great improvements af­
terward adopted by other nations. It is they who gave the example o f
those companies, commercial and sovereign at once, imitated by other
countries in the Indies. T h e first constitution o f the Dutch East India
Comnany was purely commercial. During the seventeenth century it con­
tinued the same, and accumulated wealth. In 1693, it had 102,000,000f.
o f profit. But this money was soon spent when the company had to pro­
vide for the expenses o f the wars necessary to consolidate and extend its
territorial empire. A t the end o f the eighteenth century it had a debt o f
252,000,000 o f francs, with 5,540,000 francs interest.
“ T h e Dutch government then thought that the system o f this company
was superannuated, that its exclusive character and political power did not
answer the state either o f opinion or o f things. It refused, in the year *
* “ T he importations o f the American colonies o f Holland in 1839 did not amount to
more than from 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 o f francs, the greater part coming from the me­
tropolis.”




Dutch Commerce.

441

1795, to renew the privileges o f the society, took the debt upon itself, and
opened its possessions to the commerce o f both the Dutch and the for­
eigner, yet reserving to the former divers advantages by its regulation o f
the customhouse. These advantages were found insufficient, and the pre­
ponderance which the English drew, from the superiority o f their capital
and o f their navigation, had given them the supply o f the Dutch colonies.
“ A law o f the 29th o f March, 1819, authorized the establishment o f the
General Society o f Commerce o f the L ow Countries. A ccording to its
statutes, the association is to exist till the 31st o f Decem ber, 1849. The
proprietors o f four shares, at least, (each share is worth 1,000 florins,)
represent the whole society, and form its legal body. This body is divided
into six electoral colleges, or is united into one general assembly, which,
during the latter years, consisted o f about three hundred voting members.
The electoral college o f Amsterdam, and that o f Rotterdam, choose, among
the possessors o f at least seven shares, four commissioners ; those o f D or­
drecht, o f Leyden, o f Midelburg, and the Hague, name each one ; the
king names a third, who presides over the assembly o f commissioners.
This commissioner is permanent; the others are renewed every year by
one fourth. T h e commissioner, together with the three directors, form
the council o f the society. The first o f the three directors is president o f
the direction o f the council o f the general assembly, and o f the society.
H e is named by the king, without any candidateship ; the other directors
are also named for the first time by the king ; but when one o f their places
becomes vacant, the council present to the king, in order to fill it up, a list
o f candidates chosen among the possessors o f more than twenty-five shares.
The direction forms the executive power o f the society ; makes contracts,
buys, sells, receives, keeps, distributes the revenues, names and dismisses
those employed. T h e council holds each year a session, which opens on
the first Monday o f May ; it receives the accounts, and makes a statement
o f the affairs ; it makes regulations, and gives instructions ; these regula­
tions and instructions are to be submitted to the approbation o f the king.
The general assembly has no periodical m eeting; when the resolutions to
be taken deviate from the articles first agreed upon, the council calls an
assembly, after having obtained the king’s consent. The directors are
forbidden to accept any public office, or to take part in any commercial
enterprise. Their shares, as well as those o f the commissioners, deposit­
ed as surety, can be confiscated, in case o f any infraction o f the laws o f
the society. The directors receive a salary, and these salaries are very
large for an econom ical nation. The president gets 25,000f., the direc­
tors 17,000f., and each o f them has besides one half per cent from the
general dividend, six francs per league for the expenses o f travelling, and
twenty-one francs a day for being present during the session. King W il­
liam has kept the General Society o f Commerce as a merely com m ercial
company, without any right o f government or exclusive privilege. The
India company had ministers at Java, an army, and a fleet: the society
has but a factory there, composed o f a president and two members. It
cannot possess land, for it is obliged to overlook the culture o f all the land.
A s it can only make use o f the ships made by the Dutch, and belonging to
them, it cannot possess any itself. In order that its large freights may be
fairly distributed among the Dutch, the company has no vessels o f its own,
but employs the shipping o f the Dutch ports in such proportions that A m ­
sterdam has f i , Rotterdam i f , Dordrecht T\ , and Midelburg, also, T\ .

VOL. v .— no. v.




56

442

Dutch Commerce.

Those employed by government deliver the produce at Java to the fa ctory ;
the society is to transport it into Holland according to a fixed price ; this
price was, in 1839, twenty-eight centimes per kilogramme o f coffee, and
twenty-three centimes per kilogramme o f sugar. The Dutch government
would increase its revenue one third by selling the produce o f Java in Java,
but then the aim would not be attained. Dutch navigation must be kept
up by the transport o f the produce, and the produce must be brought to
Holland, in order that Holland may remain the great market. The result
o f this arrangement has answered the largeness o f those views which dic­
tated them. W hen the society was established, the Dutch flag only trans­
ported half the produce o f their Indies, and now it transports all.
“ In the year 1838 alone, the society freighted upwards o f 140 vessels,
o f 100,000 tons burden, and shared amongst the proprietors a salary o f
16,532,000f. In 1839, the tonnage o f the vessels freighted was o f 116,000
tons, and in 1840, o f 138,000 tons. Such encouragement rendered the
premium given by government for the building o f vessels superfluous. It
has been enabled to spare this expense ; and, in spite o f the suppression
o f the premium, the work upon the docks is more active than ever in all
the Dutch ports. During the year 1839, 123 vessels, o f 39,918 tons, have
been built. Holland and Belgium united only possessed, in 1826, 1,176
vessels, o f 148,000 tons burden; on the 1st o f January, 1840, Holland
alone possessed 1,528 vessels, o f 270,000 tons burden, all built at Java,
and belonging to the colony. The society has engaged, since 1839, to
take and keep a naval apprentice for every 200 tons, y e a rly ; so that each
year from 600 to 700 young men are formed for navigation.
“ W hilst the society thus increased the national marine, it also gave to
Holland that manufacturing industry so long flourishing, and so lately
ruined, by the weight o f taxes, and the dearness consequent upon them.
“ The re-establishing manufactures in Holland seemed an impossible
undertaking; what manufacture could have risen above the expense o f its
first establishment, and support the expense o f the apprenticeship o f a popu­
lation unaccustomed to the work ? King W illiam saw this obstacle ; but
he thought that once it was surmounted, the Dutch manufactures could
occupy and give a livelihood to the mass o f poor to whom the want o f cul­
tivable land leaves deprived o f work, and at the charge o f the treasuiy.
T h e king then inserted in the charter o f the society, the express stipula­
tion that it should make use o f Dutch produce for exportation, unless this
could not be procured at a reasonable price ; and interpreting this expres­
sion himself, he caused the society to make engagements with the manu­
factures which were to be established upon the faith o f its ord ers; and
supporting these operations by the customhouse tariff, by the power o f the
company, and by all the protection o f the political authorities, and at the
same time erecting manufactories on every point o f the kingdom, he took
away the supply o f Java from England. In 1824, the Dutch manufac­
turers sent out to Java 430,000f. worth o f cotton stuffs, and the English
manufacturers 5,400,000f. worth. In 1839, the Dutch sent out to Java
15,484,000f. worth o f cotton stuffs, and England 6,850,000f. worth.* By
“ * The importation o f national cotton stuffs at Java in 1839, was o f about 15,000,000
francs, and that o f English cotton o f 5,000,000. But the cotton thread, which is made
use o f in the manufactures o f Holland, comes almost all from England. The annual
value o f English cotton thread thus employed being 5,000,000 francs, this sum is to be




Butch Commerce.

443

bringing upon the market o f Java an association provided with so great a
superiority o f means, and supported by all the power o f government, the
king was establishing a regular monopoly. H e nevertheless took care to
avoid this evil. A n y operation o f an exclusive character was forbidden to
the society by its statutes. Foreigners continue to bring their merchan­
dise to Java, and to buy the produce o f the s o il; only they find another
competitor, and this competitor governs the market by the power o f its
capital. The Dutch, whether individual commercial houses or the society,
are also favored by the dispositions o f the tariff, which exempt from duty
the produce exported by Dutch ships, and which reduces, for Dutch mer­
chandise, the general duty o f importation from 25 per cent to 121 per cent.
Under this new condition about fifteen Dutch houses, and six or eight
English, French, and Am erican houses, still remain at Java.
These
houses kept, or sent to foreign countries in the year 1839, 5,000,000
florins’ worth o f coffee, 3,000,000 florins’ worth o f sugar, and 8,000,000
florins’ worth o f rice. T h ey received from foreign countries, and distri­
buted in the island, 20,000,000 o f florins’ worth o f merchandise, one fourth
o f the importation o f Java. The society, in its purchases, its sales, and in
the mode o f its transports, making its interest subordinate to the general
interests o f the country, has realized such considerable profits, that it has
been under the necessity o f reducing them, and has just consented to
diminish the advantage o f its contracts with the state. In 1838 and 1839,
its dividend was 8£ per cent, besides 4-} in reserve, and 4J per cent in­
terest, in all 17^ per cent. The dividend o f the bank o f London has never
exceeded 10 per cent.
“ The society, increasing its capital as it extended its operations, has
raised the former to 97,250,000 florins. The possession o f this capital
ranks it among the number o f the great commercial associations which
exist in the world ; the capital o f the Bank o f Amsterdam is 20,000,000
o f florins ; that o f the Bank o f France 90,000,000 millions ; and that o f
the Bank o f England 260,000,000. King W illiam Frederic possesses
himself 20,000,000 o f the capital o f the society.* After having regulated
the statutes, he had guaranteed to his associates an interest o f 4^- per cent.
During two consecutive years, 1827 and 1828, he realized his guarantee,
and paid from four to five millions o f francs interest. The abdication o f
King W illiam Frederic has been for the society a crisis from which it is
not yet extricated. It is not yet known what power this prince preserves
as an individual in an association o f which he remains the guarantee and
the principal shareholder. The situation o f the new king with regard to
this association is not yet determined. E very one seems particularly
stricken with the abuses which have resulted from the dependence o f the
society upon the crown, and look to the cessation o f this dependence for
more surety to the public finances, and more liberty to com m erce ; but
perhaps it will not be long before the absence o f this superior power will
be felt, which caused to converge towards the same action the services o f
deducted from the number o f the importation o f Dutch cotton stuffs,
that o f the English importation. T he share o f English industry in
cotton stuffs to Java, in 1839, was thus about 10,000,000 francs, and
lands 10,000,000 francs also.
“ * This seems incorrect. By the 14th article o f the royal decree
King William Frederic became security for himself and his family for
o f florins in the capital o f the company.”




and to be added to
the importation o f
that o f the Nether­
o f March 29,1824,
a sum o f 4,000,000

/

444

Townsend’s Ice-breaker.

the state and the operations o f commerce, which combined the establish­
ment o f a manufacture in Over Issel with the cultivation o f a field at Java,
and the levying o f a tax with the success o f a commercial speculation.
W hat is truly great in this creation, made and conducted by King W il­
liam, is, that by it the true policy came to dominate in both the fiscal spirit
o f the treasury, and the mercantile spirit o f a company. It would be
melancholy and pernicious to see a divorce between the government and
the company, the one looking to econom y, the other to profit. Both aims
would be missed by the separation.”

A rt. V I.— T O W N S E N D ’S IC E -B R E A K E R .
To the Editor o f the M eichants’ M agazine :

Permit me, dear Sir, through your widely circulating journal, to lay
before the public the plan o f an invention which, i f successfully applied,
will prove one o f the most valuable discoveries o f modern times. It is
comprised in a machine, constituted o f a cylinder armed with teeth, and
revolved by means o f a steam-engine, which is designed to advance upon
our rivers and bays, and to break a channel through the ice during the
winter, thus affording a free track for steam navigation in that season.
T h e inventor is Mr. Jacob Townsend, a respectable and practical me­
chanic o f the city o f N ew York, who has devoted much time and expense
to the instrument, and already taken out a patent. The advantages result­
ing from the success o f his invention would be scarcely second to those
o f the application o f steam to the propulsion o f vessels by Mr. Fulton, for
it would nearly double the benefits that are now derived from this agent,
by extending its operation to the whole year, it being now obstructed by
the ice through a considerable part.
It seems extraordinary that in our own age, when the agent o f steam
enables us to create and apply almost an indefinite amount o f power to so
many various objects, the simple operation o f breaking so soft a material
as that o f ice has never been successfully effected, and the benefits that
would flow from its accomplishment should scarcely cause us to regret any
ordinary sacrifices that we might make for the attainment o f the desired
end. The plan o f the ice-breaker o f Mr. Townsend has been carefully
examined by scientific and practical men, who have expressed their decided
conviction that it promises to be effective in attaining the anticipated object.
The instrument thus invented by Mr. Townsend, is earnestly commended
to the attention o f the patriotic and liberal-minded men o f our large cities,
as well as those o f the country. W hile I am well aware that our patent
office in Washington exhibits, in its numerous unsuccessful models which
are there deposited, the offspring o f many a furrowed brow and sleepless
night, melancholy evidences o f disappointed, nay, blasted h opes; does that
fact present any good reason why an invention o f so much importance,
that promises reasonable success, should not be aided by the public sup­
port, in order that the experiment may be fairly tested ? For my own part,
I conceive that the establishment o f a joint-stock company for that direct
purpose, would be the most favorable mode o f advancing the success o f
this invention— an invention whose value will scarcely be deemed vision­
ary when backed by the names o f the well-known gentlemen who have




attested the feasibility o f the object, and whose operations are shown by
the description o f the instrument, and the mathematical demonstrations
which are here subjoined.




The follow ing description o f the Ice-breaker is given in the Report o f the Committee on A rts and Sciences o f the Mechanics' Institute :

The committee are o f opinion, that the invention offered for their consideration by Jacob Townsend, presents a
combination o f effective forces sufficient to easily break the ice formed in our bay, and the rivers emptying into it,
during a winter o f ordinary severity ; and that by a proper application o f power to the machine, its progress
through ice may be increased to such an extent as to make it a valuable invention. The full scope o f its useful­
ness, however, will be better ascertained by experiment, as is the case with all inventions, and more especially
those in which an application o f mechanical laws is intended to counteract an irregular operation o f natural laws.
Description. A is a cylinder, with its periphery and ends armed with strong iron, hooked, and wedge-shaped

/

446

Laws relative to Debtor and Creditor.

teeth, D. This cylinder may be made o f wood, in the usual manner, and
have the teeth fastened on its periphery by means o f strong iron hoops
bending over flanges cast upon the base o f the teeth ; or it may be formed
entirely o f iron, cast in rings or zones, and united in a manner similar to
iron water-pipes. This cylinder is suspended horizontally in front o f the
boat, by an arrangement that permits o f its being raised or lowered at
pleasure. H, arms enclosing the gudgeons o f the cylinder, and attached
to the sides o f the boat by strong iron bolts. G, a beam supporting the
yokes or stirrups in which the ai ms rest. K, a chain band to communi­
cate motion to the cylinder, passing over spurs on the cylinder and a
cogged ring on the spur wheel. The arrangement o f the teeth on the
cylinder, as represented in the engraving, is spiral.
I think you will agree with me, Sii, that the advantages flowing from
this successful experiment can scarcely be overrated. A free navigation
between N ew Y ork and Albany, and through the other channels o f watercommunication to the port towns along our seaboard, and in the interior,
would throw a new aspect over the commercial condition o f the country,
and add greatly to the productive power o f the people and the wealth o f
the nation. As N ew Y ork is entitled to the credit o f the discovery o f
steam navigation, so also, let N ew Y ork be instrumental in the first suc­
cessful establishment o f steam navigation throughout the year. W ith the
hope that my few remarks may direct the attention o f all who are interest­
ed in com m erce to the invention o f Mr. Townsend, I subscribe myself,
Sir, yours very respectfully,
F

A

rt.

ulton.

V II.— L A W S R E L A T I V E T O D E B T O R A N D C R E D IT O R .
NUMBER X II.

D E B T O R A N D C R E D IT O R IN IL L IN O IS *

Suits in Illinois for the recovery o f debts, are commenced either by
summons, capias, or attachment.
BY SUMMONS.

B y this mode, the debtor is simply summoned to appear on the first day
o f the next term o f the court, to answer the complaint o f his creditor, and
his person or property are thereby, prior to judgment, in no wise affected.
BY CAPIAS.

A capias, requiring bail for the debtor’ s appearance at court, may be
issued when the plaintiff or other credible person who can ascertain the
sum due, or damages sustained, will make oath that the same will be in
danger o f being lost, or that the benefit o f whatever judgment may be ob­
tained will be in danger, unless the defendant be held to bail. If the re­
quisite bail is not given on arrest, the defendant must either procure a
discharge, as is provided by the insolvent act, or stand committed until
the sitting o f court.
* Prepared for the Merchants’ Magazine, from the Satutes, by Charles Gilman, Esq.,

of the Quincy, Illinois, bar.




Laws relative to Debtor and Creditor.

447

BY ATTACHMENT.

A writ o f attachment may be issued against resident debtors, when any
creditor or his agent shall make complaint on oath, or affirmation, to the
clerk o f the Circuit Court, that his debtor is about to depart from the state,
or has departed therefrom, with the intention in either case o f having his
effects and personal estate removed without the limits o f the state, or stands
in defiance o f any officer authorized to arrest him on civil process, so that
the ordinary process o f law cannot be serv ed ; and, also, that such debtor
is indebted to such creditor in a sum exceeding twenty dollars o f lawful
money o f the United States, specifying the amount and nature o f such in­
debtedness. Before the attachment is issued, in addition to this oath, a
bond, with approved security, executed by the party, his agent or attor­
ney, payable to the defendant in double the sum claimed to be due from
defendant to plaintiff, conditioned for satisfying all cost which may be
awarded to the defendant, in case plaintiff is cast in the suit, and also all
damages which shall be recovered for wrongfully suing out such attach­
ment, must be also filed with said clerk. This attachment reaches all and
singular the lands and tenements, goods and chattels, rights and credits,
moneys and effects o f what nature soever, in whosesoever hands or pos­
session the same may be found, and whose names are inserted in the writ
as garnishees.
The jurisdiction o f justices o f the peace, in cases o f attachment, ex­
tends to the sum o f fifty dollars.
I f the debtor is a non-resident, and cannot personally be served with
process, and has any estate, real or persona], within the state, such estate
may be reached by attachment as is herein before provided.
I f two or more persons not residing in the state, are jointly indebted, an
attachment may be issued against their separate and joint estate, on the
oath, or affirmation, o f non-residence, particular residence, and indebted­
ness o f such debtors.
A creditor who is absent from, or a non-resident o f the state, may have
an attachment against the estate o f his debtor, upon his agent or attorney
making the requisite oath, and filing a bond as in other cases.
In all cases by attachment or otherwise, if the plaintiff is a non-resident,
a bond or obligation for costs, signed by some responsible person residing
within the state, must be filed prior to the commencement o f the suit.
W henever more than one attachment shall be issued against the same
defendant, and returned to the same term o f the court to which they are
returnable, or where a judgment in a civil suit shall be also rendered at
the same term against the defendant, who is the same person and defen­
dant in the attachment or attachments, each attaching and judgment cred­
itor will receive in proportion to his respective demand.
W hen suits have been commenced by summons, an attachment in aid
thereof may be issued at any term pending such suit, upon the filing o f
the proper affidavit and bond.
In cases o f attachment o f real estate, the officer serving the process is
required to file a certificate o f the fact with the recorder o f the court
where such land is situated, and from and after such filing, the levy takes
effect as to creditors and bona jide purchasers without notice.
Judgments, in all cases, create a lien on real estate, from the last day
o f the term o f the court in which the same may be rendered, for the pe­




448
riod o f

Laws relative to Debtor andCreditor.
seven y e a r s,

i f e x e c u t i o n t h e r e o n b e i s s u e d w it h in o n e

year from

t h e t im e o f r e n d i t i o n .

The following articles o f personal property are exempted from attach­
ment and execution, viz : for every person being the head o f a family, and
residing wra5\the same, one milch cow and calf, the wearing apparel o f
himself and family, necessary bed and bedding, one spinning wheel, and
a pair o f cards, provisions not more than sufficient for the support o f the
family three months, and the necessary utensils for cooking, and neces­
sary household furniture, not exceeding in value fifteen dollars, and sixty
dollars worth o f property suited to his occupation and condition ; and for
every single person, his wearing apparel, and necessary military arms and
accoutrements.
The plaintiff may elect on what property he will have execution levied,
except the land on which defendant resides, and his personal property,
which shall be last taken in execution. All property so taken on exe­
cution issuing on a judgment rendered, and founded on any contract en­
tered into prior to the first day o f M ay, A . D. 1841, must be valued and
appraised by three householders 'on oath, before it can be sold, which
valuation and appraisement must have reference to its cash v alu e; and
when offered for sale, if no person shall bid two thirds o f said valuation,
it shall not be struck off.
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

W henever any debtor shall refuse to surrender his estate, lands, tene­
ments, goods or chattels, for the satisfaction o f any execution issued
against his property, the plaintiff, his agent or attorney, on making affida­
vit o f such fact before any justice o f the peace, and filing the same with
the clerk o f the court from which the execution issued, or with the justice
who issued it, is entitled to an execution against the body o f the debtor.
The debtor when arrested on mesne proc& s or execution, may go be­
fore the probate justice o f the peace, and if he desire, be allowed a jury
o f seven householders o f the neighborhood, who shall be sworn to try the
fact o f refusal to surrender the property o f such debtor for the benefit o f
his creditors ; if the jury find a verdict o f “ guifty o f such refusal,” then
the debtor is required to surrender his property, or make a schedule, as
hereinafter mentioned ; but i f their verdict is “ not guilty,” he shall then
be discharged from arrest.
I f the debtor does not claim such a jury, he must make a full, fair, and
complete schedule o f all his property o f any and every description, or
kind, name, or nature, whatsoever ; together with a true and perfect ac­
count o f all the debts which he may owe at the time, which schedule must
be subscribed by the debtorjjwho shall also take and subscribe the follow­
ing oath or affirmation, to w 8 : “ I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the
case may be) that the schedule now delivered, and by me subscribed, con­
tains, to the best o f my knowledge and belief, a full, true, and perfect ac­
count and discovery o f all the estate, lands, tenements, hereditaments,
goods, chattels, and effects, unto me in any wise belonging, and such
debts as are unto me owing, or unto any person or persons for me, or in
trust for me, and o f all securities and contracts, whereby any money may
becom e due or payable, or any advantage or benefit accrue to me, or to
m y use, or to any person or persons for me, or in trust for me ; that I have
not lands, money, or any other estate, real or personal, in possession,




Laics relative to Debtor and Creditor.

449

reversion, or remainder, which is not set forth in this schedule: nor have
I, at any day or time, directly or indirectly, sold, lessened in value, or
otherwise disposed of, all or any part o f m y lands, money, goods, stock,
debts, securities, contracts, or estate, whereby to secure the same, or to
receive, or expect to receive, any profit or advantage therefrom, to de­
fraud any creditor, or creditors, to whom I am indebted in any wise what­
soever ; and also, that this schedule contains a true and perfect account
o f alt the debts which I owe to any and every person whatsoever.”
A n y creditor o f such debtor has the right to appear before the judge o f
probate, and contest the truth o f the schedule ; if, after a full investigation
and fair examination o f the debtor and witnesses, if any, it shall appear to
the judge that the proceedings on the part o f the debtor are fair, just, and
honest, he shall appoint an assignee o f the debtor, and the debtor shall
immediately, by endorsement on said schedule, assign all, or so much o f
his property as the judge may deem sufficient to pay all the debts, interest,
costs, and charges in the schedule mentioned, to said assignee.
W hen the debtor shall produce to the judge the receipt o f the assignee,
that he has received all the estate, & e., so assigned to him, the judge is
then required to give the debtor a discharge in writing from imprisonment,
which discharge shall exempt the debtor from arrest on account o f any
debt mentioned in said schedule, until the same shall be vacated by the
due course o f law.
A n appeal to the Circuit Court is allowed to either party who may
think himself aggrieved by the discharge of, or a refusal to discharge the
debtor, on entering into the bond required by law.
The assignee o f any insolvent debtor is required to make a settle­
ment o f the insolvent’s estate before the judge o f probate, within eighteen
months after the date o f the assignment, giving thirty days notice o f
making such settlement; and the judge shall make such order o f distri­
bution, as is made in cases trf deceased persons, and the assignee shall pay
the creditors their dividends within thirty days after such settlement, if all
the debts have been collected.
A n y debtor who shall be convicted o f taking a false oath under any o f
the provisions o f the Insolvent A ct, shall be deemed guilty o f perjury.
PROMISSORY NOTES, & C .

Promissory notes, bonds, due-bills, and other instruments in writing for
the payment o f money or articles o f personal property, are made assign­
able by endorsement thereon, in the same manner as bills o f exchange are.
Every assignor o f any such instruments is liable, as such, i f the as­
signee shall have used due diligence by the institution and prosecution o f
a suit thereon against the maker. I f the institution o f such suit would
have been unavailing, or the maker had absconded, or left the state, when
such instrument became due, the assignee is entitled to recover against the
assignor, as if due diligence by suit had been used.
RATE OF INTEREST.

Six per cent is the legal rate o f interest in Illinois, subject, however, to
the provision that a higher rate o f interest may be received, when an express
contract has been made.
V O L. v . —

no.




v.

57

450

Mercantile Law Department.

MERCANTILE LAW DEPARTMENT.
RECENT

D E C IS IO N S

IN

THE

U N IT E D

STATES

COU RTS.

United States Circuit Court.— Before Judge Thompson.— April term, 1841.
One hundred and twenty-three packages o f Glass. Barclay and Livingston,
claimants, vs. The United States.
Thompson, J. This case comes up on a writ o f error, from the district court
for the southern district o f New York : an information was there filed under
the fourth section o f the act o f congress o f the 28th of May, 1830, (8 vol. J. W.,
S. 340.) claiming a forfeiture of the goods in question upon an allegation, that
the invoice was made up with intent, by a false valuation, to defraud the rev­
enue o f the United States ; alleging that the goods were charged in the in­
voice, at a less price than they actually cost the importer. The information
also contains an allegation, that the goods having been procured otherwise than
by purchase, the same were charged in the invoice at a price less than their ac­
tual value at the time and place when and where procured.
The claims interposed by the claimants, allege that the goods were bona fide
the property o f Booth & Co. of Sunderland, in England, manufacturers, and
were sent out and consigned to the claimants for sale. That an entry was
duly made, and invoice produced and left with the collector, and denying that
such invoice and entry were made with intent to defraud the revenue.
Erom these allegations in the pleadings, it appears that the entry was made
by the claimants as consignees o f Booth & Co., who were the manufacturers
and owners of the goods ; so that the inquiry upon the trial could not involve
the actual cost o f the goods, they not having been purchased ; but must have
turned upon the actual value o f the articles. The case comes upon a bill o f ex­
ceptions taken at the trial.
The district attorney gave in evidence, the entry made by the claimants as
consignees o f Booth & Co. upon the oath of Schuyler Livingston, and the pro­
duction o f the invoice and bill o f lading. The district attorney also read in evi­
dence, an affidavit annexed to the invoice, made by one John French, one of
the firm o f Booth & Co., as evidence that they were the manufacturers o f the
glass in question, which affidavit stated that they were the true and lawful
owners of the goods, and that he and his partners were the manufacturers, and
that the nett prices charged in the invoice were the current value of the same
at Sunderland.
The district attorney then introduced Abraham B. Mead, one o f the appraisers,
and other witnesses, who appraised the goods at the time and place o f importa­
tion at a higher value than that stated in the invoice.
On the part of the claimants, testimony taken under a commission was in­
troduced, to show that the fair market value o f the goods at the time and place
o f importation was according to the prices stated in the invoice. Among other
witnesses, James Riche swore, that he knew the shipment in question and the
invoice thereof, (a copy o f which was annexed to his deposition,) and which
exhibits the fair market value o f the articles at Sunderland, at the date o f the
invoice. That his knowledge was gained by occasionally selling goods in
Booth & Co.’s warehouse, and by having access to their books at all times.
James Wilson was then called as a witness on the part of the claimants, who
swore that for two years and a half last past he had been conversant with the
importation and sales o f glass ware from the Tyne river and its vicinity. And
the claimants then offered to prove by this witness the selling price o f glass of
this kind in New York, and what would be market price at Sunderland, in or­
der to yield a profit here. This inquiry was objected to, and excluded by the
court, and the admissibility o f such inquiry is one o f the questions that has been
made in the case, and the only one relating to the admissibility o f evidence.
The affidavit annexed to the invoice was introduced on the part of the United
States, and the force and effect of it, and the light in which it was considered




I
Mercantile Law Department.

451

by the court, in the charge to the jury, will depend on other considerations
than the admissibility o f the evidence.
I do not see on what grounds this inquiry, offered to be made o f Wilson, was
improper or irrelevant. Had the goods in question been purchased in England,
the actual cost might have been proved, and would perhaps have been the evi­
dence required. But the issue was as to the real or market value of the article
at the date o f the invoice. And this was a point not susceptible of absolute
certainty in proof, but was to be made only by circumstances, and depending
in some measure upon the opinion of witnesses. The selling price in New
York was certainly not entirely irrelevant. It contributed in some measure to
aid an opinion upon the actual or market value of the article at the place of
exportation. It is not to be presumed that an importation would be made at a
valuation upon which a loss must be sustained, according to the selling price,
in the market here. It was evidence of the same character as that given on
the part of the United States, by the appraisers. That testimony could be no
more than mere matter of opinion, derived from their acquaintance with the
article, and their knowledge of the market price here and in England. And it
was precisely the inquiry that had been made o f Thomas D. Moore, a witness
on the part of the United States. And although made on a cross-examination,
it was made without objection, nor do I perceive any objection that could have
been made. The opinion o f the appraisers as to the foreign cost or market
value of the goods, is undoubtedly, under the revenue laws, prima facie evidence
o f the fact, and unappealed from may be conclusive evidence as to the amount o f
duties, but certainly cannot be conclusive upon the question o f forfeiture. It
must undoubtedly be rebutted by clear and satisfactory evidence. The weight to
which it is entitled, when compared with the evidence on the other side, is to
be weighed by the jury, who are to decide whether the inventory was made
up with intent to defraud the revenue. I think, therefore, that the inquiry of­
fered to be made of Wilson was improperly excluded.
The other question in the case relates to the affidavit annexed to the invoice.
This was introduced on the part o f the United States, and the inquiry respect­
ing it grows out of the charge of the court. The judge instructed the jury,
“ That the affidavit accompanying the invoice was not to be looked to by them
at all as evidence in the case. That it was not taken as evidence, was given
without the presence o f the adverse party, or any notice to him, was a volun­
tary affidavit of the party in his own behalf, and was merely a customhouse
document, required to accomplish the entry. That it was not a judicial oath
on which the party could be indicted, and was no higher evidence than the in­
voice itself, or a letter of the party, and that the claimants were not entitled to
any presumption in their favor as to its verity, or to the benefit of any doubt,
so far as this allegation o f the claimant is concerned.”
I cannot view the affidavit annexed to the invoice in this light. It was evi­
dence introduced on the part of the United States, and was o f course before the
jury for some purpose. And if it was properly before the jury, it was their
province to decide upon the weight o f it. And they could not be instructed by
the court not to look to it at all. It was not, to be sure, taken as evidence in a
cause pending in court, and which would require notice to the other party, but
it was a voucher required by law to accompany the invoice, and could not be
considered merely as the voluntary oath of the party, but as evidence o f the
verity o f the invoice, not conclusive, but still adding some sanction to the in­
voice. It can hardly be supposed that the government would require an affi­
davit to be annexed to an invoice, and at the same time considered it of no
force or effect whatever. It was the voucher required by law, and upon which
tlie goods would be admitted to an entry, unless objected to by the collector,
upon the ground o f a false and fraudulent valuation. It can form no objection
that the party could not be indicted for perjury. This arises from want o f ju­
risdiction of the case in our courts. Had the affidavit been taken here, and is
false, the party might have been indicted for perjury. If the affidavit was no
higher evidence than the invoice itself, it is not easy to understand why the




452

Mercantile Law Department.

act o f congress should have required it to be superadded to the invoice ; it must
certainly have been intended to give it some additional sanction. Admitting
the seventy-first section of the act o f 1799, (3 vol. L. U. S. 200,) to be in force
and applicable to the case, it does not call for the view taken o f the affidavit in
the court below. That act only declares that if upon the seizure, the property
shall be claimed by any person, the onus probandi shall lie upon such claim­
ant, but that such onus probandi shall lie on the claimant only where a proba­
ble cause is shown for such prosecution.
The evidence o f the appraisers was undoubtedly sufficient to make out the
probable cause, and to throw upon the claimants the onus o f proving the valu­
ation o f the article as stated in the invoice, and that must be shown by testi­
mony satisfactory to the jury, but it determines nothing with respect to the
kind o f evidence necessary to establish the fact. Had the goods in question
been purchased, it would have been in the power of the claimants to show the
actual cost. And if that had not been done, it would have afforded a strong
inference against them ; such evidence being in their possession or within their
power ; but not presumed to be in the possession or within the power o f the
United States. But that principle does not apply to the present case. The in­
quiry here was as to the real or fair market value o f the article, and this did not
depend upon any private knowledge in the possession o f the claimants; but
upon matters o f public information equally open to the United States as to the
claimants.
The cases referred to upon the argument, where a construction had been
given to the onus probandi, required on the part o f the claimants under the
seventy-first section, do not apply to the case now before the court. The in­
quiry in those cases was as to the actual cost o f the goods. This was a fact
susceptible o f positive proof within the power o f the claimant; and its non-pro­
duction, or not accounting for its absence, was a kind o f negative evidence
which ought to have great weight in the case. I cannot, upon the whole, concur
with the district court in the view taken o f the affidavit annexed to the invoice.
It was an authentication o f the invoice required by law, and was in evidence
before the jury, and the weight to be attached to it was for them to decide.
The judgment o f the district court must therefore be reversed.
M A R IT IM E A S S A U L T S .

On the trial of an action brought by a seaman against the mate o f a vessel,
for an assault and battery, on the admiralty side o f the district court o f the
United States, Judge Ilopkinson gave his opinion o f suits o f this description—
he said:—
In action by a mariner for his wages, in which he seeks for nothing but a re­
muneration for his labor, and the owner or master o f the vessel endeavors to
deprive him o f it by an allegation o f a forfeiture, or to make deductions by
charges o f misconduct, I hold the respondent to strict proof and require o f him
to show clearly, a good and sufficient cause for the defence. I will not defeat
such claim and take from the man his hard earnings, for services which have
been rendered and received, for unimportant acts o f disobedience or rude and
impertinent language, unless it be o f a very gross character or dangerous to the
discipline o f the ship, and subordination o f her crew ; faults which such men
as seamen commit without any serious design o f insubordination or insult, but
which masters and mates, not unfrequently as rough as their men, are fond of
calling mutiny, to resist a demand for wages. W e do not look fer the man­
ners o f a drawing-room on board o f a ship, nor should we punish as an assault
and battery those violations o f the pride or person o f a sailor, which in another
class o f men must be repressed or they would lead to mortal consequences.
While, therefore, in a suit brought by a sailor for his wages, I would make
every reasonable presumption to protect him from loss; on the other hand, if
he brings his officer here for an assault upon him, to which he is frequently in­
stigated by bad advisers on shore, I reverse the proceeding, and require o f him
to make out a clear case, by credible and consistent proof. I throw the burden




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on him, with no disposition to favor frivolous complaints, or encourage such
litigation. It is not enough to show on the part of the officer, coarse and
threatening language, it is the idiom o f the sea, “ signifying nothing
nor even
a rash, and perhaps, unnecessary blow, for if such occurrences are to be the
ground o f these suits, a vessel will seldom come into port, without furnishing »
more or less o f them. Officers will be under such an apprehension o f them,
that they will be unable to maintain that discipline, which is essential to the
safety o f all. But when I can see there has been a deliberate design to oppress
a seaman, an assault upon him, to gratify some personal ill will, or indulge a
vindictive temper; or where there has been a wanton and tyrannical abuse o f
pow er; or if a serious injury has been inflicted by the violence of passion, how­
ever sudden, in such cases, redress for the wrong will always be found in this
court, so far as I am capable o f affording it. Obedience and submission are the
duty o f a sailor on his voyage, and the law rewards him for them, by an ample
protection against wrong, when he reaches his port, and comes within the
power of the law. The weapon used by an officer for punishing a seaman, is
always a subject o f consideration and weight with the court.
Actions for assaults and battery were first brought in this court, since I came
upon the bench. They were formerly prosecuted in the common law courts
o f the state, where the delay in obtaining a trial, the difficulty o f having wit­
nesses at the trial, and the heavy expense, were sufficient discouragements to
prevent frivolous and vexatious suits. But the speedy trial to be had here, with
little or no advance of money, where something may be gained and nothing lost,
for the plaintiff cannot pay the legal costs if he is unsuccessful, has been a graet
encouragement to trifling complaints, and experimental suits, which are deter­
mined in few days. He may therefore venture on any chance, however des­
perate ; he may get something; he can lose nothing. I desire to discounte­
nance such experiments, but will freely open the door to every serious abuse
o f power given to the officers o f a vessel to preserve her necessary dicipline,
and not for the indulgence o f a cruel and vindictive temper, or the outbreaks
o f unrestrained and violent passions.
In the above case the libel was dismissed, but without costs. A short time
after the above decision was made, another case occurred, in which damages
were given ; and the two opinions will show the ground assumed by the judge
in the decision o f actions by mariners against their officers for assaults.
Whitney vs. Eager.— Libel for assault and battery.— In deciding questions
o f this sort between the master o f a vessel and his men, it has been my endeavor
to preserve the ship from the danger to which she would be exposed by the
refractory disobedience and turbulence o f the crew, and, at the same time, to
protect-the crew from cruelty and unnecessary violence on the part of the mas­
ter. Indeed, one o f the most effectual means o f securing their submission, even
under ill treatment, is, that they shall be assured that they will receive redress
at the end o f the voyage, for any abuse o f the power o f the master over them.
I have, in a late case, explained the principles on which my decrees are founded
in such cases. I would avoid, on the one hand, encouraging frivolous and vex­
atious complaints, and on the other, be ready to give adequate redress for real
and substantial injuries.
To maintain the necessary discipline o f the ship, great power is given to tho
master, and obedience and non-resistance are exacted from the seamen; but
the master is not, therefore, constituted an unrestrained tyrant, nor are the
sailors made his defenceless victims. They are always, and everywhere, un­
der the protection o f the law, whether in the rivers o f their country, or the most
distant seas. They must be patient and submissive under suffering, and wait
for the season of redress ; when this arrives, the same power of the law which
has sustained the master in his authority, will make him account for the abuse
o f it.
•
In this case there has been a clear and gross abuse o f that authority, a wan­
ton cruelty, which neither the law or common humanity can justify.




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[After a careful comment upon, and examination of, the principal facts o f the
particular case, the learned judge continued:]
As to the receipt extorted from the libellant as the condition o f payment o f his
wages, by which he was required not only to acquit the owners o f any claim
for wages, but to release the officers o f the ship from all claims and damages,
it has more than once been decided in this court, that no attention will be paid
to such releases. An acquittance for the wages is the proper object and office
o f the receipt to be given on the payment o f wages ; to couple it with a release
to the officers for all personal wrongs and injuries, especially when the wages
are denied without it, will always be regarded as an attempt to impose upon the
seaman, and as betraying a consciousness of wrong, and a design to get rid o f
it in this way.
I have been surprised that the owners of vessels do not give some attention,
in selecting their masters, to the temper and manners of the individual.— In
passenger ships, these are matters o f real importance. What can be more dis­
agreeable and distressing to passengers, than to witness, daily or hourly, the
indulgence, by the master o f their vessel, o f a violent and cruel temper, and to
hear from him coarse abuse, accompanied by vulgar swearing, in his treat­
ment o f his men.
The damages claimed in this libel are $5000. This is probably as much as
the captain would get in ten years o f his life, and more than the libellant could
earn in his whole life. This will not do. W e must not become oppressors in
our endeavors to punish and prevent oppression. W e must consider the situ­
ation of both parties; and while we may imagine a case between parties in
which this amount o f damages would not be excessive for the same assault, it
cannot be a case between the master and mariner o f a ship. W e must not
bring distress and ruin on the one, to redress a wrong to the other, for the as­
sault complained of, although severe and unjust, has produced no serious or
permanent consequences to the libellant. It is enough that the respondent shall
receive a lesson to restrain his temper, and to know that whatever his power
may be at sea, a greater power is at home to call him to an account for the use
he has made of it. This, with a reasonable compensation to the libellant for
his injuries, will fully meet the justice o f the case.
Damages decreed $100, with costs.

THE BOOK TRADE.
1.— The Poetry of Flowers, and Flowers of Poetry; to which are added a Simple
Treatise on Botany, with familiar examples: and a copious Floral Dictionary.
Edited by F rances S. O sgood. 12mo. pp. 276. New York: C. Riker. 1841.
This little book, edited by Mrs. Osgood, who appears to be attaining that dis­
tinction among our poets that her talented husband has already acquired in the
kindred art of painting, is a striking example of the application o f the fine arts to
literature. W e here have not only the most beautiful efforts o f the intellect in
delineating the poetry of flowers, which have been termed, we believe, by a
German author, “ the smiles of God,” but the flowers themselves blooming in
their natural colors upon the page. Mrs. Osgood has selected from the most
distinguished authors those sentiments most appropriate to the illustration of
her design, and has interspersed her own delicate poetry through those parts
of the volume where they appeared most to be required. A familiar treatise
upon botany, sufficiently extended to exhibit its general principles, is also em­
bodied in the volum e; together with a floral dictionary, which teaches the lan­
guage of this poetry o f nature. In its design and execution the present volume
is one o f the most exquisite that has issued from the American press, and fur­
nishes an appropriate present for a friend, and a fitting ornament to the centre
table.




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2. _Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai, and Arabia Petraea. A Jour­
nal of Travels in the year 1838, by E. R obinson and E. S mith, undertaken
in reference to Biblical geography. Drawn up from the original diaries, with
historical illustrations ; by E uward R obinson, D. D., Professor of Biblical
Literature in the Union Theological Seminary, New Y ork; author o f a
Greek and English Lexicon of the New Testament, &c. With new maps
and plans, in five sheets. 3 vols. 8vo. pp. 571, 677, 721— in all, nearly 2000
pages. Boston: Crocker & Brewster. New Y ork: Jonathan Leavitt.
This is no common work. W e are anxious to do our part in calling the at­
tention o f our countrymen to one of the most stupendous monuments which
patient research and profound scholarship have ever yet erected. Its principal
laborer, Professor Robinson, was prepared for this great achievement by the
whole course of his previous studies. He had besides, in Missionary Smith,
the best of all guides ; a man thoroughly familiar with the Arabic language,
and the Syriac people; acquainted, too, with the difficulties and resources of
oriental travellers ; and as remarkable for his taste for geographical, as Profes­
sor Robinson for critical research. More than all, he has consecrated three
years to the task, in the midst o f the exhaustless treasures o f learning in Ger­
many, and aided, as a worthy companion, by her distinguished oriental scholars.
No wonder a great treasure is here added to the world’s literature— an invaluble geographical and historical encyclopaedia for the inquirer upon Palestine, to
the scanty collections in our own tongue— a splendid refutation of the charge
that America does nothing for literature, to the growing achievements of her
scholars in every department of science. With the humility o f profound learn­
ing, Professor Robinson entitles his books “ A first attempt to lay open the
treasures o f Biblical geography and history still remaining in the Holy Land—
treasures which have lain for ages unexplored, and had become so covered
with the dust and rubbish o f ages, that their very existence was forgotten.”
But it is far more than this. Innumerable mistakes, handed down from father
to son, and never suspected till now, this work has finally corrected : as it
slowly becomes known, they will melt like shadows before the rising sun. W e
find this even in the geography, which might have been considered most accu­
rate and certain ; and still more in the history. Many points, wholly in doubt,
this work has settled beyond any further question. And while we would not
complain o f the loaded learning and exact scholar style, we' can see but
one improvement o f which the work is susceptible ; and that is, a systematic
arrangement o f its contents into a physical and historical geography o f the
Holy Land. And this its author has now in view : may Providence bless his
labors. The maps, published since the work itself, o f Sinai, Arabia Petraea,
Jerusalem, Southern and Northern Palestine, are the best ever given, and
worthy of the masterly enterprise to which they belong.
3. — Sermons on Important Subjects, by the Rev. Samuel Davies, A. M., President
of the College of New Jersey. With an Essay on the Life and Times of the
Author. By A lbert Barnes. 12mo. pp. 497, 556, 499. N ew York : Dayton & Saxton. 1841.
W e learn from the publishers’ advertisement, that so steady has been the
demand for these sermons, that they feel the strongest confidence in presenting
the Christian public with the present stereotype edition. Several editions of
the work have been published in England, and this forms the fifth American.
These sermons are held in high esteem by Christians o f the popular faith, as
presenting “ vivid, fervent, and just exhibitions o f the great truths” o f religion,
as understood by “ such men as Edwards, the Tennents, and Strong, and Payson, and Dwight, and Griffin, and Bedell.” The volumes contain all the pub­
lished works o f President Davies, besides an original introductory essay, embrac­
ing a very copious sketch o f the life and times of the author, written with the
force and elegance that distinguishes every thing from the pen of Dr. Barnes,
one o f the most learned and gifted divines o f the Presbyterian Church, in this
country.




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4.— A Dictionary, Practical, Theoretical, and Historical, of Commerce and Com­
mercial Navigation. By J. R. M cC ulloch, Esq. Edited by H enky V ethake,
LL. D., one o f the Professors in the University o f Pennsylvania ; Member of
the American Philosophical Society ; Author o f a Treatise on Political Econ­
omy, etc. 2 vols. 8vo. pp. 765, 803. Philadelphia: Thomas Wardle. New
York : James P. Gifting. 1841.
The practical utility o f this work is too well known by the commercial pub­
lic to need our commendation. It is, or should be, found in the hands o f every
merchant and importer in the country. Our present purpose, therefore, is sim­
ply to call attention to the American edition o f Professor Yethake. This
edition has been reprinted from the last English edition, and embraces the
whole o f McCulloch’s supplement. In the additions to this work, the American
editor has, for the most part, confined himself to matters relating to the United
States, or o f especial interest to its citizens. Considerable information of this
nature will be found appended to the articles, Aliens, Banking, Credit, Liens,
Cotton, Importation and Exportation, Imports and Exports, Iron, Roads, Silk,
and Tariff, as well as others. Several articles have been inserted on subjects
not treated by McCulloch ; such as Admiralty courts, Liverpool, London,
&c. The language of Dr. Johnson, in his preface to Rolt’s Commercial Dic­
tionary, will apply with peculiar force to the edition o f McCulloch before us.
Though immediately and primarily written for the merchants, this dictionary
will be o f use to every man o f business in the community. There is no man
who is not in some degree a merchant, who has not something to buy and
something to sell, and who does not therefore want such instructions as may
teach him the true value o f possessions or commodities. The descriptions o f
the productions o f the earth and water which these volumes contain, may be
equally pleasing and useful to the speculatist with any other natural history.
The descriptions o f ports and cities may instruct the geographer, as well as if
they were found in books appropriated only to his own science; and the doc­
trines o f funds, insurance, currency, monopolies, exchanges, and duties, is so
necessary to the politician, that without it he can be o f no use either in the
council or the senate, nor can speak or think justly either on war or trade. It
is in fact a work which no condition o f life can render useless, which may con­
tribute to the advantage of all that make or revise laws, of all that buy or sell,
o f all that wish to keep or improve their possessions, of all that desire to be
rich, and all that desire to be wise. The volumes are neatly printed on good
paper, and substantially bound.
5.— Law and Lawyers, or Sketches and Illustrations of Legal History and Bio­
graphy. In two volumes, pp. 339, 333. Philadelphia: Carey & Hart. 1841.
These volumes form a valuable compendium o f facts and illustrations, show­
ing something o f the general character o f the English bar. Many personal anec­
dotes are brought together, which are o f no less interest to the public than to the
members of the profession. The most distinguished characters, who formerly
adorned the English bar and bench, as well as many who are now living, flit
before us in their most prominent traits. W e commend the work as one
which should find a place in the library o f every legal aspirant who desires to
raise the standard o f his profession, and to become acquainted with the most
interesting circumstances connected with its brightest ornaments.
6.— An Argument cm the Unconstitutionality of Slavery; embracing an abstract
of the Proceedings of the National and State Conventions on this subject
By G. P. F. M ellen. 12mo. pp. 440. Boston : Saxton & Pierce. 1841.
Mr. Mellen maintains, with all the earnestness o f a thorough-going aboli­
tionist, that, “ according to our constitution, it is impossible either for congress
or the states to establish slavery ; that no man now is rightfully or legally held
in bondage in this country ; that the whole system is unconstitutional; and
that it is in violation o f its spirit and letter, and ought not to be upheld.”




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7.__Pantology, or a Systematic Survey of Human Knowledge; proposing a classi­
fication o f all its branches, and illustrating their history, relations, uses, and
objects, with a synopsis o f their leading facts and principles, and a select cata­
logue o f books on all subjects suitable for a cabinet library : the whole
designed as a guide to study for advanced students, in colleges, academies,
and schools, and as a popular directory in literature, science, and the. arts.
By R oswell P ark, A. M., Professor o f Natural Philosophy and Chemistry,
and member o f the American Philosophical Society. 8vo. pp. 587. Phila­
delphia : Hogan & Thompson. 1841.
W e regard this work as one o f the most valuable publications which have
recently issued from the American press, and alike creditable to the author and
the publishers. The plan on which it is based is both novel and ingenious;
uniting a complete and thorough classification o f all the branches o f human
knowledge, with a comprehensive summary o f their leading facts and prin­
ciples. It is, therefore, a miniature encyclopredia, with the peculiar advantage
o f treating the subjects in a natural order, instead o f dissecting them alphabet­
ically ; but any subject may readily be found, without remembering the system,
by means o f a copious alphabetical index at the end o f the work. Another
peculiar and important feature o f this publication is, that it contains a choice
list of the best books on every branch o f human knowledge, arranged according
to the subjects, and embracing nearly fifteen hundred works, which together
would form a highly select library, and from which a further selection may
easily be made. As a book o f reference, for merchants and men o f business,
as well as professional men and students, we know o f no other single volume
so generally useful as Professor Park’s Pantology. It treats o f every subject
o f human knowledge : grammar and languages, mental and moral philosophy,
and education, law and government, religion and theology, geography and.
statistics, history and biography, poetry and romance, mathematics and natural
philosophy, natural history and medicine, machinery, architecture, engineering,
and navigation, agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, printing and the
fine arts ; showing their extent and relative importance, their connections and
dependencies, while it gives a considerable amount o f positive and authentic
information on each one o f them all. The wonder is that so many valuable
ideas could be clearly expressed within the compass o f a single octavo volume.
The engravings are appropriate, well executed, and on subjects o f popular in­
terest, while most o f them are such as would rarely be met with elsewhere.
W e think that every young man seeking for information, must have felt the
want o f such a work as this ; and that Professor Park has performed a valu­
able service for the cause o f education and morals, as well as for the diffusion
o f useful knowledge, in this attractive publication. W e wish that this work
may become as extensively known as it is meritorious and useful; and we
venture to predict its entire success, as a standard and popular work for all
classes o f intelligent readers.

8.— A Wreath of Wild Flowers from New England.

By Frances S. Osgood.
l ‘2mo. pp. 364. Boston: Saxton & Pierce. 1841.
A wreath of wild flowers from New England, laid before the British public,
is certainly a new thing under the sun. Yet w e doubt not that this beautiful
wreath, entwined by a daughter o f N ew England, has been much admired in
that country, if w e are to judge from the commendations of this work by the
British press. It is indeed a collection of choice gems. The contents comprise
a dramatic poem, and various fugitive pieces, upon as many topics. They all
denote the fair authoress as a lady of decided genius, possessing a tender sen­
sibility, a cultivated taste, and a delicate appreciation o f the gentle affections,
and o f the beautiful in nature and art. W e believe that the volume has already
received the stamp o f public admiration in our own country, and w e hope that
the writer may be induced to cull more flowers, and to entwine more wreaths,
to bedeck the literature o f the day.
VOL. V.— NO. V.
58




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9.—Life and Times of Red Jacket, or Sa-go-ye-whal-ha; being the sequel to the
History o f the Six Nations. By W illiam L. S tone. 8 vo. pp. 484. New
York and London : Wiley & Putnam. 1841.
The history o f the state o f N ew York is yet to be written. It remains for
some o f her gifted sons to rear “ that loftier monument on which, not the rays
o f the setting sun, but the rays o f a nation’s glory, as long as letters shall en­
dure, will continue to play and linger on its summit.” Within the past few
years very ample and interesting materials have been provided, and are almost
daily brought to light. The history o f the Indian tribes,—o f their confedera­
tion— our colonial annals— our revolutionary struggle— the toils and privations
o f our border settlements— are all given in detail, and furnish those materials
from which the master-builder can select when he rears his noble temple.
Among the largest contributors is the author o f the Life o f Red Jacket. Amid
the labor and vexations o f editing a daily paper, he has found time to make
extensive researches into our early history, and has given the fruits o f those
researches to the world. “ The Life of Brant” has been followed by “ The
Life o f Red Jacket,” and now we understand the author is engaged upon
the closing work o f the series— the Life and Times o f Sir William Johnson. The
latter, though written last, will be the first o f the series in the order o f time.
“ The Life and Times o f Red Jacket” is beautifully got up, is very interesting,
and contains accounts o f all the treaties with the Six Nations since the revo­
lution— o f the efforts made to civilize and christianize them— with stirring in­
cidents o f the last war— together with the speeches o f Red Jacket himself the
great orator o f the confederated tribes. W e hope the work may receive that
attention to which its merits entitle it.
10. — The Critical and Miscellaneous Writings o f Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer. In
2 vols. 12mo. Philadelphia: Lea & Blanchard. 1841.
W e thank the publishers for this collection o f gems from the periodical liter­
ature o f England. Though not so able as Macauley, not so classical, not so
admirable in taste, they are little less brilliant; and must be welcomed by the
admirers o f Bulwer throughout the land. W e are surprised that the “ Ambi­
tious Student,” already so familiar to the American public in another shape,
should be included in these volumes ; but many pieces are wholly new, all are
racy and stirring, and some o f them, as, for instance, that on the death o f Scott,
are truly magnificent.
11. — The Two Defaulters; or a Picture of the Times. By Mas. G riffith,
author o f “ Discoveries in Light and Vision,” &c. 18mo. pp. 172. New
Y ork : D. Appleton & Co. 1841.
This is the first original American story embraced in “ Appleton’s Tales for
the People and their Children.” The series, our readers are aware, include
contributions from Miss Martineau, Mrs. Copley, Howitt, Capt. Marryatt, and
other popular writers. W e therefore feel a pride, and take pleasure in expres­
sing the opinion, that in interest o f narrative and style, this faithful “ picture
o f the times,” by our countrywoman, will bear a favorable comparison with
most o f the series which have preceded it.
12. — Gems o f Irish Eloquence, Wit, and Anecdote. By James H oban, o f the
Washington bar. 12mo. pp. 316. Baltimore : James Murphy. 1841.
The compiler o f this volume has gathered into a wreath the scattered flow­
ers of Irish wit, eloquence, bravery, and truth, and bound them in their beauty
around the ancient brow o f Erin. From Phillips, Emmet, Plunket, Burke,
Burrowes, and others, rich specimens o f reasoning and soul-stirring declama­
tion are collected. A portion o f the work is devoted to incidents and matters
deserving of reminiscence, in the history o f Ireland and hei men o f eminence.
Many details are. also presented in exemplification o f the virtue and genius o f
her humble and unaspiring sons.




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13. — Manners and Customs o f the Japanese, in the Nineteenth Century ; from the
accounts of recent Dutch residents in Japan, and from the German of D r . Ph.
F r . V o n Siebold. 18mo. pp. 298. New Y ork : Harper & Brothers.
It is correctly remarked, that there is no people with any claims to civiliza­
tion, o f whom so little is known as o f the Japanese. Their policy in regard to
foreigners is more jealous and exclusive than that o f the Chinese, the Dutch
being the only Europeans allowed to trade with them, and their intercourse
being extremely limited, and subject to severe restrictions. Within the last
two or three years, several publications have appeared in Holland, by mem­
bers o f the Dutch factory, descriptive o f the institutions, character, &c., o f that
singular people. These, however, have not been translated, and this is the
first attempt to present to the American reader a compendium o f the curious
and interesting facts which they contain. The volume before us, from the
English edition, has, we are informed, been carefully revised and corrected.
It forms the 132d number o f the Family Library now publishing by the
Harpers, and will, we think, from the novelty of its matter, and on other ac­
counts, be found a valuable addition to that useful collection of works.
14. — The World in a Pocket-hook, or Universal Popular Statistics; embracing the
Commerce, Agriculture, Revenue, Government, Manufactures, Population, A r­
my, Navy, Religions, Press, Geography, History, Remarkable Features and
Events, Navigation, Inventions, Discoveries, and Genius of every Nation on the
Globe. An ample Political, Commercial, Agricultural, Manufacturing, His­
torical, Geographical, Statistical, and General Synopsis of the United States;
with the Census of 1840, and tables o f the State and Presidential Elections, In­
terest, Usury Laws, ect. etc. By W . H. C rump. 12mo. pp. 192. Philadelphia:
J. Dobson. 1841.
It would seem, after giving the copious title quoted above, to be a work o f
supererogation on our part to present a detail o f the contents o f this really
comprehensive and valuable collection o f statistical facts. Mr. Crump, the
compiler, is one o f the most industrious and scientific staticians in the United
States, as this little manual amply demonstrates. He has here brought together
a mass o f information in a small compass that must render his book a perfect
vade mecum on all subjects of interest to statesmen, political economists, farmers,
manufacturers, merchants, and mechanics, and in short, all classes o f society.
15. — The Motive Power of Organic Lije, and Magnetic Phenomena of Terrestrial
and Planetary Motions, with the application of the ever-acting and all-pervading
agency of Magnetism, to the nature, symptoms, and treatment of Chronic Diseases.
By H enry H all Sherwood, M. D. 8 v. pp. 196. N ew York : H. A. Cha­
pin & Co. 1841.
The title o f this work indicates its character; and the author has presented
the subject to the reader in a plain, concise, and simple manner, divested en­
tirely o f the abstruse metaphysics in which it has been heretofore involved.
Magnetism is here shown to be instrumental both in the powers o f organic life,
and in all planetary movements. The approximation o f the earth’s axis to
the plane o f the ecliptic, accounts, it appears, for the changes which our world
has undergone, and the imbedding o f ancient animals by its changes. The
work is illustrated with numerous well-executed engravings, which, with the
remarkable character o f the subjects treated, must insure for it an extensive
reading.
16. — Anecdotes, Religious, Moral, and Entertaining. Alphabetically arranged, and
interspersed with a variety of useful observations. Selected by the late Rev.
C harles Buck. From the ninth London Edition. 12mo. pp. 507. New
Y'ork : Dayton & Saxton.
This is a new edition of an interesting book, which has been out o f print in
this country for some years. The high estimate, hitherto placed upon its
merits by the religious community, has induced the present publishers to issue
a neat edition, at a price that will materially facilitate its general circulation.




460

The Book Trade.

17.— The Book of the Seasons; or the Calendar of Nature.

B y W illiam H o w From the Tenth London Edition. Philadelphia : Carey & Hart.
This volume, beautiful in style, sentiment, and in its mechanical appearance*
is designed to promote that general acquaintance with nature, which is so
highly to be desired, and for which we hope to see a growing taste evinced, in
this country as in England. The plan pursued by Mr. Howitt, has been
to furnish an original article on the general appearance o f nature in each month,
drawn entirely from his own regular observations, through many seasons, and
to superadd a great variety o f facts from the best sources. T o these he has
added a complete table o f the migration o f birds ; a copious list o f garden plants,
which come into flower in the m onth; a botanical calendar, including a select
number o f the most beautiful or interesting British plants, and an entomological
catalogue o f about three hundred o f the most common or remarkable insects;
a notice o f rural occupations ; and, finally, one o f angling.
itt .

18.— Plain Sermons, by contributors to the “ Tracts fo r the Times.” In two
volumes. 12mo. pp. 336, 350. N ew York : J. & H. G. Langley. 1841.
These volumes contain seventy-two discourses, designed to explain and en­
force the doctrines and duties o f Christians, as held by a large portion o f the
Church o f England. They come out here under the sanction o f Bishop Onderdonk, o f the Protestant Episcopal church in New York, who recommends
them to the members o f his diocese, “ for private and family reading,” and
“ authorizes the public reading o f them, together with such others, as he may
from time to time appoint, by lay readers within said diocese.” One o f the
objects o f the publication o f these sermons in connection with the controver­
sial “ Tracts for the Times,” as stated in the preface, is to bring before all per­
sons, whether friendly or opposed to these views, that beautiful truth o f the
Messiah, that “ if any one will do his will, he shall know o f the doctrine, whether
it be o f God.” An admonition which, amid so much unhappy contention and
dispute, w e might, many o f us, be too apt to forget.
19.— Ruins of Ancient Cities; with general and particular accounts of their rise,
fall, and present condition. By C harles B uck. 2 vols. 18mo. pp. 360, 360.
N ew York : Harper & Brothers. 1841.
These two volumes form the 134th and 135th numbers o f the valuable Family
Library, in course o f publication by the enterprising firm named in the title
page. The sad memorials presented to our contemplation in the ruins o f an­
cient cities, strikingly exemplifies the mutability o f human concerns, and give a
high moral value to these volumes. The author appears to have consulted, in
the preparation o f the work, the best authorities, and has succeeded in enrich­
ing his pages with the greatest possible variety o f information; and on the
whole produced a very useful, amusing, and no doubt accurate work.
20. — Anti-Popery; or Popery Unreasonable, Unscriptural, and Novel. By John
R ogers, Member o f the Society o f Friends, and Counsellor at Law. With
a Preface, Notes, and Index, by Rev. C. S parry . 12mo. pp. 315. New
York : D. Fanshaw. 1841.
“ This work,” says Mr. Rogers, “ relates to Popery, the whole o f Popery,
and nothing but Popery; and therefore will,” he hopes, “ be acceptable, or
unobjectionable to the whole protestant world, and even to the whole Christian
world that oppose the plan o f papal Rome.” It is written in a sententious,
clear, and forcible, though quaint style ; and possesses great logical precision.
21. — Happiness, its Nature and Sources described, and mistakes concerning it cor
reded. By J. A. James. N ew Y o rk : D. Appleton & Co. 1841.
This little treatise comes to the reader with the high pretension, and a higher
it cannot have, o f pointing out what true happiness is, where it is to be found,
and how it is to be obtained.




The Book Trade.

461

22. — A Token of Affection— Poetry of the Heart— A Token of Remembrance— A
Token of Friendship— Pure Gold from the Rivers of Wisdom. N ew York :
D. Appleton & Co. 1841.
It has heretofore been considered high praise for the American publisher to
equal in typographical elegance, the best works o f the English press; but how­
ever startling and improbable it may appear, we have no hesitation in saying,
that these four volumes o f the “ Miniature Classical Library,” o f D. Appleton
& Co., are an improvement on the English edition o f the same series o f books.
The volumes were compiled by the author o f “ Affection’s Keepsake,” and
comprise the best works o f our best English authors ; and it may be stated, as
an evidence o f the estimation in which they are held abroad, that some o f them
have passed through eight or ten editions.
23. — The R ose: or Affection’s Gift for 1842. Edited by E mily M arshall.
Illustrated with ten highly finished engravings: N ew Y ork : D. Appleton
& Co. 18mo. pp. 216.
It appears to have been the object o f the editor, in preparing this little an­
nual for publication, to render it directly subservient, not only to the entertain­
ment, but to the real instruction and permanent benefit o f the young. With
this object in view, the pieces admitted generally possess the requisite quali­
ties of utility as well as beauty. It is altogether a very excellent annual, and
must prove a most acceptable offering for the young at the approaching
Christmas and New Year.
24. — Confessions of an English Opium-Eater. Being an Extract from the Life
of a Scholar. From the last London Edition. 12mo. pp. 190. Boston:
W m . D. Ticknor. New York : J. & H. G. Langley. 1841.
The re-appearance o f this highly wrought, spirit-stirring narrative, attributed
without denial to De Quincy, will be received with a cordial welcome, by those
who perchance became acquainted with it twenty years since in the pages of
the London Magazine, or whose knowledge o f it is only traditional. Its au­
thenticity is, w e believe, considered unquestionable. W e esteem it not merely
as an interesting record, but, in some degree, useful and instructive.
25. — The Cause and Cure of Infidelity,— including a notice o f the author’s unbe­
lief and the means of his rescue. By the Rev. D avid N elson. N ew Y ork :
John S. Taylor & Co. 12mo. pp. 352. 1841.
This treatise is well calculated to excite the curiosity, awaken the attention,
and stimulate the inquiry o f the vigorous minds o f the west, where the author’s
life has been chiefly spent. Abstruse argument is here brought down to the
apprehension o f men in general. Facts drawn from history, science, and ob­
servation, are placed in a strong light, and there is an earnestness, a personality
running through the whole, which, to use the language o f the President of
Centre College, Kentucky, gives to the written argument much o f the interest
and power o f an oral address.
26. — Astronomyfor Schools, upon the basis of M. Arago, of the Royal Observatory,
Paris. By W . H. H oskins, A. M. 12mo. pp. 323. N ew Y ork : H. A. Cha­
pin & Co. 1841.
In this book, the leading truths o f the science o f which it treats, are illustra­
ted without mathematical demonstrations. A correspondent, in whose judg­
ment we place confidence, says, “ it is a work o f singular merit, as a school
book, for seminaries, or for general reading. The want o f such a treatise in
our common schools, is now most effectually supplied, and there can be no
doubt that its peculiar advantages will introduce it into all our schools.”
27. — Rocky Island, and other Parables. By Samuel W ilberforce, M. A , Arch­
deacon o f Savoy. New York : John S. Taylor. 18mo. pp. 196.
This volume contains six parables, the design of which is to convey religir- d
instruction to the minds o f children. The writer is a son o f WilberforcA the
celebrated statesman and philanthropist




462

The Booh Trade.

27.-—History of Christianity, from the Birth of Christ to the Abolition of Paganism
in the Roman Empire. By H. H. M ilman. With a Preface and Notes, by
James Murdock, D. D. pp. 528. Harper & Brothers.
This is a very valuable work, and full o f interest, not only to the biblical
scholar and divine, but to every class o f readers. Ecclesiastical history has for
the most part been treated o f so little, in connection with political events, and
so little in reference to its relation to the progress o f society, that a most im­
portant view o f it has been kept in a great measure out o f sight. It was re­
served for the learned author o f this volume to strike out a new path in this
department o f historical research ; to give us the history o f Christianity upon
a wider and more liberal scale; pointing out its vast temporal results ; and
tracing its influence and effects on the civilization and improvement o f the
world. This he has done, so far as he has gone, in a masterly manner ; and
when he shall have completed his design, by bringing his work down to a late
period, as he promises to do, it will present an argument for Christianity, hith­
erto comparatively little dwelt on, which it will be impossible to risist or over­
turn.
28.— The Settlers at Home. By H arriet M artineau. New Y ork : Appleton
& Co. 18mo. pp. 210. 1841.
Miss Martineau has never done better than in this little work. Appleton
has done well in making it one o f a series of Tales for the People and their
Children. In every point o f view “ its beauty makes us glad.” It is printed
with clear, large type, on serviceable as well as handsome paper, and done up
in the neatest style. But this is the smallest o f its many recommendations. The
plot o f the tale is exceedingly simple, and yet deeply, almost painfully, interesting.
W e like for children— yes, we feel it right to demand for them— a narrative
no way complicated or improbable. The subject o f this is only a fact of history—
the inundation o f a Dutch settlement in England during the commonwealth
times— drawn out in an individual case, with the fidelity and richness o f de­
scription which characterizes the author of Deerbrook. But, still more, the
moral o f the book— one o f the very noblest which could employ the moralist’s
pen— steals upon the heart so unostentatiously and sweetly. There is none
of the usual parade about saying a very good thing— no flourish of drums to
make the heralded peerage more conspicuously insignificant— no drawing down
o f the countenance, as if about to preach something very unnatural and not a
little overstrained. Her moral o f the victory which a forbearing and gentle
spirit always obtains over the roughest nature, flows along so naturally in the
narrative, one cannot doubt the fact, or weary over the inference, or skip the
Christian philosophy. In most childrens’ books, the child is driven, by the in­
vincible pedantry and inimitable dullness o f the reflective part, to omit it alto­
gether. Here the precept and the practice are the same. As Providence
teaches us chiefly by examples of living virtue, the “ Settlers at Home” would
convince us o f the safety, dignity, and duty o f Christian love, by the happy re­
sult o f the controversy between Roger and Oliver. W e commend the story
most heartily to “ The People and their Children.”
29. — Lectures on the Sphere and Duties of Woman, and other Subjects. By
G eorge W . B urnap. Baltimore : John Murphy. 1841. 12mo. pp. 272.
30. — Lectures to Young Men on the Cultivation of the Mind, the Formation of
Character, and the Conduct of Life. By George W . B urnap. Baltimore: John
Murphy. 1841. 12mo. pp. 224.
These volumes are exceedingly able, timely, and striking. That to young
men contains three lectures additional to those first published; one o f which
drew favorable notices from every quarter on its appearance in our pages.
The volume addressed to the ladies, though it omits physical education and
legal rights, is worthy to go forth a fellow-laborer with that to the young men,
and both are, as far as we know, the best books on their subjects.




463

Mercantile Miscellanies.

MERCANTILE MISCELLANIES.
T H E P O E T R Y OF BOOKKEEPING.
T he Honduras Observer thus describes the art o f bookkeeping:—
Attentive be, and I’ll impart
W hat constitutes the accountant’s art.
This rule is clear; what I receive
I debtor make to what I give.
I debit Stock with all my debts,
A nd credit it for my effects.
The goods I buy I debtor make
T o him from whom those goods I take ;
Unless in ready cash I pay,
Then credit what I paid away.
For what I lose or make, ’ tis plain,
I debit Loss and credit Gain.
T he debtor’s place is my left hand,
Creditor on my right must stand.
I f to these axioms you’ll attend,
Bookkeeping you’ll soon comprehend,
And double-entry you will find
Elucidated to your mind.
M E T H O D OF C O L L E C T IN G A D E B T.
W e were much amused the other day, (says the editor o f the St. Louis Bulletin,) on
our way home, at the shrewdness o f one o f our city merchants, who was on a collecting
tour through the western part o f Missouri. T he boat we were on landed at a small
town, and the merchant repaired to the house o f one o f his debtors. On inquiring o f the
good lady for her husband, she expressed her regret that he had just left town, and would
not, “ positively, be back for a week.”
“ had some money” for her husband.

T he merchant regretted that very much, as he

L ad y .— Y ou have'l— well— really— let me see — John, are you sure that your father
has gone ?— go, see— perhaps I’m mistaken— run quick, and tell your father, if you can
find him, that a gentleman is here who wishes to pay him some money.

The hoy ran—-full speed for his daddy.)
am mistaken— husband was telling me this morning he expected

L ad y .— I hope I

some money from St. Louis.
gent in paying their debts.

M oney is so scarce these days, and people are so negli­
Jane, bring the gentleman some water, quick now— stop,

come here— (in a whisper, hut audible to the merchant,)— tell Sarah to bring some of
those largest and best apples, do you hear ?— now , run, qu ick!
St. Louis, sir ?
M erchant .— Last Monday was two---------L ad y .— ( Running

W hen did you leave

to the window)— There’s husband, as true as I’m born— I really

was afraid he’ d left.
M erchant .— ( Husband enters, puffing and blowing)— M y dear G -------, I was so fear­
ful you had left.
H usband .— (In an under tone)— I wish to Heaven I had !
M r .-------, how are you ?

(To the merchant)— Ah,

M erchant .— Very well— pleasant day— all well— hark ! the bell is ringing— not much

time to talk— I have a little business— (presents two or three bills)— would be very glad
if you could settle them to-day.
H usband .— Ah, ah— yes, sir— well, I don’ t know— Colonel W inston promised to be

here to-day, who owes me some borrowed money— hard times— when will you leave,
probably ?

(B ell rings again.)




464

Mercantile Miscellanies.

M erchant .— I must be off, sir—■
“ lift” one o f these notes, and I’ll wait for the rest—
the bell is ringing, and I must be off.
H usband .— W ell, sir. (Aside, to his w ife)— W hy did you tell I was at home, con­
found i t !
T he merchant receives $500, and bids the gentleman “ good morning,” much pleased

with the success o f the game he had played. Our friend regrets to say that the “ good
wife” countermanded her order for apples before he settled with the husband.
S L A V E M A R K E T A T C O N S T A N T IN O P L E .
Mrs. Dawson Damer says, in her “ Tour in Greece, Turkey, and E gypt:” — W e
took the slave market on our road home, where, however, we saw none o f the disa­
greeable objects which such a name usually conjures up in the imagination from the
descriptions one hears o f slavery in other parts o f the world. The countenances o f the
poor wom en here expressed nothing o f that extreme dejection at being torn from their
country and their friends, which one would naturally look for in slaves; on the contrary,
they seemed quite reconciled to their fate, and were chiefly excited by hope or depressed
by disappointment, as they seemed likely or not to obtain a purchaser; for, in fact, their
only prospect o f advancement in life is dependent upon becoming inmates o f a wealthy
harem, where its master’s caprice may lead to the lowest slave becoming its mistress.
T he Sultana Valida herself is said to have been purchased from a Georgia merchant at
the Tifflis market. They betrayed, however, no eagerness to attract our attention, as
it is well known that no Giaours are permitted to make purchases. W e only saw one
female slave o f great beauty, who, though very young, was already a mother, and had
her infant in her arms. She was described to us as an Abyssinian, but had much more of
the light copper coloring o f the far east. Her hair was smooth and black, her features
small and exquisitely proportioned, and the shape o f her head faultless; so that if the
phrenological criticism on the Venus de Medicis be correct, that a woman so formed
would be deficient in understanding, this beautiful little Abyssinian must have been a
perfect idiot.
t.
G L U T IN T H E M A R K E T .
A wealthy London merchant, who resided near W indsor, and lately retired from
business, called upon Sir Astley Cooper to consult with him upon the state o f his health.
T h e patient was not only fond o f the good things o f this world, but indulged in high liv­
ing to a great excess. This was soon discovered by Sir Astley, who thus addressed
h im :— “ Y o u are a merchant, sir, and therefore must possess an extensive knowledge
o f trade; but did you ever know o f an instance in which the imports exceeded the ex­
ports that there was not a glut in the market ? That’s the case with you, sir; take
more physic, and eat less. T he gentleman took the hint, and has since declared that
Sir Astley’s knowledge o f the “ first principles o f commerce,” and the mode o f giving
his advice, rendering it “ clear to the meanest capacity,” has not only enabled him to
enjoy good health ever since, but has probably prolonged his life for many years.
C O M M E R C IA L H O N E S T Y .
A N ew Y ork merchant says that in the year 1824, Mr. Christopher Robinson, of
Lynn, Mass., made some purchases o f him, but before the amount became due, he failed
and compounded with his creditors at forty-five cents on the dollar, and was released
from all further claim. He stated, however, at the time, that if he was ever able to pay
the balance he would do so. Recently the merchant received a letter enclosing a check
for $ 1 6 4 06, being the balance o f the debt, with interest.

It affords us pleasure to pub­

lish a circumstance which w e believe is o f rare occurrence.
do likew ise!
”




May it stimulate others to

V

406

Commercial Regulations.

COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS.
TARIFF OF CHARGES,

etc.,

A T ST. LOUIS.

ESTABLISHED AND RECOMMENDED FOR GENERAL ADOPTION B Y THE S T . LOOTS CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.

The following rates to be charged, if no agreement exists to the contrary:—
Commissions—
p er C€nU
On sales of merchandise or produce,..................................................................... 5
On sales of lead,.................................................................................................... 2^
Guaranty of sales on time,.................................................................................... 2£
For purchasing and shipping merchandise with funds in hand, (on the aggregate
cost and charges,)....................................................................... : .................... 2£
For accepting drafts, or endorsing notes or bills of exchange, without funds, pro­
duce, or bills of lading on hand,..................................................................... . 2£
For cash advances in all cases, even with produce or bills of lading, (with inter­
est from date,)................................................................................................... 2£
For shipping to another market, produce or merchandise upon which advances
have been made,................................................................................................ 2£
For negotiating drafts or notes, as drawer or indorser,.......................................... 2£
On sale or purchase of stocks,............................................................................... 1
On sale or purchase of boats, without guaranty,.................................................... 2£
For procuring freight, on amount of freight,.......................................................... 5
For chartering boats,............................................................................................. 2£
For collecting freights or accounts,....................................................................... 2£
For collecting delayed or litigated accounts,......................................................... 5
For collecting dividends on stocks,.......................................................................
£
For adjusting insurance losses,............................................................................... 2£
For receiving and remitting moneys from which no other remuneration is derived, 1
For effecting insurance, when the premium amounts to forty dollars or less, $2 00
For effecting insurance, when the premium exceeds forty dollars, on amount of
the premium,..................................................................................................... 5
On outfits and disbursements,................................................................................ 2£
The above commissions to be exclusive of storage, brokerage, and every other charge
actually incurred.
The risk of loss by fire, unless insurance be ordered, and of robbery, theft, and other
unavoidable occurrences, if the usual care be taken to secure the property, is in all cases
to be borne by the owner of the goods.
Interest to be charged at the rate of ten per cent per annum, on all debts, after matu­
rity, until paid.
Rates for receiving and forwarding goods, exclusive of charges actually incurred:—
Sugar,......................................................................................
T obacco,.................................................................................
Pork, beef, and whiskey, in bbls............................ .........
Flour, beans, wheat, beeswax, etc., in bbls...................
Corn, wheat, salt, etc.......................................................... .
Lead,............................................................................... .
Merchandise, assorted,........................................................
Lard,.......................................................................................
Gunpowder,...........................................................................
Carriages,...............................................................................
G ig s,.......................................................................................
A n d other articles in proportion.
Rates o f storage—

go 50
0 50
0
0
0
0
0
0
0




59

02
10

04
25

5 00
3 00
F er month_

On each hogshead o f tobacco,......................................................................................... $ 0
“
hogshead o f sugar,............................................................................................ 0
0
“
hogshead o f molasses,..............................
“
hogshead o f bacon,.................................................................
0
VOL. V .— NO. V .

10

06i
04

50
50
75
37JJ

466

Commercial Regulations.
Per month.

O n ea ch pipe or hogshead o f liquor,...................................................................................... $ 0
0
44
hogshead o f o il,.................................................................
“
tierce o f o il,.................................................................................................................. 0
44
tierce o f rice or flaxseed,.........................................................................................
0
44
barrel o f salt,................................................................................................................
0
“
barrel o f oil, m olasses, or foreign liquors,......................................................
0
44w hiskey, cider, sugar, fish, lard, pork, or b eef,...................................................... 0
44
flour, apples, bread, and b ea n s,..................
0
44
100 lbs. bacon, in b o x e s ,.......................................................................................... 0
44
k eg o f lard,................................................................................................................... 0
44
soap or candles,........................................................................................................... 0
44
b o x o f w in e ,................................................................................................................. 0
41
b ox o f raisins or drum o f figs,.................................................................................
0
44
b ox o f w in d o w glass,................................................................................................. 0
44
half b ox o f d o ............................................................................................................ 0
44
100 lbs. hem pen y a rn ,.............................................................................................. 0
44
100 lbs. hem p, in b ales,........................................................................................... 0
44
100 lbs. bale r o p e ,..................................................................................................... 0
44
piece o f bagging, 50 yards or less, (longer in proportion,).......................... 0
44
100 lbs. cordage, tarred or w h ite ,........................................................................ 0
44
100 lbs. salted h id es,................................................................................................. 0
44
100 lbs. dried hid es,................................................................................................... 0
44
crate and cask o f queensware, small size,....................................................... 0
44
44
44
44
large s iz e ,....................................................... 0
44
bag o f coffee, pepper, and pim ento,.................................................................... 0
44
100 lbs. iron, steel, lead, and s h o t,.....................
0
44
100 lbs. m anufactured t o b a c c o ,............................................................................. 0
44
100 lbs. drygoods, or other m erchandise, in assorted lots,..........................
0
44
bag o f salt, large s iz e ,............................................................................................... 0
44
44
small size,..............................................................................................
0
44
k e g o f white le a d ,...................................................................................................... 0
•4
k e g o f nails,.................................................................................................................. 0
44
ton o f d y e w o o d ,.......................................................................................................... 1
44
ham per o f bottles,.......................................................................................................
0
44
ream o f writing and wrapping paper,.................................................................
0
44
cask o f ch eese,............................................................................................................ 0
44
100 lbs. tea,.................................................................................................................. 0
Other articles in proportion.

50
50
37£
25
08
12£
10
06£
08
03
03
06£
03
05
03
05
0 6£
05
05
05
06£
10
25
37£
10
05
06£
10
10
06£
02
05
00
18|
01
08
10

F or the second and succeeding months, one half o f the above rates to be charged.
T he rule, under the head o f 44 commissions,” respecting fire, robbery, theft, etc., to
apply, also, in the case o f storage.

T A X ON N E W O R L E A N S M E R C H A N T S .
The following are the provisions o f an ordinance o f the general council o f the muni­
cipalities in the city o f N ew Orleans, laying a tax on wholesale and retail dealers, and
others, in that city :—
A rticle I.— A n annual tax o f twenty-five dollars, payable in advance, in the month of
January o f each year, shall be paid by each money or exchange broker, apothecary, and
all wholesale merchants, dealers, and traders; and an annual tax o f fifteen dollars shall,
in like manner, be paid by all retail merchants, dealers, and traders.
A r t . II.— The said tax shall be paid by each partner o f any firm, engaged in the
business or professions designated in the preceding article, except where such partner
resides permanently out o f the state.
A r t . III.— W here the parties who are subject to this tax sell both by wholesale and
retail, they shall pay the wholesale tax; and all persons shall be considered as wholesale
dealers who sell or deliver goods by the package, whether the same be an original pack­
age or a package made up by said dealers themselves.
A r t . IV.— All persons, occupying in whole or in part, any store, counting-room or




Commercial Regulations.

461

office; or engaged in any business directly connected with buying or selling o f produce
or merchandise; whether they act as principals or agents in said buying or selling, and
whether they reside permanently or temporarily in the c ity ; whether they sell on the
levee, or from any flatboat, barge, steamboat, ship, or vessel, shall be liable to, and shall
pay the tax imposed by this ordinance ; and all the provisions and conditions thereof
shall be applicable to the collection o f said tax for the present year, except in such cases
where parties may have already paid for the current year a similar tax under any pre­
vious ordinance. Provided, that the provisions o f the present article shall not apply to
sales on the levee, in any flat or steam boat, ship, or vessel, until after the 1st o f N o­
vember next.
A rt . V .—That the tax levied by this ordinance shall be recoverable before any court
o f competent jurisdiction; and the said tax is declared to be in lieu o f the tax imposed
by the ordinance o f 3d February, 1835, or o f any similar tax, imposed by any other or­
dinance ; and all ordinances, or parts o f ordinances, heretofore in force, contrary to the
provisions o f the present ordinance, be, and is hereby repealed.

IN S PE C T IO N OF S O L E -L E A T H E R IN N E W Y O R K .
The following act o f the “ People o f the State o f N ew Y ork, represented in Senate
and Assembly,” was passed and approved by the governor on the 26th day o f May, 1841,
to take effect immediately:—
1. The governor shall nominate, and with the consent o f the senate appoint, one o f
the seven inspectors appointed by law, an inspector-general o f sole-leather for the city
and county o f New Y ork, who shall have been an experienced manufacturer o f or dealer
in leather, residing in said city, and who shall hold his office two years from the date o f
his appointment, and until a successor is appointed.
2. It shall be the duty o f the inspector-general to divide among the inspectors as near
as he can, an equal part o f the leather to be inspected, and collect all moneys due for
fees, and divide the same monthly in equal proportion among the said inspectors, re­
serving to himself one seventh part in addition to two per cent on the nett amount o f
said fees for extra services.
3. The said inspector-general shall keep an office near the central point o f his busi­
ness in said city, for the reception o f orders from the owner, agent, or person having
leather in charge; and it shall be the duty o f the inspectors o f leather, on the require­
ment o f the inspector-general, to go without delay to the place within the city o f N ew
Y ork, where such leather is deposited, and inspect the same, and make returns daily of
every finished job to the inspector.general, the amount o f leather inspected, and the
quality thereof; and the said inspector-general shall enter the same in a book to be kept
for that purpose, and make his returns to the secretary o f state, according to law.
4. I f any dispute shall arise between the purchaser and seller o f any leather, or be­
tween either o f them and the inspector, in relation to the inspection o f any leather in
said city, such dispute shall be submitted to and determined by the inspector-general;
but, if the buyer or seller shall be dissatisfied with the decision o f the inspector-general,
they or either o f them may appeal to three indifferent persons, one to be chosen by each
o f the parties, and the third by the two thus chosen, whose decision shall be conclusive
in the matter.
5. T he inspector-general shall exhibit his books to any person who may feel himself
aggrieved on account o f unfaithful inspection; and shall also, before he enters upon the
duties o f his office, execute a bond o f two thousand dollars, with surety for the faithful
performance o f his duty, in the same manner as is now done by the inspector o f green
hides and skins in the city o f N ew York.




Commercial Regulations.

468

M O D IF IC A T IO N O F D A N IS H SO U N D DU ES.
T h e Danish governm ent has con clud ed a treaty with Great Britain and S w ed en relative
to the passage o f the sound.

In virtue o f this treaty, the duration o f w h ich is lim ited to

ten years from the 15th o f June, and m ay b e prolonged for ten years m ore, i f agreeable
to the contracting parties, the court o f C openhagen has established a n ew tariff o f duties
to be paid by m erchant vessels navigating under English or Sw edish colors.

In a ccord ­

ance with the negotiations w h ich have lately taken place, the sound dues on several ar­
ticles n ot m entioned in the Christianopel tariff have b een reduced from the 15th o f
June, 1841.
A n n ex ed are the alterations :—

From June 15.

Former duty.

Allspice,.............................................................. per 100 lbs. 4 J stivers*................ 9 stivers
Oranges, lemons, etc..............................................per chest 1 ................ ............ 2
...............
12
Arsenic,.............................................
per 8 ................
300
lbs.
Orpiment,.............................................................per 100 lbs. 6 ................ ............... 9
C ocoa,.................................................................. per 100 lbs. 6 ................ ........... 24
C offee,................................................................. per 100 lbs. 6 ................ .............. 24
Camel’s hair,........................................................ per 50 lbs. 12 ................ ............... 30
Canella A lba,..................................................... per 100 lbs. 6 ................ ............... 36
Cardamoms,....................................................... per 100 lbs. 18 ............. ............... 36
Cassia Fistula,....................................................per 100 lbs. 12 ............. ............... 36
Cassia L ignea,................................................... per 100 lbs. 9 ............ ............... 36
Cement,............................................................... per 12 bbls. 12 .............. ................ 36
Cubebs,................................................................per 100 lbs. 8 .............. ................ 12
Juniper berries,...................................................per 800 lbs. 6 ............... ................ 36
Cotton yarn or twist,........................................ per 100 lbs. 16 ............... ................ 36
Do.
sewings,...........................................per 50 lbs. 15 ............... ................ 30
D o.
printing,.......................................... per 50 lbs. 15 ................................ 18
Do.
Turkey red,....................................per 50 lbs. 15 ................................ 30
Do.
for embroidery,.............................. per 50 lbs. 15 ............... ................ 30
Camel’s yarn,...................................................... per 50 lbs. 18 .............. ................ 30
Manna or manna groats,................................. per 100 lbs. 2 ............... ................ 9
T urm eric,........................................................... per 100 lbs. 4 .............. ................ 12
Shot,.................................................................... per 100 lbs. 2 .............. ................ 4
Dyewoods, v iz :— Japan and Sapan wood, Provence
wood, Sandal wood, Camwood or Barwood, Caliatour wood, Campeachy wood, Honduras wood, L og­
wood, Gallicie wood, Ficet w ood ,....... per 1000 lbs. 8 ................................ 30 or 36
Nicaragua w ood, Stockfish wood, Santa Martha wood,
R io de la Hache w ood ,............................. per 1000 lbs. 12 ................................ 36
Dyewoods not mentioned or stated in the Christianopel
tariff, or here, 1 per cent ad valorem.
Manufactured goods o f all kinds, with the exception o f
white ordinary calicoes, and those mentioned here,
1 per cent ad valorem.
Cotton hose,.......................................................per 50 pairs 6 ................................ 30
H alf hose and children’s do.......................... per 100 pairs 6 ................................ 30
Ochre,.................................................................. per 200 lbs. 1 ................................ 9
P a d d y ,....,.......................................................... per 400 lbs. 6 ............. 1J st. per bushel.
Sarsaparilla,....................................................... per 100 lbs. 18 ................................ 36
Soda,....................................................................per 300 lbs. 3 .........: ..................... 6
Spices not mentioned here, 1 per cent ad valorem.
Sugar, raw .........................................................per 100 lbs. 5 ................................ 9
Z in c,....................................................................per 100 lbs.* 2 .......................... 3

* 48 stivers specie are equal to two Danish rix bank dollars, or one Danish specie
dollar.




Steamboat and Railroad Statistics.

469

STEAMBOAT AND RAILROAD STATISTICS.
UTICA AND SCHENECTADY RAILROAD.
We have frequently passed over this road, and as frequently been struck with its re­
gularity, and the excellent management of Col. W. C. Y oung, the intelligent and efficient
superintendent. The facts stated in the following notice from the Schenectady Re­
flector speak volumes in favor of the manner in which the affairs of this great thorough­
fare are conducted:—
“ This road commenced operations with the month of August, 1836, from which time
up to the 1st of August, 1841, makes a period of five years. Within that time the com­
pany’s locomotive engines have made about 1,870 trips across the road annually, or in
other words, have run on an average, about 150,000 miles a year, and within the period
of five years 750,000 miles. Within the same period they have carried 434,893 passen­
gers over the whole length of their road, and 376,695 between intermediate points;
making, in the aggregate, 811,589 passengers who have been transported on that road
within five years. Within this five years, during which 811,589 passengers have been
conveyed on that road, no accident, (with but one exception, in 1836, when two pas­
sengers were slightly hurt,) has ever occurred, by which any passenger was injured;
and no serious injury, (with but one exception,) has ever occurred to any of the men
employed on the engines or train. Within the same period of five years, during which
the locomotive engines have made, on an average, 1,870 trips annually, they have never
failed to make any one trip, have never but once been six hours behind their time, and,
(with four or five exceptions,) have never been three hours behind their time, although
snows have covered the track three feet deep, and floods have carried off and fire burnt
up bridges. There is no line of public conveyance on the face of the globe, not
even excepting the Hudson river steamboats, that can show a greater degree of regu.
larity, punctuality, and safety in the transportation of so great a number of passengers
than the Utica and Schenectady railroad, and certainly no railroad that can at all com­
pete with it. This most complete and gratifying success is owing to the carfe, attention,
and skill of Wm. C. Young, superintendent and engineer; and of David Matthews,
superintendent of the motive power on that road.”
GERMAN RAILWAYS.
The Augsburg Gazette gives the following account of the number of passengers con­
veyed on the German railroads, and the gross receipts during the month of June:—
Vienna to Brunn, 22,128 passengers; receipts for passengers and goods, 71,304 florins.
Munich to Augsburg, 25,037 passengers; receipts, 25,565 florins. Manheim to Heidelburg, 29,409 passengers. Nuremburg to Furth, 44,647 passengers; receipts, 5,213
florins. Leipzic to Dresden, 50,249 passengers; receipts, 38,881 rix dollars. Dusseldorf to Elberfeld, 31,724 passengers. Magdeburg to Leipzic, 57,239 passengers. Ber­
lin to Potsdam, 67,299 passengers. Mentz to Frankfort, 82.326 passengers; receipts,
43,246 florins. Cologne to Aix-la-Chapelle, number of passengers and amount of re­
ceipts not known. Berlin to Anhalt, 24,642 passengers. Vienna to Raab—this road
was open as far as Baden in May, and on the 20th June to Neustadt; on the 27th June
there were 17,000 passengers conveyed, and on the 29th 20,000. Lintz to Budweis, (in
the month of May,) 1,603 passengers. Lintz to Gununden, (May,) 11,061 passengers,
and 46,434 quintals of goods. Presburg to Tyrnaur, the first of the railways in Hun­
gary, number of passengers from the 28th of September, 1840, to the 30th of April,
1841, 25,132 passengers; receipts, 5,647 florins. The florin is equal to two francs and
a half.




470

Steamboat and Railroad Statistics.

C U N A R D ’S B R IT IS H S T E A M E R S .
T he annexed statement o f the time o f the arrival o f each boat, and o f the duration of
their passages, is from the Boston Transcript. The time is calculated from the hour of
their departure from Liverpool to the hour o f their arrival in Boston, without deducting
the time o f their detention at Halifax:—
Britannia arrived
(t
Acadia
(t
Britannia
Caledonia u
tt
Acadia
u
Britannia
it
Caledonia
it
Acadia
a
Columbia
a
Britannia
a
Caledonia
a
Acadia
a
Columbia
a
Britannia
it
Caledonia
Acadia
Columbia
Britannia
Caledonia

u
n
it
it

July 18, 1840, ...
Aug. 17, “
...
Sept. 17, “
... ...
Oct. 2,
“
Oct. 17, “
... ...
N ov. 3,
“
...
N ov. 19, “
Dec. 21, “
Jan. 21, 1 8 4 1 ,...
Feb. 22, “
... ...
Mar. 20, “
...
April 7,
“
... ...
April 21, “
May 6 ,
“
...
May 19, “
...
June 2,
“
...
June 17, “
July 3,
“
... ...
July 17, “
... ...

in 12
in 13
in 12
in 13

in 17
in 18

in
in
in
in
in

14
13

It
It
it
it
it
It
it
It
it
It
It
It
It
It
It

12

it

13
13

It
It

8 hours.
12
“
12
“
00
“
12
“
12
“
22
“
22
“

15
12
20
12
00
10
12
12
02
12
01

“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“

It will be seen by the above table that the boats have performed nineteen voyages
from Liverpool to Boston. T he average time occupied in these passages is fourteen
days and ten hours, which, considering the tempestuous weather during the winter
months, and which necessarily lengthened the voyages at that season o f the year, may
be said to be unparalleled in the annals o f steam navigation.
C O S T OF T R A N S P O R T A T IO N ON T H E B A L T IM O R E A N D OHIO
R A IL R O A D .
Total cost , (including freig h t and toll,) fo r transporting flour on the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad.
P er barrel.

From
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“

Harper’s Ferry to Baltimore,
W everton
to
“
Knoxville
to
“
Berlin
to
u
Catoctin Switch to
“
Point o f Rocks to
“
Frederick
to
“
Ijamsville
to
“
Monrovia
to
“
Doup’s Switch to
“
Davis’s Warehouse to “
Buckey & Kemp’s to “

34
32
32
32
32
32
30
30
30
28
28
28

cts.
“
((
((
it
it
It

“
((
It

“

Per barrel.

From McPherson’s
It
Reel’s Mill
It
Mount Airy
it
W oodbine
ti
Hood’s Mill
It
Sykesville
It
Marriottsville
it
W oodstock
It
Elysville
it
Ellicott’s Mills
it
Ilchester

to Baltimore, 28 cts.
tt
to
28 tt
a
to
26 it
tt
to
23 it
n
to
21 tt
a
2 0 it
to
tt
to
17 it
a
15 it
to
tt
13 It
to
tt
9 It
to
a
to
8 It

It

W ESTE R N STEAM BOATS.
T he following steamboat statistics are compiled from data found in the Louisville
Directory, recently published. T hey exhibit an aggregate amount o f steamboat tonnage,
that presents the commercial importance o f the west in a strong light.

The number of

steamboats now afloat on the western and southwestern waters is about four hundred.
O f these boats there were built at Pittsburg, 11 2; Cincinnati, 7 0 ; Louisville, N ew A l­
bany, and Jeffersonville, 5 5 ; W heeling, 2 0 ; the residue at Brownsville, Marietta,
Portsmouth, and other places, all on the western waters, except four or five built in
eastern ports*




471

Commercial Statistics.

COMMERCIAL STATISTICS.
E X P O R T S OF C O T T O N FR O M T H E P O R T OF M OBILE,
For the last fou r years, the present ending 31st A ugust, the others 30th September.
W H IT H ER EXPORTED.

1840-41. 1839-40. 1838-39. 1837-38
147,050

250,844

123,217

153,832

5,478

7,141

2,416

3,282

152,528

257,985

125,623

157,114

51,470

78,783

22,304

54,324
426
4,634
1,052
687

222

1,994
1,123
543

1,523

55,130

80,528

22,304

61,123

807

770

921
1,873
1,553
106

1 ,2 0 0

5,935
2,652
1,230

985

800
317
2,461

3,891
830

2,366
2,005

280

390
1,315
595

9,174

16,195

2,008

5,908

48,611
28,444
9,853
2,605
2,656
5,096
3,621

34,067
19,823
7,192
2,758
759
15,672
5,123

59,176
13,721
6,564
735
685
16,768
2,051

47,168
7,870
2,601

22,920
5,317

1 0 0 ,8 8 6

85,394

99,700

85,876

317.718

440.102

249.645

310.021

7

7

7

C O M M E R C E OF N E W O R L E A N S .
AN N U AL STATEM ENT OF L E V Y ’ S “ N E W ORLEANS PRICE CURRENT AND COMMERCIAL
INTELLIGENCER.”

“ W e now present our readers,” says the editor o f the N ew Orleans Price Current,
“ with the annual statement o f the commerce o f N ew Orleans, made up to September 1,
1841, instead o f October 1, as heretofore. The compilation o f tables o f receipts and
exports for the last ten years, to compare with the present, has been attended with much
labor, but such having been the expressed wish o f the great body o f merchants, as repre­
sented by the chamber o f commerce, we have not hesitated to meet it, and the greatest care
having been taken in compiling and checking them, we think ourselves justified in recom­
mending them to the public as correct. An account o f the actual stocks, both o f cotton
and tobacco, has recently been taken, which conforms with the annexed statements.”




—1
CO
CO

*■1
CO
GO
CO

I69688S]

CO

CO
O

—

CO
cn

[536991
CO

*

t—

o
tO

Cn

1840-41.

o >
—
Cn c o - 3
t o CO Cn
cn co 0 5
tO O

1839-40.

1838-39.

t—

t o CO
0 0 co
CO t o
o o
CO 4 ^
H - CO
0 0 i—
c o cn
cn c o 0 5 c o o
H H ilX C n ^
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C n ^ o C M

1837-38.
b3

1836-37. 5"
09
1835-36. j?
S'
a

1833-34.

1832-33.

358104

to

05
-3 O
C O O S r f^ -C O ^
t o CO t o 0 5 05
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g o cn co




Bremen,....................................
Hamburg,.................................
Gottenburg,.............................
Spain and Gibraltar,.............

1834-35.

oo

00

1831-32.

N ew Y o rk ,.............................
Boston,.....................................
Providence, R . I .....................
Philadelphia,...........................
Baltimore,...............................
Portsmouth,............................
Other coastwise ports,..........

1706
2264
2983
2793
561
19002
16801
90
55930
81626
3132
5721
4832
9025
581

459943 297793 466886 329436 227530
113
6
123
41
281
7390 16147 17077
26603
7991
2459
13560
48
2966
1287
2139
4549
1180
206311 110978 110384 113155 106126
1348
6581
4407
6100
4137
9110 16205
21989
6371
7129
2070
6383
4412
5609
6672
753
3688
49
932
202
2130
709
636
1084
47
123
3039
1598
2782
7377
5348
3149
6846
310
2538
4330
2994
343
553
947
1025
1225
5523
3490
1508
1323
30594
2559
1807
521
3380
25652
4820
5910
7875 10239
1044
113
902
233
2117
46354 62175 39384 23622 29019
54042 49497 39853 39244 35982
1811
3701
1607
1177
3211
6195
6371
8224
6483
6767
6341
3045
3450
2785
1128
5369
5099
4819
8044 11989
6189
4662
3781
4563
2098
982
364
1457

1831-32.

1832-33.

lO
CO
4O
C
00
rH

1833-34.

1835-36.

1836-37.

1837-38.

1838-39.

1839-40.

1840-41.

Liverpool,................................ 396010
304
Glasgow and G reenock,...... 20415
9188
Cowes, Falmouth, & c ...........
4393
H avre,...................................... 157277
Bordeaux,.................................
2807
Marseilles,............................... 21933
1834
N antz,......................................
80

tO

228082
81754
3553
1690
95445

CO
o
tO

t o Cn
O
WO ^
-~3
“'I
co 05
t o C OD
-— CO
to o
H O C O
-£»■ ■<! —3
CO t o 0 5 0 5 CO
O i C5
tO Cn
fO -4
Cn - 3
0 5 cn
0 5 rfx
t—
CO
.J C O

Whither Exported.

245221 271821 218974 194580
45
244
336
12601 13950
8096
6272
156
1160
676
3771
702
1220
126505 89311 72342 65239
2295
2650
1597
1770
8055
6808
5203
9486
5017
3841
2612
2820
370
238
50
392
359
70
805
2088
926
1026
370
1122
153
1863
5059
1391
1655
552
195
1186
695
1316
1384
1615
4562
5588
52678
42928
5431
7918
989
8707
5741

1825
922
14708 31749
26312 28625
2849 13651
8411
3368
1701
4784
8209
4760
2478
3465

24405
25201
4611
3548
1573
3343
520

T o tal , ...................... 821288 949320 579179 738313 588969 490495 536991 461026 410524 358104

Exporta of cotton from the port of New Orleans for ten years, commencing lsj Sep
tember, and ending 3lst August.

949320
cn

—3

■ 5 5 : :
h►
—^
0 5 CO
GO CO
O 0 5 CO CO o
GO CO GO CO CO
Ci CO CO ►
—
4^ 0 5 — O

Whither
Exported.

to
8S

Gt. Britain,
France,....
N.ofEuroi
S. of Euroj
Coastwise,

T otal,.
00
tO

Bales of Cotton.

CO Cn 0 0 O O
Cn 0 5 O CO 05
Cn cn o

t o cn

o>

co
05
00
►f*-

os
05
CO
05

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00 00 05
c o cn —-} >£-•
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Cn
to
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►
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CO

1840-41.

1839-40.

Liverpool,................................
L on d on ,...................................

5252
8732

3827
4320

Cowes, Falmouth, & c ..........

6681

992

H avre,......................................

4224
814
1774

3655
1107
1844

1838-39.

f

_
O
—
Cn
CD

—
*—
CD —* Cn )—* >—
c o cn Cn i—4 ►£*•
cn c o t o 0 5 t o
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oo

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05 oo




Cn CO
OO
O Cn

1832-33.

1833-34.

1834-35.

1835-36.

1836-37.

CM
CO

1

CO

00

4115
3725
37
871

2695
3579

1913
1989

3033
6267

2006
2593

1913
1348

1189
1422

1594
346

3695

6556

5126

975

4851

2264

7005

1455

2858
504
1516

2447
320
699
312

384
654
38
61

333

168

20

560

60

20

1254

674
299
871

315

10

1107

138

10

5

32

187

1837-38.
224
Co

1836-37.

ft

ft 3

a
1834-35.

Bremen,....................................

Other foreign ports,...............
N ew Y o rk ,.............................
Boston,.....................................

2
667
7466
3109

Philadelphia,...........................
Baltimore,...............................

2126
517

1963
219

1291
296

1649
770

1494
541

2043
878

3002
410

1166
19

1619
217

2757
623

482

225

617

916

3691

684

2372

2459

1559

25210 23637

35056

Gottenburg,.............................
Spain and Gibraltar,.............
W est Indies,...........................

©

1833-34.

4012
1219
1064
1559
4142
1 02 0

1366

1500

939
3400
618
598
315
8174
2888

206
576
1542
725
563
186
9758
2616

3736
713
674
342
1628
1317
612
4838
3520

852
704
1545
1173
414
902
786
859
394
274
188
9544 10639
2795 4847

2966

1011

1884
492
448
876
323
103
19

889
426
3265
398
1312
757
920
364

2464
1090
1465
745
3843
1013
44
343
8132
2888

a*
co

1835-36. N3

00 to to 05 to
CO
>P- H - X X
0 5 -*4 —-1 Cn Cn

1837-38.

©
GO

to

CO
05

Whither Exported.

1838-39.

SH
a- 3

co ^

*

O

Hogsheads o f Tobacco.

2083
909
942
528
745
536
174
87
4674
2557

6967
3081

3
9002
3154

2

1

1 01

1

1832-33.
Other coastwise ports,..........

00

o

by ^
•8
3
© 5.

1839-40.

O

to

VOL

c*

'z ^

at

I ° ° 1 a
$ S B ® 2*
5' 5 5 :
P
® o o • 5‘
• ® ® : :
)—
to

1831-32.
T O T A L ,................................. 54667

40436 30852

35555 35821 41634 33801

!. E xports o f tobacco from the port o f New Orleans f o r ten years , commencing 1«1 Sep.
tember, and ending 31 st August.

O

S’

474

Commercial Statistics.

3. Table, exhibiting the arrivals, exports, and stocks o f cotton and tobacco at N ew Or­
leans, fo r ten years, from September lsZ to date each year.
COTTON-----BALES.

TOBACCO— HOGSHEADS.

Years.

1840-41.......
1839-40.......
1838-39.......
1837 3 8 .......
1836 37.......
1835-36.......
1834-35........
1833 34.......
1832 33.......
1831 32.......

Arrivals.

Exports.

Stocks.

Arrivals.

Exports.

Stocks.

822,870
954,445
578 514
742,720
605,813
495,442
536,172
467,984
403,833
345,646

821,288
949,320
579,179
738,313
588,969
490,495
536,991
461,026
410,524
358,104

14,490
17,867
10,308
9,570
20,678
4,586
3,649
4,082
816
9,778

53,170
43,827
28,153
37,588
28,501
50,555
35,059
25,871
20,627
31,174

54,667
40,436
31,852
35,555
35,821
41,634
33,801
25.210
23,637
35,056

2,758
4,409
1,294
3,834
3,857
10,456
1,821
717
1,203
4,646

4. Table, exhibiting the exports o f sugar from the port o f New Orleans fo r Jive years,
(up the Mississippi excepted,) from ls£ September to 31s£ August.
W hither Exported.

1840-41.

1839-40.

1838 -39.

1837-38.

1836 -37.

11hds Bbls Hhds Bbls Hhds Bbls. Hhds. Bbls. H ds Bbls.
N ew Y o rk ,............................. 18759 822 18556
6726 431 8622
1 1513
1716
357
39
722
3
20
422 114
951
7588
48 8403
N orfolk,...................................
664
48
819
Richmond and Petersburg,... 1520
64 1923
2
374
372
M obile,..................................... 1530 445 2214
Apalachicola and Pensacola,
566 782
947
304 1293
Other ports,.............................
231

598 9911
134 4516
88 1535
670
12
3
327 1612
942 5804
659
553
179 1215
137
315 1816
1567
457
1880
480

229 12593
75
126 5417
97 1745
30 404
81
3
29
131
415
79 4867
5
188
19 1039 110
59
15
140 1271 234
661
3971271
1273 2271910

9999
5295
1717
450

53
L9
171

755
4439
539
681

36
120

1005 157
218 1024
70 588

T o tal , ........................... 40526 4092 45296 6595 28815 2793 286513696 25168 2168

5. Table, exhibiting the exports o f molasses from the port o f New Orleans fo r five years,
(up the Mississippi excepted,) from lsZ September to 31sZ August.
W hither Exported.

1840-41.

1839-40.

1838-39.

1837-38.

1836-37.

Hhds Bbls. Hhds. Bbls. Hhds. Bbls. Hhds Bbls. Hid,;
N ew Y o r k ,..................
Philadelphia,................

Providence and Bristol,
Baltimore,....................
Richmond & Petersb’g,

Apalach. & Pensacola,
Other ports,..................

5496 17081 3511 15105 7584 3884 4897 8536 5106 8322
1002 4614 962 3078
173
782
753
725
337
467
550 5216
2309
863 2844
591 3596
246 3325
1008
2887
117 1309
182 1174
1322
208
103
99 251
273
696
383
162
52
155
328
227 1826
496 2756
811 4451
456
727
1582 7275 1267 5850 1734 3552 1216 3666
281 3318
350
539
^79
50 971
391
770
716
91
89 1694 231
765
236 1678
8 1592
85
153
368
98
399
108
257
3987
4778
38 3867
2609
2018
U 21
51 1710
232 1542
15 900
3 1299
1424 2661 1942 1704 1387 1495 1610 2441
223 1542

T otal , .................... 11284 48104 8937 42397 13115 20432 10214 27748




kibls.

6256 27668

—

A pples,....................................................

1840-41. 1839-40. 1838-39. 1837-38. 1836-37. 1835-36. 1834-35. 1833-34. 1832-33. 1831-32.

6,724 27,561
27,244
24,387
18,850
23,315
2,359
10,469
4
44
7
50
Bacon, assorted,.......................hhds. and casks
7,197
13,533
11,541
7,774
7,099
8,911
5,051
11,120
Bacon, assorted,.....................................
153
215
774
111
174
357
375
524
Bacon Ham s,.......................................... .. .hhds.
6,006
4,349
6,089
5,420
6,164
7,356
8,175
7,318
Bacon, in bulk,......................................
2,593,057 1,117,987 1,501,900 985,250 1,492,877 893,188 1,525,059 567,324
Bagging, Kentucky,..............................
55,160
70,976
66,898
49,697
48,364
30,477
47,503 21,921
Bale R op e,..............................................
65,613
47,970
62,602
21,256
33,033
30,923 21,951
61,005
Beans,.....................................................
2,026
5,519
1,946
312
14,281
405
4,015
1,159
1
19
5
23
51
49
38
Butter,....................................... kegs and firkins
14,074
10,429
7,369
5,930
7,557
11,967
6,178
7,804
Butter,.....................................................
790
199
64
693
429
279
382
80
Beeswax,.................................................
182
306
155
244
200
474
117
255
Beeswax,.................................................
72
1
21
20
5
1
4
51
51,435
16,069
10,573
4,250
1,800
7,963
20,890
28,250
B eef,.........................................................
10^843
lO jl 18
5^401
33^262
10^777
6'153
9j859
9,618
B eef,.........................................................
18
180
32
195
70
56
36
17
Beef, dried,............................................
30,052
39,120
130,646 115,223
59,160
70,100
38,090
44,050
Buffalo R o b e s,.......................................
2,493
3,800
1,626
2,587
5,447
4,035
2,929
4,816
f Louisiana and Mississippi,............
349,805 311,383
677,313 747,894 469,231 560,406
443 307 355,149
L ak e,...............................................
10,848
9,202
14,960
12,156
5,163
13,836
11,643
11,166
fc North Alabama and Tennessee,.
149,181 134,482
118,122 155,466
69,347 124,539
132,080
96,700
Arkansas,........................................
3,134
1,616
11,149
13,767
7,003
7,101
5,738
11,959
oh 1 M obile,...........................................
17,456
16,768 23,301
16,472
5,063
5,881
15,649
7,655
o
Florida,............................................
6,882
2,764
5,321
731
2,727
1,080
1,053
5,437
T exas,..............................................
2,984
4,481
3,982
2,929
3,335
917
3,232
2,974
Corn M e a l,...........................................
3,082
8,703
1,518
1,665
2,214
1,447
3,109
2,992
Corn, in ears,..........................................
97,774
168,050 152,965 161,918 270,924
194,013 255,975 262,410
Corn, shelled,........... ..............................
162,346
62,137
268,557 278,358 338,795 177,751
369,090 287,182
Cheese,..................................................
1,852
291
173
117
428
319
201
510
Candles,...........................................
216
46
519
425
34
390
800
23
Cider,........................
22
1,199
184
1,790
544
524
735
1,627
Coal, W estern,.................................
85,328
45,756 24,120
221,233
99,915
94,362
61,118
99,220




11,954
4,251
215
1,821
670,693
31,965
23,660
13,874
1
8,847
160
380
185
50
5,331
204
103,410
1,957
287,728
11,974
93,303
2,862
1,533
6,278
155
2,983
91,473
65,620
153
1,811
898
50,000

11,530
51
4,881
370
2,731
990,905
22,494
24,127
2,850
13
4,812
165
511
374
4,609
3
152,910
1,942
194,469
7,354
114,934
1,187
17,663
9,499
540
2,028
71,322
7,490
321
127
929
50,000

Table, exhibiting the imports from the interior into the port o f N e w Orleans fo r ten
■years, from ls£ September to 31s< A ugust, in each year.

Articles.

.......................................... bbls.
Feathers,..........
Flaxseed,............
F lou r,..................
Furs,...................
F urs,..................
F urs,..................

•
1840-41. 1839-40. 1838-39. 1837-38. 1836-37. 1835-36. 1834-35. 1833-34. 1832-33. 1831-32.
483
1,041
470
742
496,194
86
32
1,733

18
740
489
723
482,523
106
16
1,121

457
316
434,984
111
12
301

7,560
500

38
3,865
< 044

5,000
450
26
483
25,522
2,480
21,425
512
45
74
9,672
311,710
3,000
1,092

842
29,962
18,666
7,603
1,001
40
146
5,007
177,303

......................................... bbls.
2,406
Lead, pig,.......... .......................................... pigs 434,467
601

H id e s,................
Horns,................
Hay,...................
Iron, pig,............

L ard,..................
Lard,....................
L eather,.............

Oats,....................
Onions,...............
Oil, Linseed,.....
Oil, Bear,............




54,250
6,457
414
24

32

37
35
141
541
320,208
42
6
616
50
2
3,000
450
94
471
12,235
7,050
13,525
1,834

239
792
152
1,220
253,500
5
3
575
179
70
11,500
40
138
22,287
16,376
20,594
415

799

1,040
19^582
27,450
9,915
411
17
313
8,620
218,387
2,300
681

30
3,737
224,388
10,000
424

1,020
307^397
863

900
309,528
807

500
294,448
1,520

832
200
590
260,223
431

42,885
2,871
195
1

38,708
441
180
1

25,514
1,605
400
9

32,180
4,642
249
2

3,664
233,825

443
1,176
224
3,381
287,232
70
6
1,846
70
37
8,350
7

21
60
384
6,268
286,534
191
5
2,596
183
31
8,500

319
1,128
361
3,720
345,831
67
6
479
330

29
1,145
200
910
233,742
306
79
876
509
221

47
250
143
900
221,283
123
9
671
468
244

375
85

479
333
16
12,889
30,067
1,166
30

13,600
' 32
27
36
40,679
38,934
823
3,253
68

22,362
28,845
1,634
1,144
148

2,359
195,565

686
128,019

1,235
151,725

1,671
188,739
2,100
738
391
500
313,705
760

21
905
35,716
35,767
1,3 )1
3,526
131
9
3,322
239,552
3,274
1,021
25
1,332
225,386
627

569

856

325

3,820
203,999
2,367

18,132
3,532
159
40

14,264
361
613
68

18,206
8,772
514
93

1,642
163^393
1,026
244*000
9^029
610
488
154

117,826
453
245,500
1,784
501
171
48

21,926
45,078
15,982
1,048
47

Table 6 continued— exhibiting the imports from the interior into the port o f New Orleans fo r ten years, from 1st September to 31s£ A ugust, in each year.

Articles.

—

Oil, Castor,........................... .................... bbls.
Peach Brandy,...................... .....................bbls.
.....................bbls.

1840-41. 18 3 9 ^ 0 . 1838-39. 1837-38. 183Q-37. 1835-36. 1834-35. 1833-34. 1832-33. 1831-32.

1,220
669
357
564
905
495
. 363
274
402
1,115
196
147
401
147
9
51
177
257
412
20
H
121
310
23
6
100
44
80
37
44
142
144
196
31
420
73
57
183
435
1,130
1,223
283
15
283
415
849
238
Pickles,...................................
26,599
14,122
28,468
21,469
6,254
16,565
4,984
8,537
46,343
6,346
Potatoes,.................................
92,172
216,974 120,908 166,071 139,463 115,580
79,505
91,998
59,241
Pork,.......................................
68,270
763
531
124
298
175
P o rk ,.......................................
1,523
87
30
1,067
1,160
9,744,22) 5,099,987 7,192,156 3,474,076 8,939,135 5,416,971) 7,160,934 2,603,860 4,196,192 4,114,096
Pork, in bu lk ,........................
2,133
95
1,181
756
49
1,723
1,803
1,456
106
324
Porter and A le,.....................
102
464
639
159
520
498
66
289
478
1,396
R u m ,......................................
2,133
4,324
1,418
2,0
8?
1,816
1,714
454
40
347
4,014
2,612
5,091
5,223
3,809
Skins, D eer,..........................
1,650
2,200
3,183
2,925
4,338
90
174
Skins, Bear,...........................
26
21
9
65
311
197
74
13
2,444
1,920
1,891
1,313
1,160
1,196
Shot,........................................
6,501
1,442
1,345
1,962
20
4
72
S h ot,.......................................
* 102
106
111
1,588
Soap,.......................................
328
1,187
1,876
76
150
66
300
83
587
55,000 702,000 251,000
Shingles,...............................
155,000 537,000
80,000 140,000
88,000 580,000 368,600
Staves,....................................
736,600 1,000,000 1,700,000 600,000 1,000,000 1,020,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 850,000 700,000
29
50
2
512
2
113
27
40
35
584
Moss, Spanish,.......................
1,284
1,059
735
5,861
2,073
2,085
1,888
1,733
3,863
440
712
1,954
1,594
Tallow ,...................................
335
937
200
73
748
135
T obacco, L ea f,.....................
35,059
25,871
20,627
31,174
53,170
50,555
43,827
28,153
28,501
37,588
1,385
2,390
2,825
11,434
Tobacco, Chewing,.............. ..kegs and boxes
3,935
912
1,856
1,109
4,069
1,427
942
222
1,723
4
1,447
180
386
3,204
1,277
2^784
2^271
T o b a c c o ,................................
1,226
1,499
280
1,386
1,533
144
439
249
267
125
T w ine,.....................................
905
932
896
354
654
227
11
76
65
42
104
61
38
16
36
5,006
9,122
6,229
970
Venison Hams,.....................
4,272
1,034
550
7,348
1,910
1,470
136
64
Vinegar,.................................
58
159
958
318
18
1,674
464
94
32,182
34,970
37,369
W hiskey,................................ .....................bbls.
31,929
35,220
73,873
44,790
55,857
29,353
51,580
3,222
W indow Glass,.................... ................... boxes
7,904
3,938
1,138
760
2,732
2,864
2,363
2,859
2,059
10,038
1,090
2,621
•6,422
63,015
17,280
2,027




Table 6 concluded— exhibiting the imports from the interior into the port o f New Or­
leans fo r ten years, from 1st September to 31 st August, in each year.

Articles.

478

Commercial Statistics.

7. Table, exhibiting the monthly arrivals o f ships, barks, brigs, schooners, and steam,
boats at the port o f New Orleans, fo r fo u r years, from ls£ September to 31 st August.

T

o ta l ,...........

Ships.

Barks.

Brigs.

20
37
27
76
65
50
97
43
31
31
20
35

76
120
136
266
220
123
250
143
103'
79'
581
69

83
186
229
281
241
207
233
219
208
141
92
67

16
49
54
59
99
38
27
94
30
40
39
18

2
6
18
22
26
14
13
33
11
13
9
10

17 18
21 40
26 38
57 65
53 91
36 64
26 110
54 74
60 69
37 50
30 29
18 34

595 191 325 532 1643 2187

Steam­
boats.

Steam-1
boats. 1

18
15
23
55
43
21
52
32
22
14
16
14

TOTAL.

TOTAL.

7
13
18
30
32
15
25
15
10
10
10
6

Schrs.

«0
.fcjP
Cq

Schrs.

September,........... 31
October,................ 55
N ovem ber,........... 68
December,........... 105
January,...............
80
February,.............
37
March,..................
76
A pril,....................
53
M a y ,.....................
40
June,...................... 24
J u ly,...................... 12
August,.................
14

1839-40.

Barks.

Months.

Ships.

1840-41.

52
116
136
203
269
152
176
255
170
140
97
80

62
135
153
241
196
219
241
207
170
135
103
75

553 177 435 682 1846 1973

Table 7 continued.

1838-39.
Months.

«0

«0

.fcio

.gs
£

September,...........
October,................
N ovem ber,...........
D ecem ber,...........
January,...............
February,.............
March....................
A p ril,....................
M ay ,......................
June,......................
July,.......................
August,.................
T o tal , ...........

22
42
81
69
67
53
57
49
52
8
16
15

«o

3
9
15
17
18
25
18
19
5
6
9
2

fq

«0

CO

13 18
23 31
45 56
47 63
59 103
44 84
56 98
37 79
39 62
15 41
19 47
10 34

1837-38.
>4
<
H
H

§ 05
§ 1

56
105
197
196
247
206
229
184
158
70
91
61

57
50
117
163
161
179
195
186
187
144
76
53

so

60

eq

18
20
77
64
44
33
48
44
53
46
12
12

7
7
12
11
9
9
4
16
10
11
6
9

SO

??
cq

9
19
35
45
54
41
58
37
50
65
27
20

iH

<8

H

24
15
33
48
64
59
75
72
55
73
29
23

58
61
157
168
171
142
185
169
168
195
74
64j

s i
11

GO -O

64
74
103
204
198
165
186
150
144
156
79
35

461 146 407 716 1740 1568 471 111 460 570 1612| 1558

In the year 1836-37 the arrivals were as follow s:— ships, 408; barks, 102; brigs,
440; schooners, 540 ; total sailing vessels, 1,489 : steamboats, 1,561.

IM P O R T A T IO N OF C O C H IN E A L IN T O G R E A T B R IT A IN .
Statement o f imports o f cochineal into Great Britain at six different periods, from
1815 to 1840.
HOME USE.

EXPORTS.

PRICE.

STOCK.

Pounds.

Pounds.

P er Pound.

Ceroons and Bags.

55,378
73,696
118,123
172,123
170,843
510,631

78,236
56,302
92,782
102,367
346,759
819,329

33s. to 38s.
24s. to 27s.
17s. to 20s.
8s. 6d. to 10s.
6s. 9d. to 9s.
4s. to 6s.

3,337
3,441
2,184
2,047
2,296
3,415

Year.

1815..............
1820..............
1825..............
1830..............
1835..............
1840..............




Commercial Statistics.

479

SK E T C H OF T H E C O M M E R C E A N D N A V IG A T IO N OF T H E U N IT E D
S T A T E S , 1840.
AS COMPILED FROM THE ANN U AL REPORT FOR HAZARD’ S UNITED STATES REGISTER.
IMPORTS.

The imports in 1840, (year ending 30th September,) amounted to $107,141,519, ex­
ceeded by the exports $24,944,427.
ing the report o f the secretary.

This amount varies from the tables accompany­

In 1838, the imports were.............................................................$113,717,404
1839,
“
162,092,132
1840,
“
107,141,519
W hich shows the imports in 1840 to have been less than in 1838 by $6,575,885, and
than in 1839, $54,950,613.
O f the imports, $92,802,352 were in American, and $14,339,167 in foreign vessels.
O f the whole amount o f imports, $57,196,204, or 53 per cent, was free of duty.
The amount o f imports from—
England,.............................was $33,114,133
France,................................
17,572,876
C uba,...................................
9,835,477
C hin a,.................................
6,640,829
Brazil,....................... ;........
4,927,296

M ex ico,................................ was $4,175,001
Hanse T ow n s,....................
2,521,493
British American colonies,
2,007,767
Russia,...................................
2,572,427
British East Indies,.............
1,952,461

From Sweden and Norway, Holland, British W est Indies, Hayti, Spain, and Spanish
W est Indies, except Cuba, Italy, Venezuela, and Chili, the imports exceed one million
each.
Some o f the principal articles o f import were—
Teas, (from China,) 19,981,476 lbs................................................$5,417,589
Coffee, 94,996,095 lbs...................................................................... 8,546,222
Silks, not India,.......................................
8,288,958
Cloths and cassimeres,..................................................................... 4,696,529
Cottons dyed, printed, or colored ,................................................. 3,893,694
Brown sugar, 107,955,038 lbs........................................................ 4,742,492
Bar iron,.......... *......................................................................... ........ 3,397,480
Salt,...................................................................................................... 1,015,526
Molasses,............................................................................................. 2,910,791
m

EXPORTS.

The amount o f exports in 1840 amounted to
“
“
1839
“
“
“
1838
“
Being an excess in 1840 over 1838 o f $23,599,330, and

$132,085,946
121,028,416
108,486,616
over 1839 o f $11,057,530.

Domestic exports in 1840 amounted to $113,895,634, and foreign exports to $18,190,312.
In 1840 the domestic exports exceeded those o f 1839
0,361,743. T he exports exceeded the imports $24,944,427.
Some o f the principal domestic exports in 1840 were
C otton,...........................................................
. $63,870,307
Flour,.......................................................... .
. 10,143,615
T obacco,........................................................
.
9,883,957
Cotton goods,................................................
.
3,549,607
Refined sugar,..............................................
1,214,658
O f the exports there went to—
England,..................................... $57,048,660 Holland..........................................$3,856,310
F rance,...................................... 21,841,554 British W est Indies,................... 2,965,584
Cuba,..........................................
6,310,515 M exico,........................................ 2,515,341
Briiish American colonies,....
6,093.250 B razil,.......................................... 2,506,574
Hanse T ow ns,..........................
4,198,459 Scotland,...............................
2,050,940
Russia, Danish W est Indies, Hayti, Italy, Trieste, Texas, Chili, and China, each took
o f the exports over one million.




480

Commercial Statistics.
SPECIE.

Imports—gold bullion,.................................................... $273,127
silver bullion,.................................................. 469,434
•------------- Specie— gold,...............................................$ 2 ,8 12,030
“
silver,........................................... 5,328,222
--------------

742,561

8,140,252

Total imports,............................$8,882,813
Exports— American gold and silver coin,.................. 2,235,073
Foreign gold,.................................1,468,300
“
silver,.............................. 4,665,952
--------------6,134,252

Total excess o f imports,.........$513,488
Showing that there has been an excess o f imports o f $2,748,561 o f foreign gold and
silver, and an export o f $2,235,073 o f American in its place.
O f the whole amount o f domestic exports, the southern states exported, v iz :—
Maryland,........................................$ 5,49 5,02 0
Virginia,....................................... .. 4,769,937
North Carolina,...........................
387,484
South Carolina,........................... .. 9,981,016
Georgia,....................................... .. 6,862,959
Alabama, ....................................
Louisiana,.................................... .. 32,998,059
Florida,......................................... .. 1,850,709
$75,199,878
T he middle states exported as follow s:—
N ew Y o rk ,................................. . $22,676,609
N ew Jersey,................................
14,863
Pennsylvania,............................. .
5,736,456
Delaware,....................................
37,001
28,464,929

New England states:—
Maine,.......................................... ..$ 1,00 0,91 0
N ew Hampshire,........................
20,761
Vermont,......................................
305,150
Massachusetts,............................ .. 6,268,158
Rhode Island,.............................. ..
203,006
Connecticut,.................................
518,210
8,325,195
Western states:—
O h io ,...................................................$991,954
Michigan,..................................... .... 162,229
District o f Columbia,.......................................

................

......

1,154,183
751,429

Total exports,... .........................$113,895,634
From this statement it would appear that the southern states export nearly three
fourths o f the domestic products o f the United States; o f which Louisiana exports
nearly one half. But as the Mississippi is the natural outlet o f the southwestern and
western states which do not appear in the tables to have any exports, they ought to be
considered in connection with that state.

Again, they are entitled to a credit for a con­

siderable portion o f the exports from the middle and eastern states, such as the cotton,
tobacco, rice, A c .
T he following is a similar classification o f the several states with respect to the imports o f 1840:—




Commercial Statistics.
Maryland.........................
Virginia,...........................
North Carolina,...............
South Carolina,...............
Georgia,...........................
Alabam a,.........................
Louisiana,........................
Florida,.............................

481

$4,910,746
545,085
252,532
2,058,870
491,428
574,651
10,673,190
190,728
$19,697,230

Middle states:—
N ew Y o rk ,.....................
N ew Jersey,....................
Pennsylvania...................
Delaware,........................

$60,440,750
19,209
8,464,882
802
68,925,643

N ew England, or eastern states:—
Maine,...............................
N ew Hampshire,............
Vermont,..........................
Massachusetts,.................
Rhode Island,...................
Connecticut,.....................

$628,762
114,647
404,617
16,513,858
274,534
277,072
18,213,490

Southwestern and western states:—
O h io ,....................... .........
Kentucky,........................
Tennessee,.......................
Michigan,..........................
Missouri,...........................

.$ 4 ,9 1 5
2,241
, 28,938
136,610
. 10,600
185,304
119,852

District o f Columbia,............................

Total imports,............................. $107,141,519
Showing that about 4-5ths o f the whole amount o f imports arrive in the middle and
eastern states.
NAVIGATION AND TONNAGE.

There arrived, in 1840, 7,211 American, 4,571 foreign vessels ; total, 11,782 vessels,
o f 2,289,309 tons. Crews, 110,991 men, 3,739 boys. Cleared during the same, 7,583
American, 4,583 foreign; total, 12J166; tons, 2,353,495. Crews, 116,331 men, 3,415
boys. O f the foreign vessels which entered 4,024 were British, 113 French, 134 Han­
seatic, 101 Spanish. O f the vessels entered there arrived at—
N ew Y ork,............................................ 1,955 N ew Orleans,.......................................... 924
Boston,................................................... 1,507 Philadelphia,................................
444
Passamaquoddy,.................................. 1,161 Baltimore,................................................. 410
T he registered tonnage o f the United States is 899,764-76
Enrolled and licensed,..........................:............ .1,176,695-46
Fishing vessels,...................................................... 104,304-84
T on s,................................. 2,180,764-16-95
T he tonnage employed in the whale fishery, 136,926,64-94
“
“
coasting trade,.......1,144,664.34
“
“
cod fishery,............
67,926-48
“
“
mackerel fishery,..
28,269.19
“
“
steam navigation, 198,184-30
There were built in the United States, in 1840, 97 ships, 109 brigs, 378 schooners,
224 sloops, 63 steamboats; total, 871. Tonnage, 118,309 23-95.
O f these, 181 were built in Maine ; 113 in Massachusetts ; 109 in New Jersey; 103
in Pennsylvania ; 111 in Maryland ; 72 in N ew York.
There were sold to foreigners, 11 ships ; 29 brigs ; 46 schooners; 1 sloop.
Lost at sea, 33 ships ; 41 brigs ; 87 schooners ; 20 sloops ; 16 steamboats.
V O L. V .— NO. V .




61

482

Commercial Statistics.
C O T T O N E X P O R T S OF G R E A T B R IT A IN ,

e t c .,

FO R 1840.

Statement showing the declared value o f cotton manufactures and cotton yarn, exported
from, the united kingdom, and the amounts taken by the different countries to which
they were exported; derived from official documents, and originally published in the
Leeds M ercury.
COUNTRIES.

VALUE.

COUNTRIES.

VALUE.

St. Helena,.*....................... ‘. ......
Northern Europe.
1,494
Russia,......................................... £1,151,798 Mauritius,....................................
159,808
66,350
Sweden,.......................................
Asia.
28,000 Arabia,.........................................
Norway,.......................................
Denmark,....................................
3,878,186
6,328 E. Ind. Co.’s territ’s &. Ceylon,
1,961 Sumatra, Java, &.c. in Ind. seas,
Prussia,........................................
272,633
Germany,....................................
3,551,439 Philippine islands,......................
141,629
Holland,.................. ....................
2,244,373 China,..........................................
327,137
Belgium ,......................................
206,530 British settlements in Australia,
179,707
Southern Europe.
New Zealand,............................
3,181
209,136 South Sea islands,......................
France,........................................
1,998
728,309
Portugal Proper,.........................
America.
25,228 British North Amer. colonies,
Portugal A zores,........................
611,303
Portugal Madeira,......................
16,677 British W est Indies,.................
1,234,687
11,181 Hayti,...........................................
Spain and the Baleric islands,
161,929
28,339 Cuba, and other for. W . I. col’s,
401.382
Spain and the Canaries,...........
635,821 United States o f America,........
Gibraltar,.....................................
1,123,439
1,671,122 States o f Cen. and S. America.
Italy and the Italian islands,...
80,261 M ex ico,.......................................
M alta,..........................................
249,065
49,174 Guatemala,..................................
Ionian islands,............................
638 C olom bia,....................................
Morea and Greek islands,........
248,046
895,888 Brazil,..........................................
T u rk e y ,.......................................
1,525,037
216,269 States o f the R io de la Plata,...
Syria and Palestine,..................
335.305
Africa.
Chili,............................................
921,627
64,267 Peru,............................................
Egypt,..........................................
494,827
47,047 Neighboring British islands.
Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, & c .....
262,499 Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, )
Western coast o f A frica,..........
65,381
134,655
Cape o f Good Hope,.................
Man, & c ............................. $
African ports on the Red Sea.
Cape Verd islands,....................
2,487
T otal Exports,.......... £24,668,618
W hite or plain cottons,.............yards, 433,114,373....... value, £7,803.772
Printed or dyed cottons,........... “
357,517,624...... “
8,498,448
H isiery and small wares,..................................................... “
1,265.090
Twist and yarn,.......................pounds, 118,470,323........ “
7,101,308
Total value o f cotton exports,.........................£24,668,618
B E L G IA N C O M M E R C E A N D N A V IG A T IO N .
It appears by an account o f the return o f the commercial movement o f the Belgian
ports, for 1840, that the number o f vessels which entered Antwerp in that year was
1,173, measuring 180,632 tons; and the number which left the port 1,151, measuring
163,306 tons.

The imports by sea into Antwerp amounted to 120,902,770f., being

nearly 23,000,000f. more than in 1839.

The general movement o f arrivals and depar­

tures at Ostend was 753 vessels, measuring 76,076 tons; Ghent, 285 vessels, giving a
total o f 27,486 tons; Louvain, 132 vessels, 9,576 tons; Nieuport, 204 vessels, 5,994
tons.

The general result o f the five ports was 3,598 vessels, measuring 463,069 tons,

being 61 vessels and 49,429 tons less than in 1839. T he imports by sea into Ostend
amounted to 9,383,557f.; Nieuport, 3,964,141 f.; Louvain, 472,300f.; Ghent, 20,294,777f.
T he total amount o f the imports for the five ports was 155,472,605f.

The imports ot cot­

ton amounted to 13,019,900f., being 7,794,740f. more than in 1839.

O f this amount

10,955,540f. was from the U. S . ; l,957,000f. from England ; and 263,360 from France.




483

Bank Statistics.

BANK S T AT I S T I CS .
B A N K OF F R A N C E .
30 t H JUNE, 1841.

DEBTOR AND CREDITOR ACCOUNT OF THE POSITION OF THE B A N K ON THE

Debtor.
Francs. Ctmes.
Bank notes payable to bearer,...................................................225,011,500 00
Bank notes payable to order,.................................................... 1,205,939 95
Account current with the Treasury,........................................ 120,343,174 79
Various accounts current,.......................................................... 48,857,392 44
Receipts payable at sight,.......................................................... 2,803,500 00
Capital o f the bank,..................................................................... 67,900,000 00
Reserve,........................................................................................ 10,000,000 00
House and furniture,................................................................... 4,000,000 00
Dividends payable,...................................................................... 4,328,001 43
Different branch banks,............................................................. 2,685,724 28
Drafts o f branch banks payable,...............................................
243,900 63
T ota l,........................................... 487,379,133 52
Creditor.
Francs. Ctmes.
Cash on hand,...............................................................................225,691,022 82
Commercial bills discounted,.................................................... 148,513,296 72
Advanced on the security o f bullion,....................................... 8,297,000 00
Advanced on government securities,....................................... 8,822,491 65
Accounts current debtors,.......................................................... 19,594,398 27
Capital advanced to branch banks,.......................................... 12,000,000 00
Reserve,......................................................................................... 10,000,000 00
Lodged in government securities,............................................ 50,177,748 90
House and furniture,................................................................... 4,000,000 00
Sundry credits,.............................................................................
283,175 16
T otal,..........................................487,379,133 52
30 t H JUNE, 1841.
Debtor.
Francs.
Average amount o f bank notes payable to order outstanding,..........................226,727,500
Treasury account,.......................................................................................................106,693,000
Sundry accounts,......................................................................................................... 45,558,500
Receipts payable at sight,.......................................................................................... 3,825,500
l Creditor.
Francs.
Average amount o f cash on hand,.......................................................................... 226,856,500
Average amount o f commercial bills discounted,.................................................117,115,500
Advances on bullion, & c ......................................................................................... 19,615,000
Branch banks, accounts current,.............................................................................. 16,958,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT OF BUSINESS TRANSACTED DURING THE QUARTER ENDING

1841.
Francs.
Amount o f bills o f exchange discounted,........................................................... 213,907,500
Cash advanced on deposits o f bullion and government stock,.......................
32,152,600
Received from sundry accounts current,............................................................1,018,826,000
Paid for sundry accounts current,........................................................................ 1,031,961,000
Received from the Treasury,................................................................................ 105,226,000
Paid from the Treasury,.........................................................................................
84,635,000
Received in sundry cash payments,.................................................................... 594,287,000
Paid in sundry cash payments,............................................................................ 591,519,500
BUSINESS TRANSACTED DURING THE QUARTER ENDING THE

30 t H OF

JUNE,

S A V IN G S B A N K S IN F R A N C E .
T he Moniteur publishes a report to the king, from the minister o f commerce, on the
savings banks throughout France, including Paris. W e learn from the document that
the number o f savings banks, with their branches, which, in 1834, was only 70, had, in
1839, increased to 4 0 4 ; and the amount o f deposits in hand, which was, in 1834, only
37,015,492 francs, although the institution o f savings banks in France had already at
that time an existence o f sixteen years, had increased, in 1839, to 171,057,904 francs.




484

Bank Statistics,

T he progressive increase from 1834 was as follow s:— 1835, 62,185,676 francs ; 1836,
96,576,622 francs ; 1837, 107,637,150 francs ; 1838, 146,089,884 francs ; and in 1839,
171,057,904 francs.

The number o f depositors, in 1834, was 81,714, giving an average

o f 452f. 98c. for ea ch ; in 1839 it was 310,843, giving an average o f 550f. 30c., thus
.showing a beneficial result, not only as to increase o f numbers, but also as to the pecu­
niary means o f contributors, or greater habits o f economy.

Banks.

Presidents.

Atlas,.................
Atlantic,...........
Boston,..............
City,..................
Columbian,.......
Eagle,................
Freeman’s , .......
Globe,................
Granite,............
Hamilton,.........
Massachusetts,..
M arket,*..........
Mechanics’ ,......
Merchants’ , ......
N ew England,..
North,................
Shawmut,.....
State,..............
Suffolk,.........
South,...........
Trem ont,......
Traders’ , ......
U nion ,..........
W ashington,.

Capital.

Cashiers.

C. W . Cartwright, Eliphalet Williams,
John G. T orrey,...

John W . T rull,.....
Enoch Baldwin,....
Benj. T . Reed,......
E. A . Bourne,........
Henry B. S tone,...
B. C. Clark,............
£. T . Armstrong,...
David Dudley,.......
Samuel Fales,.......
Aaron Baldwin,....

Amount.

$500,000 24 $12,500
500,000 3
15,000
600,000 34
21,000
1,000,000 none
500.000 3
15.000
500.000 34
17.000
5,250
150.000 34
1,000,000 3
30,000
500,000 3
15,000
500.000 3
15.000
3
24.000
800.000
600,000 34
19,600
150,000 3
4,500
2,000,000 34
70,000
1,000,000 3
30.000
750,000 3
30.000
500,000 34
17,500
500,000 3
15,000
1,000,000 1
18,000
1,800,000 4
40,000
500,000 2
10,000
15,000
500;000 3
500.000 none
800.000 3
24,000
500,000 2|
13,750

Samuel C. Gray,... Joseph W hite,.......
Pliny Cutler,_____ Benjamin Dodd,....

James R e a d ,..........
Joseph V. Bacon,...
Daniel Denny,.......
W m . Parsons,........
J. Stickney,............
David Nickerson,..
Franklin Haven,...

Dividend.
P er cent.

B O STO N B A N K S.
Table o f the Boston banks, presidents, cashiers, capital, and the semi-annual dividend
paid on the 4th o f October, 1841.

Charles Sprague,...
Archibald Foster,..
Joseph Hall, jr......
James Dodd,..........
Jonathan Brown,...
Alvan Simonds,....
C. H. Eldredge,....
E. P. Clark,...........
E. Plummer,..........
Thomas D row n,...
Jonathan Call,........
Isaac C. Brewer,...
1. J. Loring,...........
James D alton ,......
Jeremiah Gore,.....
Chester Adams,....
D. A . Sigourney,...

$17,610,000

$466,350

* Out o f the earnings since the reduction o f the capital.
C O M PA R ISO N OF T H E PR ICE S OF B A N K N O T E S IN 1841 A N D 1824.
1824,
Massachusetts,... . .1841, par
M aine,.................. ... “
4 per cent discount' “
tt
tt
it
New Hampshire,.. ... “
4
tt
tt
tt
Vermont,.............. ... “
4
tt
tt
ii
Canada,................ ... “ 2
tt
tt
it
Pennsylvania, (Phila.) “ 3£
tt
tt
tt
Maryland,............ ... “ 3
tt
tt
tt
Virginia,.............. ... “ 4
tt
tt
tt
North Carolina,... ... “ 44
tt
tt
tt
Georgia,............... ... “ 10
tt
tt
tt
Ohio,..................... ... “ 9
tt
tt
tt
Kentucky,............. ... “ 9
tt
tt
tt
Tennessee,.......... ... “ 10
tt
tt
tt
Louisiana,............. . .. “ 5
tt
tt
tt
Alabama,.............. .. . “ 11




par
1
1

l

per cent discount
tt

tt

2

par
4 per cent discount
1
14

35
6

60
35
34
6

“
“

“
“

“

“

485

Statistics o f Population.

STATISTICS OF POPULATION.
CENSUS OF T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S , 1840.
Official epitome o f the whole population o f the states and territories o f the United
States, exhibiting the general aggregate amount o f each description o f persons, by
classes.
FREE W H ITE PERSONS.

Males— Under five years o f age,.............................................................1,270,790
O f five and under ten,................................................................ 1,024,072
O f ten and under fifteen,............................................................ 879,499
O f fifteen and under twenty,...................................................... 756,622
O f twenty and under thirty,...................................................... 1,322,440
O f thirty and under forty,........................................................... 866,431
O f fifty and under sixty,............................................................. 314,505
O f sixty and under seventy,....................................................... 174,226
O f seventy and under eighty,.....................................................
80,051
O f eighty and under ninety,........................................................
21,679
O f ninety and under one hundred,............................................
2,597
O f one hundred and upwards,....................................................
476
-------------- 7,249,266
Females— Under five years o f age,......................................................... 1,203,349
O f five and under ten,............................................................ 986,941
O f ten and under fifteen,........................................................ 836,588
Of fifteen and under twenty,................................................... 792,168
O f twenty and under thirty,.................................................. 1,253,395
O f thirty and under forty,....................................................... 779,097
Of forty and under fifty,......................................................... 51)2,143
O f fifty and under sixty,......................................................... 304,810
O f sixty and under seventy,.................................................. 173,299
O f seventy and under eighty,.................................................
80,562
23,914
O f eighty and under ninety,..................................................
O f ninety and under one hundred,........................................
3,231
O f one hundred and upwards,...............................................
315
-------------- 6,939,842
Total number o f free white persons,............................. 14,189,108
FREE COLORED PERSONS.

M ales— Under ten years o f age,...... . ......................................................
Of ten and under twenty-four,..................................................
O f twenty.four and under thirty-six,.........................................
O f thirty-six and under fifty-five,..............................................
O f fifty-five and under one hundred,........................................
O f one hundred and upwards,...................................................

56,323
52,799
35,308
28,258
13,493
286
-------------Females— Under ten years o f age,...........................................................
55,069
O f ten and under twenty-four,..............................................
56,562
O f twenty-four and under thirty-six,.....................................
41,673
O f thirty-six and under fifty-five,..........................................
30,385
Of fifty-five and under one hundred,....................................
15,728
O f one hundred and upwards,...............................................
361
--------------

199,778

Total number o f free colored persons,..........................

386,245

183,467

SLAVES.

Males— Under ten years o f age,.............................................. ...............
O f ten and under twenty-four,...................................................
O f twenty-four and under thirty-six,.........................................
O f thirty-six and under fifty-five,..............................................
O f fifty-five and under one hundred,........................................
O f one hundred and upwards,...................................................




422,599
391,131
235,373
145,264
51,288
753

1,246,408

486

Statistics o f Population.

Females— Under ten years o f age,..........................................................
O f ten and under twenty-four,..............................................
O f twenty-four and Under thirty-six,....................................
O f thirty-six and under fifty-five,..........................................
O f fifty-five and under one hundred,....................................
O f one hundred and upwards,...............................................

421,470
390,075
239,787
139,201
49,692
580
-------------- 1,240,805

Total number o f slaves,.................................................... 2,487,213
*Total aggregate,............................................. 17,062,566
W hite persons included in the foregoing, who are deaf and dumb, under four­
teen years o f age,.......................................................................................................
1,9X9
W hite persons included in the foregoing, who are deaf and dumb, o f fourteen
and under twenty-five,..............................................................................................
2,056
White persons included in the foregoing, who are deaf and dumb, over twentyfive.................................................................................................................................
2,707
White persons included in the foregoing, who are blind,.......................................
5,024
White persons included in the foregoing, who are insane and idiots, at public
charge,..........................................................................................................................
4,329
White persons included in the foregoing, who are insane and idiots, at private
charge,..........................................................................................................................
10,179
Total number o f persons employed in mining,................................... ......................
15,203
Total number o f persons employed in agriculture,................................................... 3,717,756
Total number o f persons employed in com m erce,.................................................. 117,575
Total number o f persons employed in manufactures and trades,........................ 791,545
Total number o f persons employed in navigation o f the ocean,..........................
56,025
Total number o f persons employed in navigation o f canals, lakes, and rivers,..
33,067
Total number o f persons employed in learned professions,..................................
65,236
Slaves and colored persons included in
the
foregoing,who aredeaf and dumb,977
1,892
Slaves and colored persons included in
the
foregoing,whoareblind,.
Slaves and colored persons included in the foregoing, who are insane and idiots,
at private charge..........................................................................................................
2,093
Slaves and colored persons included in the foregoing, who are insane and idiots,
at public charge,..........................................................................................................
833
Total number o f pensioners for revolutionary or military services,......................
20,797
Total number o f universities or colleges,...................................................................
173
Total number o f students in universities or colleges,..............................................
16,233
Total number o f academies and grammar schools,..................................................
2,342
Total number o f students in academies and grammar schools,........................... 164,159
Total number o f primary and common schools,......................................................
47,209
Total number o f scholars in common schools,........................................................ .1,848,244
Total number o f scholars at public charge,................................................................ 468,264
Total number o f white persons over twenty years o f age, who cannot read and
write,.........................................................................................................................
549,693
* Total number o f persons on board o f vessels o f war in the United States naval ser­
vice, June 1, 1840, 6,100; thus making the total aggregate o f the population o f the
United States 17,068,666.
V A LU E P E R H E A D OF T H E PR O D U C TS OF T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S .
W e published, in the September number o f this magazine, a table from the depart­
ment o f state, showing the value o f the agricultural productions in the several states o f
the Union, excepting Kentucky, Michigan, and North Carolina. With the aid o f this
table, the editor o f the St. Louis Gazette has made “ an estimate o f the money value o f
the several products, and placed the result side by side with the population o f the states
respectively, to show the yield per head, in round numbers.’*
It will be seen by the following table that only four states produce more than $1 00 to
each head o f the population, v iz : Vermont, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. O f
these, Vermont takes the lead, and must certainly be considered the most enterprising,
•industrious, and thrifty agricultural state in the Union.




Massachusetts is lowest in the

487

Statistics o f Population.

scale ; but that state is engaged extensively in commerce and manufactures. The
states most devoted to planting and farming, or whose products are chiefly agricultural,
are mostly the southern and western. A ll the N ew England and middle states, as also
Ohio, are very considerable manufacturers, and the most o f them have a large commer­
cial and navigation interest—causes which operate to draw away hands from agriculture.
The average production per capitum is $8 7 50. Fourteen members o f the Union size
above this average, the remaining ten below it.
States.

Value.

• ^3
Popula­ £ S
tion.

States.

Value.

Popula­
tion.

. ^

M aine,............ $34,720,000 501,793 769 Georgia,......... $58,830,000 691,352 85
New Hampsh. 25,703,000 284,574 90 Ohio,...............
84,507,000 1,519,467 55
43 227,000 291,948 148 Tennessee,....
Vermont,........
73,131,000 829,510 8 8
Massachus’ tts,
28,809,400 737,699 38 Louisiana,.....
37,706,000 352,000 106
3.745.800 108,830 34 Alabama,........
Rhode Island,
42,376,000 590,756 71
Connecticut,...
22,945,000 309,948 74 Mississippi,,...
41,773,000 375,601 111
22,3 19,400 383.702 58
New York,... 238,800.000 2,428,921 98 Missouri,.......
35,911,000! 373,318 95 Indiana,..........
47,859,000 685,866 69
New Jersey,..
35,264,500 476,183 74
Pennsylvania, 130,249,00 1,721 033 79 Illinois,...........
97,574 108
10,536,000
Delaware,......
6,027,000
78,085 78 Arkansas,......
43,035 53
2,277,000
43,840,200 469,232 93 Iowa,.............
Maryland,.....
352,000
43,712
7
Virginia,......... 102,177,0 10 1,239 797 82 D. o f Columb.
So. Carolina,..
49,117,800i 594,398 82
F A C T S IN R E G A R D T O T H E CENSUS OF T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S .
The editor o f the Cincinnati Chronicle has been examining the six returns o f the cen­
sus, taken at intervals o f ten years each since the adoption o f the constitution.
vestigations show some curious facts :—

The in­

1. T he population o f the United States increases exactly 34 per cent each ten years,
and which doubles every twenty-four years. The law is so uniform and permanent,
that when applied to the population o f 1790, and brought down to the present time, it
produces nearly the very result as shown by the census o f 1840. And thus we may tell
with great accuracy what will be the census o f 1850. It will be nearly twenty-three
millions.
2. But although this is the aggregate result, it is by no means true o f each particular
part o f ‘he country, for New England increases at the rate o f 15 per cent each ten years,
while the northwestern states increase 1 0 0 per cent in that period.
3. The slave population increased at 30 per cent, but since at less than 25 per cent.
T he free population have, however, increased at the rate o f 36 per cent. A t this rate,
therefore, the difference between the free and slave population is constantly increasing.
4. Another fact is that the colored population increase just in proportion to the dis­
tance south ; and that slavery is certainly and rapidly decreasing in the states bordering
on the free states.
This state o f things continued, would, in half a century, extinguish slavery in these
states, and concentrate the whole black population o f the United States on the Gulf of
M exico, and the adjacent states on the southern Atlantic.
P R U SSIA N -R H E N ISH P O P U L A T IO N .
The Dusseldorf Gazette gives the following statistical account o f the population o f
the Prussian-Rhenish provinces :—
“ In 1826 it amounted to only 1,849,711 souls, but in 1840 had increased to 2,550,553,
without reckoning the district o f St. Wendel, which contains 36,499. Thus there has
been an increase o f 664,343 souls, or 35 per cent, in the space o f twenty-four years.
It is composed o f 1,929,660 Roman Catholics; 593,353 Protestants; 1,318 Mnemonifes,
and 26,222 Jews.

T he department o f Dusseldorf alone counts 802,998 inhabitants.

T he males amount to 1,278,637.”




488

Mercantile Library Association, etc .

M E R C A N T IL E L IB R A R Y A S S O C IA T IO N OF N E W Y O R K .
W e have great pleasure in laying before our readers the syllabus, in part, o f the 15th
annual course o f Lectures to be delivered at Clinton Hall, during the present season.
From the topics so far selected, and the distinguished character o f the lecturers, we antici­
pate a rich and interesting series. W e would here take occasion to add, that the 21st
anniversary o f this noble institution will be celebrated on Tuesday the ninth o f the pre­
sent month, by an oration from the Hon. W illiam I nglis o f New Y ork, and a poem
by Mr. W illiam C u tte r , a member o f the association. It is understood also, that a
supper is to be provided on the occasion ; and we would respectfully suggest, that the
board o f managers, in view o f the progress o f the great temperance movement of the day,
follow the example o f the American Institute at their recent celebration, by omitting the
use o f the “ flawing bowl,” “ a custom more honored in the bfeach than the observance.”
FIFTEENTH A N N U AL COURSE OF LECTURES TO BE DELIVERED A T CLINTON H A LL, ON TUESDAY
EVENING OF EACH W E E K ,

COMMENCING NOVEMBER

16 t H.

Introductory— By D avid P au l B r o w n , Esq., o f Philadelphia.
One Lecture— Hon. R ufus C hoate, o f Massachusetts.
One Lecture— Hon. A . B ru yn H asbrouck , (President Rutgers College, N ew Jersey.)
One Lecture— E lihu B u r r it t , A .M ., o f Massachusetts, (the learned blacksmith)— “ Is
a Roman patriotism congenial with the republican principles or the
spirit o f our institutions ?”
One Lecture— Hon. G eorge M. D a lla s , o f Pennsylvania, (late United States minister
to Russia,) on “ Russia.”
One Lecture— Rev. J. M . W

a in w rig h t ,

D.D.

T w o Lectures— Major G. T ochman, (a Polish exile,) Professor, ---------- College, Ken­
tucky, on the “ History and Revolution o f Poland.”
One Lecture— J oseph R . C handler , Esq., o f Philadelphia, on “ Maternal Affection.”
One Lecture— Rev. H en ry W . B ellow s , on “ Manners and Morals o f a Republic.”
T w o Lectures— Professor S illim an — 1st, “ A Sketch o f the Structure o f the Earth, in­
cluding the leading facts o f Geology.”
2d, 11 Theory o f the powers and operations by which the arrangement
has been effected ; with the results o f utility and beauty.”
One Lecture— W

illiam

L. S tone , Esq., on the “ Buccaniers o f America.”

One Lecture— Rev. J. N. M af f it , Professor St. Charles College, Missouri.
One Lecture— J ohn N eal , Esq., o f Portland, on “ S elf Reliance.”
One Lecture— G ra n ville S harp P attison , M.D., (Professor University Medical School,)
on u T he Constitution and Organization o f the Animal Body.”
One Lecture— Rev. J ohn O. C houles, on “ Saint Bartholomew’s Day, and Admiral
Coligny.”
L Y F O R D ’ S P R IC E C U R R E N T .
In the Merchants’ Magazine for June, 1841, we published a valuable table o f flour
inspections in Baltimore for the last forty-two years, which we omitted to credit to the
“ Baltimore Commercial Journal, and L yford's P rice Current,” the paper in which it
originally appeared. W e embrace this opportunity o f correcting the omission, and at the
same time o f expressing our admiration o f the industry and ability displayed by Mr. Lyford in the conduct o f that excellent commercial journal.

N o work o f the kind is more

generally quoted abroad for its accurate and just review o f the markets, as well as its
carefully compiled and useful tables.

W e shall be happy to receive subscribers for it,

and forward their names to the worthy publisher.
O * A n interesting and important paper on “ M orocco, and its Facilities fo r American
Commercial Enterprise,” and another on “ The British Corn Laws,” are unavoidably
deferred, but will appear in the December number o f this magazine.