Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 March 1879 — AMERICAN COMMERCE. [ARTICLE]

AMERICAN COMMERCE.

Growth of Our Export Trade —Some Surprising Figures. The report of the Bureau of Statistics for the last year, says a Washington correspondent, contains some very surprising figures to show the decline of American commerce and the gradual but steady manner in which foreign ships have monopolized our carrying trade. The following statement shows the percentage of imports to and exports from the United States carried in vessels of domestic build, from the year 1821 to the present date:

Percentage , Percentage Carried in ■ Carried in American American rear. Ships. Year. Ships. 1821 88.7 1860 72 5 1822 ..88.4 1851, 72.7 1823 89.9 18g2 70.5 1824 91.2 1853 69.5 1825 92.3 1854 70.5 1826 92.5 1855 75.6 1827 90.9 1856 75:2 182? 88.9 1857 70.5 1829 89,5 ISSB 73.7 1830 89.9 1859 66.9 1831 86J 18W0 65.5 1832 83.1 1861 65 2 1833 83.8 1862’. 50.0 1834 83.0 1863 41.4 1835 84.5 1864 27.5 1836 84.3 1865 27.5 1837 82 2 1866 32.2 1888 84.6 1867 33 9 1839 84.3 1868 15.1 1840 82.9.1869 83.1 1841 83.3'1870 85.6 1842 82 3.1871 31.8 1843 77.1,1872 29.1 1844 78.6 1873 26.4 1815 81.71(874 27.2 184(1 81.7’1875 26.2 1847 70 911876 27.7 1848 77.4 1817 26.9 1849 75.2 1878 16.3

In striking contrast to this has been the growth of the foreign commerce of the United States. While the carrying capacity of American bottoms has grown less and less every year, the demand upon it has grown rapidly greater, and has been responded to by foreign shipowners. The growth in the export trade of the United States has been enormous, particularly within the last decade. In 1790 the value of domestic exports from the United States was $19,666,000; in 1800, $31,840,903; in 1810, $42,366,675; in 1820, $51,683,640; in 1830, $59,462,029; in 1840, $113,895,634; in 1850, in 1860, $373,189,274; in 1870, $420,500,275. Now mark the progress for the last

eight years: 1871 $562 518,651,1875 $643,094,767 1872 549,219,718 1876 644.956,406 1873 649,132.563 1877 676,115,592 1874 693,032,054| 1878 722.811,815 The lack of increase, and the falling off during the depressed condition of American industries from 1873 to 1876, will be noticed; as returning prosperity is shown in the exports for 1877 and I 1878. Of the total exports last year, $557,vessels of American build. The following are the principal articles of export, none being taken from the long list, of which the value exported last year did not exceed $1,000,000. Value of Exports tn 1878. Mowers and reaper* $1,018,916 Other agricultural implements 1,319. 1t,7 Horned cattle 3,896,818 Barley 2,565.736 Indian corn 48,030,358 Indian corn meal 1,336.187 Oats 1,227,920 Bye 3,(51.739 Wheat 96,872,016 Wheat flour 25,095,721 Other small grains 1,077.433 Breadstuffs prepared tor food 1,709,639 | Bituminous c0a1...... 1,352.621' Other c0a1... 1,006,843 Copper in pigs, bars and sheets 2,102.455 Sea island cotton 1,616.214 Other unmanufactured cotton 178,415,270 Colored manufactured cotton 2,959,910 Uncolored manufactured cotton . 7,053.463 Other manufactures of cotton 1,425.287 Drugs and chemicals 2,303,253 Furs and fur skins 2,618,100 Gold coin 6.427,251 Gold bullion 15.035,045 Silver coin, trade dollars 5,166.006 Hemp, other than cables 1,056.709 Hides and skins 1,286,840 Hops 2,152,873 Locomotives 1.016.974 Machinery not classified 3,849,908 Muskets, pistols, etc . 2,098,501 Manufactured leather other than boots and shoes 6.189.052 Substances used for manures. 1,208,049 Resin and turpentine 2.32!) 31!) Oil-cake 5 095,16) Mineral crude oil 2.6918 Naphtha, benzine,etc 1.411,812 Illuminating oils 41.513.676 Cottonseed 2.514.323 Cartridges and fuses 3.357,094 Shot and shell 1.360,421 Paper and stationery 1,086.994 Bacon and hams 51,752.068 Beef, salted or dried 2'973.231 Fresh beef 5.001) 856 Butter 3,931.822 Cheese 14,103 529 Fish, other than pickled or dried 3,198,896 Lard 30.014.254 Preserved meats 5,102.625 Pork 4.913.657 Quicksilver 1.230 (.08 < lover and timothy seed. 2,0.-5,887 Sewing machines 1,661,715 Turpentine 2.333.569 Refined sugar 4.508.148 Tallow 6.695.377 Leaf tobacco 24.803.165 Boards d trimmed lumber 4,531.741 Sawed a hewed timber 2,662,784 Househ Id furniture 1.961,522