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To see a vessel hailing from Detroit and other ports on the lakes is becoming a frequent occurrence. Within three years past ten barks, five brigs, forty-one schooners, one propeller, and eight tug boats have left the lake waters and are now employed in salt water service. These vessels, with the exception of the tugs, represent 18,035 tons. Two of the barks and one schooner are Canadian vessels. These lake vessels are readily distinguished by any one conversant with ships, by having a very short bowsprit, straight stem, and appliances for “tricing up" the jibboom and head gear so that they may be enabled to pass through the locks on the canals. Only three of this fleet have been lost. The first was the Colonel Cook, which was lost in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1858. The Republican, of Huron, Ohio, was lost off the Coast of Florida last spring, and the last was the bark Magenta, of Green Bay, Michigan, which left Boston for London, July 7. She was abandoned at sea July 22d, and her crew arrived at Liverpool early this month. The trade between Liverpool and the lake ports is not unfrequently made direct. The J. F. Warner cleared from Liverpool, July 29, for Cleveland, Ohio, and the Canada bark F. F. Park sailed from the same port direct for Montreal and Detroit. As the times on the lakes seem to have a better look for the fall trade, several of these vessels are ordered back. The Sophia Smith, J. W. Holt, and Fashion have already received their orders to return. Had this state of things been predicted six years ago, the most far-sighted of the lakemen would not have believed it. But a variety of circumstances have tended to bring the lake vessels into our coasting trade, as well as to induce them to go across the Atlantic. From their flat build they make excellent cotton traders, and large numbers of them are engaged in that branch of our coasting trade. The schooner G. D. Dorisman was reported Aug. 1st hauling out of Royal Albert dry dock, at Passage West, Cork, after undergoing repairs. The schooner Forest City, Capt. LoVELL, cleared from Boston, a few days ago for Albany and Troy.

COMMERCE OF NEW ORLEANS.

In its very valuable annual tables, the New Orleans Prices Current remarks:

In our last annual review, we had occasion to notice the disturbing influence upon commerce and finance of the war in Italy, and its depressing effect on cotton, notwithstanding which the season's operations in that great staple had appeared very satisfactory to the planting interest, having embraced the disposition of the largest crop thus far ever produced, while prices had been maintained above the average of the smaller crop of the previous year. The production of cotton for the year now under review has shown a further large increase in amount and value, and with the return of peace in Europe, and prosperous manufacturing interests at home and abroad, the crop has been disposed of at an average range of remunerative prices. The increase of the crop for the year

just closed, over that of the year immediately preceding, amounts to fully 800,000 bales, and exceeds that of the previous year over 1,500,000 bales, and the increase in value for the total crop, delivered at all the ports, compared with last year, amounts to fully $20,000,000, and over $50,000,000 compared with the year before.

The value of our products received from the interior during the past season, according to our annual valuation table, amounts to the large total of $185,211,254, against $172.952,664, showing an increase over last year of $12.258.590, and over 1857-58 of $18,055,708. To refer back ten years, we find an increase over 1849-50 of $88,313,381, equal to fully 90 per cent. This is certainly a very fair exhibit of the progress of trade in our city, and a corresponding advance is promised for the future in the internal improvements which have been carried forward during the year in our own and adjoining States. The New Orleans, Jackson, and Great Northern Railroad has established connections with other great thoroughfares which place us in direct communication with the richest portions of our Southern interior, and with nearly all parts of the country-West, North, and East; and the New Orleans, Opelousas, and Great Western Road begins to open to our commerce the richest producing regions of the South and West, heretofore so difficult of access, and promises at no distant day to bring us a largely increased share of the productions of Texas.

According to the Custom-house records the total value of exports to foreign countries, of produce and merchandise of the growth and manufacture of the United States, and of foreign merchandise, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1860, was $108,393,567, against $101,634,952 last year; showing an increase of $6,758,615. Of the value of exports coastwise the Custom-house has kept no record since 1857, but an estimate which we have made from our own tables enables us to state that the amount is about $30,000,000; thus making the total value of our exports foreign and coastwise $138,393,567. The value of foreign merchandise and specie imported in the same period was $22,920,849, against $18,349,516 last year; showing an increase of $4,571,333. There is no record of the value of the numerous cargoes of domestic and foreign merchandise and produce received coastwise, but its amount would count by tens of millions.

TABLE SHOWING THE RECEIPTS OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES FROM THE INTERIOR DURING THE YEARS ENDING 31ST AUGUST 1859 AND 1860, WITH THEIR ESTIMATED AVERAGE AND TOTAL VALUE.

-1859.

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-1860.Amount. Av. price. 67,416 $5 00

Value. $337,080

35,491

90 00 3,815 40 00 87,829 70 00 10,000

3,194,190

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152,600

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2,648,030

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8

34,706 14 00

127,321

9 00

800 485,884 1,145,889

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Beans...

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7,771 5 00

38,855

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COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF VALUE OF IMPORTS THROUGH THE CUSTOM-HOUSE, NEW ORLEANS, FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDING ON THE 30TH OF JUNE, FOR SIX YEARS.

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Dutiable.. 6,939,002 8,990,583 16,417,035

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10,247,093 9,952,646 15,196,518 Free.... 4,297,170 6,417,596 6,637,076 4,818,069 6,725,446 5,437,875 Specie.... 4,687,436 1,775,148 1,927,039 4,520,851 1,671,424 2,286,456

Total.... 12,923,608 17,183,327 24,981,150 19,586,013 18,349,516 22,920,840 Exports.. 55,688,552 80,547,963 91,514,186 88,382,438 101,634,952 108,393,567

COMMERCE OF MOBILE.

The imports and exports of the port of Mobile have been for the past eighteen months as follows::

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The exports for the first six months of 1860 have exceeded those of the previous year $8,681,717. The exports of cotton for the year ending August 31, were as follows:

EXPORTS OF COTTON FROM THE PORT OF MOBILE TO FOREIGN PORTS, WITH THE WEIGHT AND VALUE ATTACHED, FOR THE YEAR ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 1860.

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The official report gives the following biennial returns of the trade of the

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Showing excess of imports for this biennial term to be....

$926,807 99

From 1853 the imports and exports were as follows:

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last year, when the excess This is doubtless to be at

This statement shows a gratifying increase in our domestic exports, and a gradual decrease in the excess of imports until the suddenly run up from $302,578 32 to $624,229 47. tributed to the caution of those engaged in commerce, in laying in large stocks of merchandise in anticipation of the change in the tariff, now near at hand.

Since the last report from this department, another market has been opened near us, which promises to be a large consumer of our domestic productions, without calling on us to take anything of foreign manufacture in exchange. I allude to British Columbia, which, from the discovery of gold within its borders, began at once to afford a market for our cattle and the products of our soil.

It is to the agricultural and planting interests that we must chiefly look for getting rid of this excess of imports. No policy should therefore be adopted to fetter them; on the contrary, they should receive every encouragement within the limits of legislative discretion.

The new tariff established by the civil code will go fully into effect on the 25th of June next. But little addition will for some time be made to the revenue from the increased rate of duties which it provides, owing to the large importations which have lately been made, doubtless, as already intimated, with reference to the change. The last quarters of the fiscal year will however be likely to demonstrate its probable bearings upon the trade of the country.

SPAIN-ITS TRADE AND AGRICULTURE.

According to the official returns of Spain for the year 1857, the percentage of uncultivated land was 45.8; land under tillage, 26.6; grass lands, 14.0; woods, copse, garden, etc., 9.0; vinyards, 2.8; olive-grounds, 1.8. The total superfices of ground cultivated as vinyards in 1857 was 3.500,524 English acres ; the corresponding acreage under vine cultivation in France was in the same year 5,387,230 acres. The value of wine exported from Spain in 1857 was about $23,000,000; that of wine exported from France in the same year about $30,000,000.

The total imports in 1850 were $33,600,000; in 1857, $77,770,000; being an increase in seven years of 131 per cent. The total exports in 1850 were $24,435,000; in 1857, $58,430.000; increase in seven years 139 per cent. Of the imports for 1857 Europe supplied $54,904,000; Asia, $1,250,000; Africa, $1,210,000; America, $20,402,000, including $7,857,000 from the United States. Of the exports for 1857 Europe received $38,015,000; Asia, $565,000; Africa, $1,210,000; America, $18,660,000, including $3,396,500 sent to the United States.

Our Spanish cousins in 1858 possessed 13,749,959 sheep, 2,733,966 goats, 1,380,861 cattle, 1,018,388 swine, 491.690 asses, 415,978 mules, and 268,248 horses.

The number of schools of first instruction in Spain in 1855 was 20,753, affording instruction to 684,657 boys and 320,317 girls. Of these schools 16,709 were public, 3,624 private, and 420 under the care of religious congregations

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