York papers insist upon the removal of the 30 per cent. duty on foreign coal, as the only sure preventive to the high price of this essential article.* From the New York Shipping List, the wholesale prices of coal were January, 1854, per ton: Liverpool Orrel, from $12 to $12.50; Newcastle, $10.50; Scotch, at $8.50 and $9; Pictou and Sidney, per carge, $8.50; anthracite, $5.50 per ton, to $6. Cannel coal varies from $12 to $16 a chaldron, and even higher. Population of the city of New York in 1840, 312,000 365,000 1850, 650,000 1853, 700,000 Value of Imports and Exports from Port of New York. Cash duties received. 106,693,573 149,869,090 137,395,220 198,453,890 219,015,427 201,373,228 267,987,650 17,220,635 20,128,052 21,718,624 28,047,239 31,081,263 31,332,737 43,088,225 The annexed is an official statement of the tolls collected on all the New York State canals, in each of the following years. The average number of days in which the New York canals were navigable, (accidents not included,) in the twenty-three years previously to 1847, viz. from 1824 to 1846, inclusive, was 231.* There are about 1,100 miles of canal and inland navigation in the State. Capital invested in the rail-roads of New York, in 1846, $12,750,000. Aggregate length of twenty-one rail-roads, in 1847-8, 758 miles then in operation, besides others in progress. Net income received, about 7 per cent. Abstract of the statistics of thirty Rail-roads in the State of New York in 1852. The total value of all the property which cleared from and came to the Hudson River, on all the canals, in the following years:§ Hunt's Merchants' Magazine, November, 1847, also January, 1848. † American Railroad Journal, January 1st, 1847. State Engineer's Report Canals New York. ? Hunt's Mag. The value of the entire movement of property, in 1846, from and to the Hudson, is greater by $7,297,845, than the value of all the goods imported into the United States during the fiscal year, ending July, 1844; and exceeds by $9,039,207 the aggregate value of the imports and exports of the port of New York, in 1846; 1849, $144,732,285; 1850, $156,397,929. Quantities transported on the New York canals, paying tolls.* Statement of the tonnage, toll and value, of articles of all denominations, which passed through the State canals of New York, eastward, to tide water at Albany and Troy. The total amount of tolls upon the New York State canals, received in the twenty-four years, from 1824 to 1847, inclusive, was $34,534,356. Statement of the number and tonnage of canal boats of every class, which passed upon the canals of the State of New York, in the years 1843 and 1846, showing the comparative increase in the latter, both in number, and capacity, and amount conveyed. Statement of the quantity and value of mineral coal, chiefly the bituminous coal of Pennsylvania and Ohio, which was transported on the New York and Erie canal, eastward.* The rate of toll on mineral coal was reduced to one mill per 1000 lbs. weight per mile, on the New York and Erie canal, on the 1st August, 1845. As the old rates amount nearly to a prohibition, this reduction secured a revenue to the New York canals, from a source which had previously yielded little or nothing. rates are as follows: Mineral coal, per 1000 lbs. weight per mile, equal The new and old The cost of all expenses of transportation on the Erie canal in 1852, was 2, mills per ton per mile. Mr. Seymour the late State Engineer estimates the whole cost at 3 mills per ton per mile. The charges for transportation on the Erie canal in 1851 and 1852 (except late in the season) have averaged $2.50 per ton for down, and $2.35 for up freights, exclusive of the charge for State tolls, being at the rate of 6.9 and 6.5 mills per ton per mile. The earnings of the New York and Erie Railroad for the year ending September 30, 1853, was $4,318,962. Report of the Directors of the New York and Erie Railroad, November 30, 1854. Annual Report of the Commissioners of the Canal Fund, January 5th, 1846. † Hunt's Merchants' Magazine, February and June, 1846, and other sources. RHODE ISLAND. LOCALITIES OF COAL. THE report of the Geological Survey of this State, appeared in 1840, from the pen of Dr. C. T. Jackson. This duty, of course, embraced the examination of the coal formation, the collection of characteristic specimens for analysis, and of organic or vegetable fossil remains; wood engravings of which illustrate the report. Like all the public papers proceeding from this gentleman, it is characterized by special attention to whatever tends to those practical and useful results which constitute essentially the aim and object of his labours. The two positions where anthracite is found are, 1st, in Cumberland county, north of Providence; and 2d, at Portsmouth, in Rhode Island, 23 miles to the south. Cumberland.-Only a single bed of anthracite is mentioned here; dipping to the south. All attempts to mine this appear to be abandoned for the present. Mr. Hitchcock has traced anthracite also to Middleborough, at West Bridgewater, and at Wrexham. Bristol Neck.-Slate rocks, the grauwacke of the reporter, containing an abundance of fossil plants of the coal period-corresponding with the coal formation on the opposite shore of Portsmouth-occur here, overlaying granite; but no coal seam has yet been noticed. Pappoose.-Squaw's Neck, near Bristol, contains the same series of slate and compact rock, termed grauwacke; and similar vegetable remains as at Portsmouth; but no regular bed of coal is observed. Cranston.-On Sockanosset Hill-strata of similar character, with graphite and impure anthracite, show the extention of the coal formation in this direction. Warwick Neck.-Similar carbonaceous grauwacke, which is more promising for coal than at most localities, and the local situation is very favourable for mining. Providence.-From excavations near the Court-house some anthracite was obtained underlaying tertiary clay.* Newport.-Anthracite beds, a few inches thick, occur in the south part of Newport, in the slate commonly denominated grauwacke.† The whole area in Rhode Island State, where rocks of this age. appear, covers about 150 square miles. The central part of this is |