Condensed Table of the Imports of the various description of Iron into the United States each year, ending June 30th, constructed from the report of the Secretary of the Treasury. Value of Iron Imported into the United States.* Years. Value. Duty. 1844 2,395,760 1,607,113 1845 4,075,142 2,415,003 In 1852 New York received of manufactured iron from Britain, 135,299 tons, Boston 24,414 tons, and Philadelphia 12,024 tons. Table of the tons of Iron of all kinds imported from Great Britain to United States. -The following figures exhibit the number of thousands, leaving out the fractional hundreds. Wire Cables for Mines and Inclined Planes, for Tiller Ropes, &c. See much practical data collected under this head on iron in Pennsylvania, &c. Casualties of Miners.-Provident Institutions, "Caisses de Secours," Relief Funds, &c., see details under this head, in a preliminary chapter. As regards the relief and support of aged or disabled miners in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania, it is but justice to the editor of the Miner's Journal, of Pottsville, to state, that he has sought on several occasions to attract attention to this very desirable object. The casualties to which this class of useful operatives is continually exposed, calls for some provision for the aged, the infirm, and the injured; and for occasional relief in distressing cases, to their bereaved families. All mining countries have perceived the necessity of adopting measures which shall effect these benevolent objects, in behalf of a population whose employments peculiarly and perpetually expose them to the most distressing calamities. The countenance of the state government would not, of course, be withheld from "The Miners' Provident Institution," but it is obvious, and has been decided in every well regulated mining region, that the burden and the management of such institutions as are here suggested, must be jointly borne by, and emanate from, the two most interested parties-that is to say, the proprietors of the minerals and the workmen themselves. The community, as experience has shown, will not consent to be taxed for the relief of one class of operatives, however strong their claims. All other classes of persons pursuing hazardous occupations, would view such a measure as an act of injustice to themselves. Above all things to be avoided is the conversion of benevolent institutions, however well conceived or modelled, to any thing like local or political influence. In England, the operative miners have held back from such institutions, under the impression that the amount of their subscriptions would be so much deducted from the poor-rates, and, consequently, that their contributions would in reality prove a bonus to their employers, rather than a benefit to themselves. In the coal regions of the American states, no such objection can be urged, as the rates for the support of the poor are extremely trivial: and it seems most just and fitting that the operatives should, as in France and Belgium, have a share through their representatives, in the management and appropriation of the funds to which they have contributed their por tion. At the commencement of this work, we devoted some space to a consideration of this subject, and we conclude by referring the reader to that article, which abounds in facts of extreme interest. Statistics of United States. We make a few extracts from the Boston Post for August, 1854, which contains some valuable information relating to the vastness and riches of the United States. "The extent of its sea-coast, exclusive of islands and rivers, to head of tide-water, is 12,669 miles. The length of ten of its principal rivers, is 20,000 miles. The surface of its five great lakes is 90,000 square miles. It contains within its limits the longest railway upon the surface of the globe,-the Illinois Central,-which is 731 miles in length. Annual value of agricultural productions, $2,000,000,000. Capital invested in manufactures, $600,000,000. Value of the gold of California, $100,000,000 per annum. Canals of the United States. Cost of fifty-seven canals, up to 1845, Miles. Cost. Lines of Magnetic Telegraph. $150,000,000 Total telegraphic conductors, At the commencement of 1852, the aggregate number of main and branch lines in the United States were about 100. Completed and in operation, In construction, Extent of lines throughout the world and in operation, Great Britain has America, Miles. 27,000 10,000 40,000 4,000 27,000 Summary. Aggregate of the 57 canals of the U. States, in 1845, 4102 miles. 66 of Railroads finished in 1847, Aggregate of the canals in the U. States, in 1854, Registered, Enrolled, and Licensed Tonnage owned in the principal States. Comparative view of the Registered, Enrolled, and Licensed Commercial Tonnage of the United States, exclusive of those engaged in the Fisheries. Tolls received on State Works-Canals and Railroads. Tolls collected by the canals and railroads on the transportation of merchandise for the internal trade of the country, exceeded $25,000,000 in 1853.|| New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, 1845. 1846. 1852. $3,179,145 Vessels built in the United States and annually employed, from 1815 to 1852. This table is merely designed to show the progress of ship building, at intervals of five years. Steam Vessels. The number of steamboats built and annually employed in the * Including those engaged in the fisheries. † 269,773 tons in the Whale, Cod, and Mackarel Fisheries. Including 138,014 tons in the fisheries; and 521,216 enrolled tonnage employed in steam navigation. ? Including 159,831 engaged in the fisheries; and 514,097 enrolled tonnage employed in steam navigation. Report of Secretary of the Treasury. Report of Secretary of Treasury. American Almanac, 1854. |