half, was 14.8 days. The passengers brought to Boston averaged about 70, and those carried away from Boston about 52, each voyage. The following account of the amount of revenue on goods imported in these steamers, has been published : Many miscellaneous matters contribute to the wealth of the city. A few, only, of the most prominent, however, can be noticed in this connection. Mr. Shattuck has omitted one item in the commerce of Boston, which, though at first view, may appear trifling, is, nevertheless, the source of profit, not only to a few capitalists engaged in it, who have accumulated fortunes, but also to the producing class, by whose labor it is almost entirely created. We refer to the ice trade, which, as will be seen by the following table of the exports for the last two years, derived from the Boston Price Current, is by no means an item to be passed over unnoticed:— EXPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 31, 1846, COMPARED WITH THAT of 1845. We also annex a tabular statement of the export of domestic cotton goods to different countries and ports, for the year ending May 31, 1846. It appears from this table, that the total number of bales exported in 1846 was 91,992, and in the previous year 65,971; showing an increase of 26,021 bales in 1846 over 1845. The exports to foreign ports, in 1846, was 29,316 bales, and in 1845, 26,714 bales; increase in 1846, 2,602. The exports to ports in the United States, which were in 1845 39,257 bales, have increased in 1846 to 62,676. ● Tables VI. and VII. give a view of the Banks and Insurance Companies, institutions which exert considerable influence on the growth and prosperity of individuals and the city. In the last table is an account of the losses by fire in the city, compiled from the annual reports of the Chief Engineer of the Fire Department. TABLE VI.-BOSTON BANKS. Statement of the Banks in Boston, showing their names, capital, date of foundation, and From GENERAL VIEW OF THE BANKS OF BOSTON AT DIFFERENT PERIODS. 14 banks, 1825. 28 banks, 1835. 25 banks, 1840. 24 banks, 1845. Total, $17,518,281 37 $33,894,147 32 $32,139,880 53 $39,750,228 75 NOTE. The figures here given correspond to those in the documents from which the statement is compiled, though the aggregate liabilities and resources do not agree in all cases. TABLE VII. Statement of the Insurance Companies in Boston having specific capital, showing their names, dates of foundation, capital, and dividends. The following is a statement of the risks and losses by sea and by fire, of all the Insurance in Boston, except by Mutual Insurance offices; and also of the fires in Boston for the last eight years :— 47,292,456 52,396,931 1838, $49,841,588 $52,198,185 $1,474,156 $110,242 1841, 39,145,131 50,268,858 1,580,805 1,441,844 198,033 96 140,004 61,791 77,973 58,632 992,539 875,613 105,324 140 117,140 190 695,492 160,288 232 98,663 267 326,193 223 GENERAL VIEW OF THE FIRE AND MARINE MUTUAL INSURANCE IN BOSTON, FOR THE YEAR 1845. Names. Atlantic,........ Equitable,....... New England,.. Tremont,..... Assets. Fire losses. Marine risks Fire risks taken Marine during the year. during the year. losses. $199,990 26 $12,590,286 $2,820,225 $326,313 $16,966 422,821 76 9,473,208 5,283,902 196,943 7,313 274,987 67 9,962,620 7,105,867 212,096 26,056 342,568 98 7,076,134 3,267,152 115,504 148 SAVINGS BANKS. These institutions exert an influence on the people highly favorable to the production of economical habits and general prosperity, and deserve particular notice. "The Provident Institution for Savings in the Town of Boston," was the first bank of the kind in the state. It was incorporated Dec. 13, 1816, and received its first deposit Feb. 1817. "The Savings Bank for Seamen in Boston," now "The Suffolk Savings Bank," was incorporated March 7th, 1833. The following statement gives a progressive view of these institutions : A general view of these institutions, in November, 1845, appears as follows: The number of accounts which have been opened in the "Provident Institution," from its commencement to January 1st, 1846, was 71,600, of which 19,007 remained open November, 1845, embracing $3,023,742 03, deposits. The amount of regular dividends, besides extra dividends, which were paid from 1829 to 1845, was $1,054,167 06. The number of accounts which had been opened at the Suffolk Savings Bank, in November, was 7,623, of which 2,707 then remained open, embracing $545,327 19, deposits. The amount of regular dividends, besides extra dividends, which had been paid from the commencement of the Institution, was $84,896 61; and there was a surplus of $25,555 17 on hand toward the next extra dividend. These institutions have fulfilled the high expectations of their founders, and their benefits are apparent among all, but especially among the laboring classes, and those of limited means. It is estimated that more than half of the depositors in the Provident Institution are Irish, or persons immediately connected with our foreign population. The transactions in real estate, as a means of illustrating the progressive wealth of the city, are noticed. For the last ten years, a return has been made, annually, to the Massachusetts Secretary of State, by the Registrar of deeds, from which the following statement is compiled, showing the number of deeds and other instruments recorded, the number of legal pages of record covered, and the amount of fees received: : This remarkable statement shows that the transactions in real estate in 1845 were more than double those of 1839. RAILROADS. There are seven principal railroad trunks, already completed, whose termini are in Boston, which are of different lengths, and radiate in different directions from it. The two following statements are compiled from the Railroad Reports, designed to present a general statistical view of these roads for 1845. Beginning with the Eastern, they are numbered one to seven-those having no number are branches, or a continuation of the one numbered immediately preceding. The first statement shows the name, length, capital, and cost, of the roads.* * A map accompanies the report, which affords a general view of the roads in 1845. |