By 3,000 lbs. of washed wool, at 25c. per lb. Deduct expense and interest.. Net profits on capital per year.... 200 00 87 00 $1,537 00 750 00 300 00 $1,050 00 287 00 $763 00 And this is only a capital of $1,250. We have made no charge for the use of land, as at present there is a vast range for stock on which nobody pays. We have supposed that the wool-growingwas only a branch, and that the other branches paid the interest for any investment that might be made for a house and the other necessary fixtures. To farm it successfully, even their shelter should be prepared, so that during the severe storms of rain and sleet which are common to that country, the sheep should be kept dry. The sheep are very sensitive to wet, and a cold wet storm will injure them very severely. Such sheds need not be very expensive. It is not so much the cold as the wet, that the successful flock master has to guard against. We are satisfied, however, that our estimate of profits is quite too low. But allowing that it is a fair one, what business can any man follow in that state or here that will compare with it?. In volume xiii. of the Review, the subject of sheep raising and wool was treated by us at very great length; and from the attention the paper has everywhere received, we cannot question it has been effecting much good. We are determined to continue the subject from month to month, and would be glad to obtain the experiences of our friends. Referring to Texas in particular, the "Wool Grower" enters into some calculations, &c., which are worthy of being preserved. We are free to confess that we consider Texas without a rival for growing wool, unless there is something better in New-Mexico, or California. The sheep now there can be improved at much less cost than we supposed before we saw the wool. By selecting only those of the best wool, a grade of wool will be produced that will bring, if properly washed, from 28c. to 32c. per lb., averaging about 30c. in this market. The fleeces are clean and light, when washed, and make a desirable kind of wool, which is largely sought for by There is a very curious table made by the manufacturers. There were some Mr. Gray, of San Antonio. He shows fleeces which could hardly be called that on a sheep farm with 500 ewes at the wool. They were from some of the old commencement, at the end of ten years Mexican sheep, and would pass for goats' the gross value of the wool sold will be hair in almost any market. Still a cross $67,800, the expenses will have been $15,upon them with a good Merino ram, 900. Possible loss, $10,800, leaving a net would produce a desirable breed, for the profit of $43,200, while the whole amount hair would disappear in the cross to a of capital at the commencement is put large extent. If, however, a better grade down at only $890. We think the table erof sheep are plenty and cheap, we should roneous, however, because he has given prefer them at even a higher price, be- too large an increase. The price is low, cause the wool would be worth at least and the estimated quantity of wool is 10c. per lb. more, which would make a also low. Still the business can be made very great difference in the profit. Ac- immensely profitable, and we shall look cording to Mr. Hill's letter, the expense for a large increase of wool from that of keeping sheep must be very small. In region. The farmers may be assured a large flock it could not exceed 15 cents that they can never glut the market, and per head for the whole year, but suppose they may depend upon a rich demand it should be 20 cents. and good prices for all they can raise for the next ten or twenty years. We would rather take our chance in Texas with a flock of two thousand sheep for the next ten years, than in the richest placers yet found in California for making money. We will take a flock of 1,000, and suppose them to be equal to the average of the wool sent to us. Let us see what can be done by a prudent flock master. The account would be a Commercial Progress-Home and Foreign. 75 The great Fair, which was held in them being the handsomest I have ever Macon, Georgia, last October, was bril- seen. When we can liant in every respect. lay our hands upon the reports of the committees, it will be our pleasure to notice them at length. Mr. Martyn, a gentleman connected with our Review, writes us as follows: "Colonel Summer, of South Carolina, exhibited a Thibet sheep, which was of course a great curiosity. He also delivered the address, which was handsomely written, well delivered, and, with perhaps one exception, was highly ap preciated by all who had the pleasure of hearing it. "I have scarcely a word to say of the fair. It was like all other efforts of the "I regretted to see so meagre an assortsame kind. Two or three departments of the exhibition were highly creditable. ment of farming and other mechanical All agreed that for quality and quantity implements-that entire department, of real Chinese chickens, the society had both in its higher and lower branches, much need to be highly gratified. I was extremely deficient. In the fine doubt whether any northern exhibition arts, a few copies of landscapes and a ever excelled the one in that department. few miserably-executed portraits made The quantity of stock was considerable, up the supply. The floral department fine specimens of was creditable. numbering some Devons and other imported breeds. Two or three fine Canadian studs excited much admiration. "The stock of mules was fine, some of The fruit department, with the exception of apples, and one or two specimens of pears, was slim enough. The receipts were about $4,000." ART. XI-COMMERCIAL PROGRESS-HOME AND FOREIGN. COMMERCE OF FRANCE, 1846 To 1851-CONSUMPTION OF COAL BY SEA STEAMERS-FINANCES AND FOREIGN TRADE OF GREAT BRITAIN, ETC. THE imports and exports of France, according to the official values of 1826, have been for six years as follows, in francs: IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF FRANCE. which embraces imports for French consumption and exports of French articles only, has been, it appears, more powerfully affected than the general commerce. The imports declined nearly one-half in the year of revolution, and have never recovered. On the other hand, the exGENERAL COMMERCE. ports did not materially decrease in that Exports. year, and have since increased 50 per .1,257,000,000..1,180,000,000..2,437,000,000 1,347,000,000..1,271,000,000..2,614,000,000 862,000,000..1.153.000,000..2,015,000,000 cent., while the general commerce has 1,142,000,000..1,423,000,000..2,565,000,000 increased but little. The general con.1,174,000,000..1,531,000,000..2,705,000,000 .1,158,000,000..1,629,000,000..2,787,000,000 Imports. 1846. 1847 1848 1849. 1850. 1851. SPECIAL COMMERCE. Exports. Total. Total. .556,000,000.. $34,000,000..1,390,000,000 sternation and desire to sell in 1847, accelerated the exports, which were further impelled by the 10 per cent. bounty on exports by the government. 976,000,000 891,000,000..1,867,000,000 The proceeds of sales were generally hoarded instead of being invested in pro.780,000,000..1,032,000,000..1,812,000,000 781,000,000..1,123,000,000..1,904,000,000 duce for manufacture or goods for con..781,000,000..1,239,000,000..2,020,000,000 sumption. The transit trade across France By this return, which shows the whole does not appear to have recovered so inward and outward commerce of France much. It was as follows: 1846 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. the exports. The special trade, or that interior countries of Europe are not so far tranquillized as in France, for the resump- a list of 78. This gentleman puts the tion of industry. The Philadelphia Ledger, in an article upon the coal trade, furnishes the following information relative to the consumption of coal by sea-going steamers: two. New-York being the great centre of coal consumption, inquiry has been directed to that city, with the view of ascertaining the amount of anthracite consumed by steamships, which have so largely multiplied within the last year or A gentleman of much experience in the coal business, who has spent a week at New-York, pursuing the inquiry, has left with us his rough notes of facts and observations, from which we learn that the whole number of steamships plying to and from all ports in the United States, (including American steamships in the Pacific, but excluding navy steamships, about sixteen of all sizes,) does not exceed 80. River and Sound steamboats are not counted. The United States coast steamers, including Chagres, &c, all use anthracite. Those on the Pacific use all sorts of fuel, according to the cost. The four Collins steamers take anthracite (Lackawana and Pittston) out, and Welsh, bituminous back. The seven Cunarders take Cumberland coal out, and return with Welsh bituminous. The four Bremen and Havre steamers use bituminous, but the Franklin (Havre) tries anthracite this voyage, to test it against Cumberland. number of steamers now using anthracite The revenue returns of Great Britain, says the Courier and Enquirer, exhibit a singular anomaly in legislation, and demonstrates the inequalities of taxation, especially in reference to the poorer classes of people. Property, with us in the United States, bears the burden of The Nicaragua Company has just con- taxation, and contributes mainly to the tracted for supplies of Schuylkill coal to support of the state governments; while, be delivered this winter at Havana, with our trans-Atlantic friends, the poor Nicaragua, East Coast, in St. Juan, Pa- man contributes disproportionately to the cific, and Acapulco. The steamers that government revenues, although his labor touch at Kingston, Jamaica, have con- is not so liberally compensated as it is tracted for 10,000 tons of Heilner and here. The heads of taxation in Great Beckworth, to be delivered at Jamaica Britain, which draw so heavily upon the this winter. All steamers touching at poorer classes, are tea, coffee, sugar, New-Orleans take in Pittsburgh coal molasses, tobacco, and malt. We conthere, because of its cheapness; but dense the table of Annual Revenue for those running to Richmond, Va., take in at the year ending Sept. 5, 1852, with variNew-York anthracite for out and return. ous subjects of taxation for that period: From the alphabetical register of the insurance companies of New-York, a list of steamers of all kinds has been obtained, from which the following record of the build of steamships that affect our inquiry is gathered, viz: Malt.. Hops Sugar and Molasses. Tea... Tobacco and Snuff. £5,035,000 426,000 4,159,000 5,900,000 444,000 4,466,000 1,043,000 £21,473,000 £37,597,000 Add Cunard steamships not entered, Whole number of sea-going steamers, Mr. Haswell, U. S. Engineer, furnishes Total Customs and Excise.. £6,529,000 the whole exhibit, is the severe taxation upon one article of American manufacture, to the extent of £4,466,000, or 3,789,900 $22,300,000 annually. Instead of taxing 2,422,100 the real and personal property of the 353,000 kingdom, and the individual incomes, to 703,000 such an extent as will cover largely the .£56,834,000 expenditures of the nation, those articles are taxed heavily which enter into the daily consumption of the lower classes. It will thus be seen that the articles which enter so generally into consumption among the laboring classes, pay over £21,000,000 sterling, or full thirty-eight per cent. of the aggregate revenue of the United Kingdom. Malt liquors form the prominent beverage of the poorer classes, and although tobacco has been heretofore enumerated among the luxuries of the people of Europe, yet it is essentially, among the English, an article of consumption among their poor. The London Quarterly remarks: "It is curious to observe how very largely the revenue of Great Britain depends on what goes into * *The duties of between thirty and thirty-one millions are levied upon articles of universal consumption in England. All but a mere fraction of this may be in some sort regarded as voluntary taxation, so far as the consumers are concerned.” the mouth. * But the most striking feature to us, of The following returns are interesting to our American readers, because the increase of American shipping during the years 1850, 51, 52, employed in the English foreign trade, is shown to be fully 33 per cent.-while that of the British shipping increased very slightly, and that of France actually decreased. The growing importance of the United States in the English foreign trade, is clearly demonstrated in the tables; while the diminished trade with France, Sweden, the German States, Spain, Portugal, &c., is clearly shown. During the eight months, ending 30th September, the importation of the last three years of tobacco (unmanufactured) into Great Britain, was as follows: VESSELS EMPLOYED IN THE FOREIGN TRADE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. An Account of the Number and Tonnage of Vessels, distinguishing the Countries to which they belonged, which Entered Inwards, and Cleared Outwards, in the Eight Months ending 5th September, 1852, compared with the Entries and Clearances in the corresponding Periods of the Years 1850 and 1851, stated exclusively of Vessels in Ballast, and of those employed in the Coasting Trade, of the Trade between Great Britain and Ireland. IMPROVEMENTS AT WILMINGTON, N. C.-WILMINGTON AND RALEIGH ROAD-TEXAN RAIL-ROAD SYSTEM-MEMPHIS AND LOUISVILLE RAIL-ROAD-ECONOMY OF RAIL-ROADS AS COMPARED WITH OTHER TRANSPORTATION-RAIL-ROAD AT CHICAGO-ST. LOUIS RAIL-ROAD CONVENTIONTENNESSEE IMPROVEMENTS-RAIL-ROAD STATISTICS OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST-CAN THERE BE TOO MANY OUTLETS FOR THE TRADE OF THE WEST?-COMPETITION OF LOUISVILLE WITH NEW-ORLEANS IN THE COTTON TRADE. PASSING through Wilmington, N. C., a few days ago, we learned from Gen. McRae, President of the Rail-road Company, that a line of stages would soon be put on, so as to secure the connection of Wilmington with the Manchester road as far as completed, and enable passen gers to avoid the sea steamers from Charleston, which have been always such a drawback upon this route. The arrangement will shorten the line of travel and greatly promote its comforts. In Wilmington one cannot but be surprised with the evidences of progress and improvement which meet him upon every hand, and the rail-roads which are centering at her door indicate a still brighter future. Handsome residences are multiplying-large stores, extensive mills, and what is of much consequence, the inhabitants have acquired great confidence in the health of the place during the sum mer season. If Charleston would protect herself effectually from the danger of being thrown out of the line of communication between the North and the South, she must speedily enter upon the construction of the roads which some of her citizens have suggested, and which we noticed in a previous number. The Wilmington and Raleigh Road shows a gross total of receipts for the year ending 30th September, 1852, of $510,038. Gross expenditures, $325,909. Leaving a profit of $184,128, or deducting interest account, of $115,898. A dividend of six per cent. was paid on the 12th November. The people of Texas are actively discussing the propriety of an early construction of the Red River and Galveston road, in which it is expected they will have the sympathies of New-York, as in this manner trade will be abstracted from New-Orleans in favor of that city. We have before us a letter from Mr. Lincoln, of Galveston, in which he recommends a course of action to be pursued by the legislature of the state, which meets in January. The suggestions of this letter are criticised in a letter by Mr. Hartley, also before us, who thinks that the donations of land recommended should be made to the counties; that the bonds should be issued at a lower rate of interest than 10 per cent., etc. etc. But to Mr. Lincoln's views, viz: |