CONSUMPTION OF TEA, SUGAR, AND COFFEE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. A British parliamentary paper, just issued, gives some very interesting and useful information regarding these leading articles of consumption. The following tabular statement shows an astonishing increase in the consumption of tea and sugar, per head, since 1841. The poverty of the Irish people, says the Belfast Mercantile Journal, is too apparent in the great disparity between their consumption and that of the people of Great Britain, but since 1841 there has been a most gratifying increase. Of tea, Ireland consumed in that year only 10 ozs. per head, whereas now she uses 1 lb. 7 ozs. per head; and of sugar, she uses 8 lbs. 7 ozs., against 4 lbs. 10 ozs. at that period. The annexed is a comparative account, showing, for the years 1841 and 1856, the aggregate quantities of tea, coffee, and sugar consumed in England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively; and showing also, for each of those divisions of the United Kingdom, the average quantities consumed by each individual of the population: 1848. 1849. 1850. PRICES OF BREADSTUFFS IN NEW YORK FOR TEN YEARS. In a circular by Mr. EDWARD HILL, flour and grain broker, New York, he published the annexed table, showing the comparative prices of breadstuffs in that market. The prices given were those current on the 1st of September of each year : State flour. Prices of State flour, on 1st September, 1857, were relatively not more than half as high as they were in 1854, because the standard of inspection is much higher now than then. Extra State flour is now as good as medium Genesee was then, and liberal purchases were made, on 1st September, 1857, at from $5 60 to $6 25 per barrel, and for the higher figure a really good flour was obtained. IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF PROVISIONS AT CINCINNATI. The following table, compiled by WILLIAM SMITH, Esq., the Superintendent of the Merchants' Exchange at Cincinnati, shows at a glance the progress of the hog trade—that is, the products of that animal-for the twelve years from 1846 to 1857, both years inclusive : EXPORT OF PROVISIONS FROM UNITED STATES TO GREAT BRITAIN. We give below a tabular statement of the exports of beef, pork, bacon, cheese, tallow, lard, oil, &c., to Great Britain, for the seasons from 1851 to 1857, ending 31st of August in each year :— Bacon, Cheese, Tallow, Lard, Sp'm oil, Years. 1851.... 1852... tons. tons. 1,213 3,468 1,671 2,363 tons. tons. tons. bbls. tcs. bbls. 1853. 6,535 1,579 1,140 4,191 3,744 176,567 55,794 14,757 1854. 82,650 1855. 11,464 2,785 2,216 4,589 3,290 60,718 82,664 9,250 2,215 213,909 25,826 11,562 EXPORTATION OF GRAIN AND FLOUR FROM THE UNITED STATES. The Washington Union, of August 26, 1857, illustrates the almost incredible progress the United States is making in supplying the people of Great Britain with food-from being the lowest on the list in 1855, to the highest in 1857-by the following tables. According to the Union, every bushel of wheat given in the table was entered for consumption in Great Britain. The following is a statement showing the quantities of wheat imported into Great Britain, and the countries whence imported, from January 1st to June 30th, in the years 1855-6-7 : In addition to the quantity of wheat which Great Britain received from the United States, from January 1st to June 30th of the present year, (2,483,752 bushels,) we also supplied them during the same period with the enormous quantity of 111,497,024 pounds of flour, besides heavy quantities of Indian corn, barley, oats, peas, and beans. We will first exhibit the flour accounts, and then add a statement of the other articles. The subjoined is a statement showing the quantity, per 100 pounds, of flour imported into Great Britain, and the countries whence imported, from January 1st to June 30th, in the years 1855-6-7 :— We are unable to distinguish the exporting countries for the remaining articles, but doubtless the United States furnished the same proportion as is shown in the preceding tables, especially as respects Indian corn and barley. The annexed is a statement of the quantities of the following articles of food imported into Great Britain, during the six months ending June 30th, in the years 1855-6-7 :— TRADE AND PRODUCTION OF BRITISH INDIA. We copy the following from a late number of the Washington Union, a journal that, from its political relations to the Administration, has access to the information received at the Department of State from our commercial agents and consuls abroad : In 1834, when the East India Company ceased to be a trading company, and when, as it is claimed by those who believe that under British rule only can India make any progress in arts, civilization, and commerce, the full benefits of a wiser policy were extended both to the foreign, or rather external, trade and internal administration of the country, the value of imports from all quarters was $21,305,000, and the value of exports to all countries, was $39,965,000. The amount of specie imported was $9,465,000, while the amount exported was $970,000. In 1856, the imports of merchandise into India from all countries increased from $21,305,009 in 1834, to $86,370,000, and the exports from $39,965,000 to 127,470,000. The amount of specie imported was $61,780,000, against an exportation of $10,230,000. During the past five years there was imported not less than $200,000,000 in specie—an amount indispensable to meet the heavy balance of trade against Great Britain and other nations. This enormous increase and extent of general commerce, must be felt in their consequences upon the individual native producers in the romote districts of India, though it does not necessarily follow that those native producers, who constitute at least nine-tenths of the population of India, are so thoroughly Anglicized in their sentiments and feelings as not to sympathize, to a great extent, in the motives and objects of the leaders and masses of the mutinous army. The following comparative table, exhibiting a summary view of the principal articles produced in Bengal, which have been received at Calcutta in 1834 and 1856. presents the most reliable means of judging of the actual progress which the Indian cultivators have made during the past twenty years :— TABULAR STATEMENT SHOWING THE QUANTITIES OF BENGAL PRODUCE BROUGHT DOWN TO CALCUTTA IN 1834 AND 1856. The above table exhibits, in several of the articles at least, a striking proof of the increasing prosperity of the cultivators of the soil; but we need not add that the increase which it exhibits, even in those articles which show the greatest advance, would sink into comparative insignificance if contrasted with the general advancement of productive industry during the same period in any one of our Western States. If we look at the figures and their corresponding facts simply in the mass, we cannot fail to be struck with the general improvement which is going on in the productive industry of this portion of India under the influence of British rule; but if we analyze them more closely, and take into account the fertility and productiveness of soil, and the millions of population who, under a system of voluntary self-discipline, might be converted into skilful agriculturists, we must confess that the figures are far from showing such results as might be ex pected. Still, even the involuntary respect for English rule which has done so much for India, may accomplish still more in time to come, if the present mutinous spirit, and the general disposition among the masses out of the army to sympathize with the mutineers, can be crushed, and the evils of past misgovernment be remedied by the adoption of wiser counsels, and the introduction of a more enlightened and more liberal policy in the administration of the Indian government. COMMERCE OF SMYRNA, TURKEY, IN 1856. The total number of vessels which entered the port of Smyrna, by steam and sail, were 1,772, baving 442,253 tons. The total number of those which left it was 1,759, with 436,975 tons, which is to be divided as follows: An account of this has just been published by the Imperial Board of Customs. In France there are not fewer than 242 ports, and the total amount of the trade between them, for the year 1856, was 2.432,813_tons-201,089 tons, or 9 per cent, more than in 1855. In the 2,432,813 tons, the Atlantic ports figure for 1,734,427. and the Mediterranean for 698,386. What is called the "great coasting trade" (that is, the communication between the ports of one sea and those of another) was 108,439 tons, the remainder being the communication between ports of the same sea. The port in which the coasting trade was the largest was Marseilles, it having had 309,350 tons; then came Havre, with 217,339 tons; Nantes, with 153,845; Bordeaux, 138 609; Rouen, 83,336; Arles, 80,794. The next in importance were Honfleur, Charente, Dunkirk, Cette, Libourne, and Plague. Grain and flour constituted 52 per cent on the freights from the ports of the Atlantic to those of the Mediterranean. |