connected with the Pacific coast has been the temporary result.

There can be

no doubt, however, but what San Francisco will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes, and soon lose all traces of these repeated calamities.

In our last, we gave a statement of the imports and exports at New York for the month of April: we now annex a corresponding statement, for the month of May. The general imports show an increase from last year (exclusive of specie) of $1,541,468, while the imports of dry goods exhibit a falling off of $394,423. The following is a comparative statement:

The imports of specie entered at the Custom-House, during the month, were

The entries at the Custom-House, however, do not include the whole receipts of gold from California, even at the port specified, as a large amount has been brought in the hands of passengers. This is more clearly seen from the fact that the receipts at the mint have far outrun the entries noticed, amounting, for the month under review, at Philadelphia alone, to $3,205,600. The imports of dry goods show a decrease from the corresponding month of last year, in cottons, woolens and silks, most noticeable, however, in cottons; the amount of this description thrown upon the market being but $290,005, against $597,336 for May, 1850-a decline of $307,331. The following will show the comparative imports during the month of May, for three years:-

DRY GOODS ENTERED FOR CONSUMPTION AT port of NEW YORK DURING THE MONTH OF MAY.

This still leaves the importations of dry goods for five months $3,543,936 in excess of the first five months of last year, owing to the very heavy receipts in January and February; but this increase is almost entirely in silk goods, which do not directly compete with American manufactures. This will be exhibited more clearly by the following comparative statement of the imports for the first five months in each of the three years named::-

$25,025,290 $28,569,226 Inc.

$3,543,936

Miscellaneous dry goods...

Total The shipments to foreign countries from New York during the month of May have been much larger than for the corresponding period of any previous year. The increase in Domestic produce is nearly 25 per cent over May, 1850, and if we include specie, which is produced from our own soil as really as cotton and corn, the shipments of home produce have been more than doubled.

The total exports for the five months ending with May, 1851, are $33,341,060 against $18,449,461 for the same period of last year, exhibiting an increase, for the expired portion of the current year, of $14,891,599, or over 80 per cent. This is a far greater excess than appears in the imports, and shows the trade to be reciprocal.

Before the issue of our next number, the fall trade will have fairly opened in all of our principal cities. The indications are decidedly in favor of a large and active business, although prices will rule comparatively low, both in foreign and domestic goods. There has been less of a speculative movement in merchandise, during the past month, than noticed for the corresponding month in several years. The continued decline in prices have deterred many from laying in stock, who usually take advantage of the dullness succeeding the active spring trade, to make heavy purchases. This leaves the assortment in the hands of dealers quite small, and will lead to a more healthy business, when the goods are actually wanted.

COMMERCIAL STATISTICS.

ROCHESTER FLOUR TRADE IN 1850.

In the Merchants' Magazine for March, 1850, (vol. xxii., page 328,) we published the usual annual statement of the Rochester flour trade, as furnished by the " Daily Democrat." From the same reliable source, we take the subjoined statement:—

During the year past, some 50,000 barrels have been brought here by the Western Railroad, the greater proportion of which was shipped eastward by the canal. There were 44,443 barrels left here by both canals.

The following is the number of barrels shipped east on the Erie Canal for four

During the suspension of navigation, last year, the Auburn and Rochester Railroad carried forward 23,279 barrels of flour, and since the close have taken nearly 6,000 barrels. This is considerably less than the amount transported by railroad the year previous, when 58,137 barrels were entered for shipment. It is said that flour has been sent via Ogdensburg from here, but if so, the amount must be small.

We have twenty-two mills, with one hundred runs of stone-taking custom mills into the account. Two of these are of a small class, but their owners claim that a run of these small stones can grind a per diem quantity equal to that turned out by a single run of the larger class. Taking this for granted, and calculating the daily product at forty barrels for each run of stones, (they can grind sixty barrels whenever necessary,) and the amount of wheat required for the use of the mills is 21,800 bushels. The mills are supplied from various sources, the most considerable quantity coming in by canal. The following statement exhibits the amount left here by both canals during the last season:

The following is the quantity left by both canals for a series of years:—

The Tonawanda Railroad brought down about 125,000 bushels during the year. By vessels from American ports, there were received, during the past season of navigation, 28,835 bushels. A small amount of Canadian wheat was also taken for milling.

Granting that each barrel of flour requires five bushels of wheat, which is something above the average, and our mills have required 2,442,825 bushels to manufacture the amount of flour sent eastward from here directly. Taking out the amount left here by railroad, canal, and lake vessels, and we have 1,063,231 as the amount furnished from other quarters. This supply has come, no doubt, from the country immediately about us, and was brought by farmers' wagons. The construction of plank roads from the city to different country towns, has undoubtedly caused a much greater amount of wheat to be brought in by teams than formerly; and the falling off in receipts by canal may be in a measure attributed to this.

The census returns show the product of this country, excepting Clarkson, to be 1,268,321 bushels. In 1845, the entire product amounted to 1,338,685. Adding Clarkson as it was in that year, and the whole now amounts to 1,398,168. It will be quite equal to that, and probably more.

It was estimated by a well-informed gentleman, that there were 250,000 bushels of wheat held by our millers at the close of navigation.

PRICES OF COTTON AT LIVERPOOL IN 1850.

STATEMENT OF THE QUOTATIONS OF COTTON WOOL IN LIVERPOOL AT THE CLOSE OF EVERY OTHER WEEK IN THE YEAR 1850.

4a64a 6 4 a 61 4 a 6 4 a 6 4 a 61 4 a 61 7 a 9 7 a 9 6 a 8 6 a 8 6 a 81 6 a 8 6 a 81

a 20

11

a 20

11 a 20 11

a 91

8

a 91

74 a 91

7 a 10

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF CHILI.

During the year 1849 the total exports of Chili amounted in value to the sum of $10,603,447. Of this amount there was in copper bars and ores $2,780,329. In silver, $3,223,633; in gold dust, $263,070. The balance of the amount was made up of breadstuffs, fruits, beans, lumber, skins, &c., &c.

Now this is the trade for Chili alone for the year 1849, and it has increased at the lowest estimate 33 per centum during the year 1850. Peru may be classed on a par with Chili, and her export trade quite as large. As to imports, we give below a statement of those of Chili for the year 1849, which is a pretty fair average of that of Peru

STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN WHALE FISHERY.

We published, in the Merchants' Magazine for February, 1849, (vol. xx., pages 182 —187,) a statistical view of the American Whale Fishery, embracing a full account of the progress of the enterprise from 1828 to the close of 1849; and March, 1850, (vol xxii, pages 326, 327,) we brought down the statements to the close of 1849. From the annual statement of the New Bedford Shipping List, we are now able to furnish the statisties for 1850. For an elaborate history of the American Whale Fishery, the reader is referred to the Merchants' Magazine for November, 1840, (vol. iii., pages 361-394.)

The number of ships returning with full cargoes has been large, while prices have risen to an unprecedented hight. Nevertheless, the importation of oil in 1850 will be found to fall short of that of 1849 about 7,000 barrels of sperm, and 48,000 barrels of whale; and the number of arrivals, as compared with the same year, is less by six sperm and nineteen right whalers; yet the stock on hand of each description is about the same as on the 1st of January, 1850. This discrepancy as regards whale oil, is undoubtedly owing to a diminished consumption, arising from the very high figure at which oil has been held; which has forced many substitutes into the market, and seriously impaired exportations. Under these circumstances it is clear that a small fall in prices would argue anything but a depression in the market.

The number of vessels employed in the fishery is about the same as that of last year. Of the fleet, 145 have cruised in the Russian and Arctic seas, during the last season, with great success; indeed, the average quantity of oil taken is larger than in any previous year.

We regret to say that accounts from the sperm whalers in the Pacific are not at all encouraging. This arises partly from the scarcity of whales seen, and partly, and in no small degree, from desertions and want of discipline among the crews, arising from the discovery of the gold regions, and other attractions in California. The old cruising grounds are pretty well exhausted for the present, and very light catchings are to be expected. If we are to judge by present indications, importations of sperm oil for the coming year will hardly exceed 75,000 barrels, while that of whale oil will not probably fall short of 275,000 barrels.