facturer, while the credit jobber has realized a moderate business. The depression of the manufacturing interest resulted mainly to the advantage of the cash dealer. The dry goods interest is a very important branch of trade, as connected with our foreign and domestic commerce, embracing not only articles of necessity, but also those of taste and luxury, and has been more closely allied to the agency than any other. The two staples of cotton and wool have maintained full and satisfactory prices throughout the year. Although there has been a yearly increase in the production, consumption has been fully adequate, and the supply is not in excess. Our domestic manufactures of both cotton and wool have been entirely satis factory. There is no surplusage of stock, nor contraction of work at the factories. The importations for the spring sales were generally remunerative. The fall importations have, to a considerable degree, disappointed the importers and jobbers, from the fact that the great West, which is a large consumer, is still embarrassed. The jobbing interests of New York and other cities of the Union we judge to be, generally speaking, in safe and conservative hands, and the trade has done a fair business. Notwithstanding the city retail interests suffered materially last fall, the indications are fair for the jobber the coming year. This depression in the retail trade is the natural result of a general domestic economy, consequent upon the crisis of 1857, and accounts for the light sales of fabrics of necessity. Fears are entertained that there will be more or less embarrassment in this line. The population develops the fact that there are approximately 6,000,000 of house-holders in the United States, and estimating a contraction in economy of the small sum of $50 each. makes in the aggregate a domestic saving of $300.000,000. These figures, based on a very low estimate, show how a comparatively small economy affects trade and protects a nation against bankruptcy. In the numerous other branches of trade, which our limits will not permit us to follow out in detail, there has been a generally fair business. Following our usual custom at the close of each year, we present to you our table of statistics, embodying such information as will aid you in your calculations for the future. The statistics we offer you show that in 1857 there were in the United States and British North America 204,061 trading firms, and in 1859, 229,734. The excess of 1859 over 1857 is accounted for by the fact that in making our table of statistics for 1857 we counted out a large number of firms who had suspended, but who have since resumed business, which we now embrace, together with many small trades not before appearing on our books. The increase of popula tion has also had an effect, and the healthy condition and good credit of the South have caused many new trading establishments at different points throughout that section. The aggregate of the past three years shows a bankrupt debt in the United States and British North America of the enormous sum of $468,355,571, of which amount $262,908,508 will prove an absolute loss to the creditor. This is irrespective of the immense losses by railroad and other public corporate companies. These astounding figures we would be inclined to discredit but for the proofs furnished by our records. It will be seen, by reference to our table, that in 1857 the failures in the city of New York were about eighteen and a-half per cent of the entire number. In 1858 a little over nine per cent, and in 1859 rising seven per cent; thus proving that the effects of the crisis were more immediately felt in the cities of the Union, for the percentage of twenty one cities shows about the same ratio. The failures of the past two years have been mostly confined to the country, and the number may appear large, but the amount involved is comparatively small. The statistical table is as follows; for the figures of 1858 and 1857, we refer to page 204, vol. xl., of the Merchants' Magazine : DUN, BOYD & Co.'s STATISTICAL TABLE OF JANUARY, 1860. Number of stores, &c, as per our records. Failures in 1859. How many have arranged with creditors, and at what average. 58 av. 43 cts. Swindling and Not classed Likely to pay in full. No. Liabilities. Ordinary failures. 13 $3,140,000 84,000 3 av. 51 cts. 1 Buffalo... 820 24 330,000 13 211,000 7 av. 31 cts. 3 Balance of the State 19,113 282 2,829,000 189 2,080,000 115 av. 35 cts. 28 8,000 3 40,000 323,000 14 215,000 Total U. States & British Provinces 243,136 4,263 $68,367,000 2,937 47,378,000 One party failed for $500,000. Liabilities chiefly in Cuba. 20,000 3 96,000 33 $230,000 74 $593,000 13 $342,000 434 5,880,000 749 $8,525,000 143 $6,584,000 851,000 722,000 15 av. 46 cts. 453,000 26 av. 38 cts. 392,000 4 av. 38 cts. 490,000 6 av. 51 cts. 7 38,000 7 15 77,000 46 53,000 156,000 10 ..... 3 89,000 7 214,000 3 127,000 215,000 6 56,000 11 74,000 The imports for the year 1859 have been the largest amount ever before received at this port in one year, exceeding the aggregate of 1857 by nearly $15,000,000. Of that excess the largest proportion is dry goods. The increase in free goods has also been considerable. The aggregates are as follows: Years. FOREIGN IMPORTS AT NEW YORK. Free goods. : Dutiable. $110,933,763 The imports of specie were in 1857 much larger than usual, owing not only to the return shipments caused by the beginning of the revulsion, but also to the previous receipts of foreign coin designed for reshipment to the West Indies, followed by the high price of sugar. Both this year and last those causes have ceased to operate. Under the head of dutiable, we have included above both the dutiable entered directly for consumption and the goods thrown into bonded warehouse. In the extended tables given below, these items are given separately, although brought together in the total. The following tables give the monthly returns of the exports under each head :— FOREIGN IMPORTS ENTERED AT NEW YORK DURING THE YEARS 1856-7-8-9. Total.... January... $2.083,270 February... March.. 18,411,112 18,705,255 11,454,703 13,617,946 $213,556,649 $230,618,129 $152,867,067 $245,165,516 WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE. $2,345,618 $2,672,755 $4,504,591 23,552,645 24,069,821 27,286,120 24,649,591 16,643,535 |