LUMBER EXPORTS OF SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON.

The exports of lumber from September 1st to August 31st, from Charleston and Savannah, were comparatively as follows:

A "Blue Book" has just been published, consisting of statistical tables relating to the colonial and other possessions of the United Kingdom. It appears from this publication that the trade of the East Indies greatly surpasses in extent that of any other dependency of the British Empire. In the last year of which we have any regular official account, the value of the imports into British India was £28,608,284, of which large amount £16,739,897 was from the United Kingdom. In the same year (1857) the exports amounted to £26,591,877, of which £10,635,607 was to the United Kingdom. Thus the whole trade of India amounted to more than £55,000,000.

Next in importance was the trade with the Australian colonies, including New Zealand and Tasmania. The united value of the imports of these colonies was £25,823,283, of which £16.282,022 was from the United Kingdom. The value of the exports of the Australian colonies was £22,954,033, of which £14,653,370 was to the United Kingdom. The whole trade of these colonies approached £49,000,000.

It will be observed that whilst the population of British India exceeds that of Australia in the proportion of at least ten to one, the proportion of the commerce of the former to that of the latter is not quite as eight to seven. The cause of this discrepancy is very obvious. It is also obvious that the joint annual commerce of these two colonies or dependencies (£104,000,000) depends for its successful development and management, in a great measure, upon the Straits of Gibraltar remaining a free highway, and the Mediterranean Sea an open one.

Next in extent and importance was the trade with the five colonies of British America. The imports into these extensive and flourishing colonies amounted to £13,412,237, of which £5,743,962 was from the United Kingdom. The value

of the exports from these colonies was £9,807,084, of which £3,470,796 was to the United Kingdom.

The trade with the fifteen colonies of the West Indies is next in amount-the imports of the whole having been £3,716,892, of which £1,233,690 was from the United Kingdom; and the exports reached the sum of £2,797,488, of which £2,306,618 was to Great Britain.

In addition to these great groupes of colonies the trade of several of the detached ones was very considerable. Thus, for instance, the imports into the island of Ceylon were in value £3,106,661, of which £631,368 was from Great Britain. The exports amounted to £2,588,460, of which £1,348,614 came to the United Kingdom. The Cape of Good Hope received £2,637,192, of which £1,911,122 was from the United Kingdom, which received £1,426,614, out of the amount of £1,988,406 sent from this colony.

The trade with the Mauritius and with Malta was scarcely less extensive than that with the Cape of Good Hope; and that with the Ionian Islands was about half as much.

ANTHRACITE COAL TRADE.

Some time since, M. TARDIEU, an ingenious French mechanician, brought forward a method for the economic conversion of small or slack anthracite into a very superior coke, for locomotive and metallurgical purposes. Experiments to the extent of upwards of four hundred tons have been successfully made in different parts of France, the product being, in every case, an excellent article of coke, possessing more carbon and freer from earthy matter than that made from bituminous coal. The process simply consists of the mechanical admixture previous to coking, of small anthracite with pulverized bituminous coal, in the proportion of four-fifths of the former to one-fifth of the latter. The yield of coke is upwards of eighty per cent, by this method, while the average yield of that from common French bituminous coal is under sixty per cent. The superiority of this coke for metallurgical purposes has, it is stated, been conclusively established by a series of careful experiments, and it is believed that it may be made profitably available for locomotive purposes.

JAPAN TRADE.

The Washington Constitution remarks:-We are gratified to learn that the American flag is beginning to appreciate, and already enjoys in so large a degree as to take us quite by surprise, the incalculable advantages which the opening of Japau to foreign commerce is destined to bestow, as well upon the empire of Japan itself, as upon those nations that may engage in the extensive and valuable trade which the natural and manufacturing resources of that country are so capable of supporting. During the brief period of three months, ending on the 30th of last June, there entered the port of Hakodadi not less than 30 United States vessels, measuring an aggregate of ten thousand nine hundred and five tons, of which twenty-eight were whalers, laden, or partly laden, with cargoes of oil, bone, whaling materials, &c. They did not land any considerable cargoes, having called for supplies, provisions, and recruits, and perhaps, in some instances, for the purpose of gaining practical information in regard to the re

quirements and peculiarities of the Japanese markets. After remaining in port two or three weeks, they again put to sea, most of them bound on a whaling cruise in the Ochotsk Sea. Two of the thirty vessels that entered-one a bark from Boston, owned by H. A. PIERCE, of that city, measuring 275 tons; the other a schooner, from San Francisco, owned by K. TURNER, of that place, of 131 tons, and both laden with general merchandise-cleared for the Amoor River, along which American enterprise, aided by the liberal and enlightened policy of Russia, is already achieving great commercial triumphs.

PERUVIAN GUANO.

QUANTITY EXTRACTED AND SOLD FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS IN 1841. The following summary is translated and condensed from an official document published at Lima in 1858, entitled "Memoria de los ramos de Hacienda y Comercio," (Memoir relative to Finances and Commerce :)—

From the year 1841, the commencement of the extraction of guano at the Chincha Islands, to the end of 1856, embracing a period of sixteen years, the total quantity of guano removed amounted to 1,967,079 tons, of which there was sold 1,626,405 tons; 23,885 tons were damaged, and 316,789 tons still in market. The total amount of sales was $100,263,519 75. The expense of extracting and management amounted to $61,008,884 874, the net product of sales being $39.254.637 81.

The following statement shows the movement in 1857. During this year there was extracted 472,965 tons, to which is to be added 316,789 tons remaining in warehouse, making in all, ready for market, 789.754 tons; of this quantity 304.589 tons were sold, of which 19,156 tons were damaged, and 466,009 tons still in market.

The gross product of sales during the year, including commissions, exchange, and interest, reached the sum of $12,508.016 814. A considerable increase in the quantity of guano extracted is recorded for 1857; and of this increase the large share was, as usual, exported to England. The exportation to France also experienced an increase this year.

The number of vessels engaged in the carrying trade of Peruvian guano in 1857, will be seen from the following statement :

Besides the above, the Sardinian, Danish, Mecklenburg, Peruvian, Norwegian, Prussian, Russian, Oldenburgh, Chilian, and Hanoverian flags share, to some extent, in the carrying trade of the Chincha Islands.

In consequence of the rescinding of the contract with the house of Montaire & Co., for the sale of guano in France and in the French colonies, the agency of the French Empire was awarded to Messrs. Gibbs, of London, the consignees in England, Belgium, Germany, and Italy. The contract with this firm bears date February 26, 1858, and expires in four years.

The document from which the foregoing facts are derived, does not give the statistics for the year 1858, but for the first six months it shows that there was 169,580 tons extracted, to which is to be added the stock on hand at the commencement of the year, consisting of 466,009 tons, making in all, ir the market, 635,589 tons; of this there was sold, up to June 30, 1858, 66,607 tons, yielding in value $3,202,059 184.

In conclusion, the total quantity of guano in market from 1841 to June 30, 1858, was 1,997,601 tons, and the net value $54,994,712.

The preceding figures derive additional interest from the fact that owing to the heavy foreign debt of Peru and other causes, official exhibits of the guano trade of that republic have hitherto been difficult of access, and generally not altogether reliable.

TRADE OF SCINDE.

From a return on the external trade of Scinde for the year 1858-59, ending April 30, 1859, we find that the total value of the trade for the year mentioned is estimated at 2,58,48,784 rs., on imports 1,54,06,058, and exports 1,04,42,726; for the year immediately preceding, the total value of the trade was 2,15,92,298, imports 1,08,11,012, and exports 1,07,81,286, thus showing an increase in the This increase value of the trade for 1858-59 to the extent of 42,56,486. is almost entirely owing to larger importations from England, direct, and from Bombay. The increase in the value of the import trade amounts to The im45,95,046, or about 42 per cent in excess of that of the previous year. ports are classified as follows:-For 1858-59, merchandise, 1,43,86,874; treasure, 10,19,184; and for 1857-58, merchandise, 91,47,909; treasure, 16,63,103. The increase, therefore, in merchandise, has been 52,38,965 rs., while there has been a decrease in treasure to the extent of 6,13,919. In the imports in the trade of Scinde there has been a great increase from England, Bombay, Concan, Goa and Demaun, Guzerat, Malabar, Mekran, Moulmein, and Persian Gulf. The principal items of increased imports from England are apparel, books and stationery, malt liquor, military appointments, metals manufactured, oilmen's stores, railway materials, spirits, wines, woollen piece-goods, cotton piece-goods, cabinet-ware, saddlery, and glass-ware.

TRICKS OF THE PORK TRADE.

The Cincinnati brand of pork and bacon, having a character and a standing in all the leading markets of the country, above all others, its integrity should be protected with jealous care by those interested in the trade; and when the tricks of adventurers, or "sharp" operators become known, it is but just and right they should be exposed.

Last season, owing to the great difficulty which existed in making "both ends meet," consequent upon the high prices paid for hogs, some instances of sharp practice was developed, which, to say the least, are highly reprehensible.

It is the custom with our leading packers, in packing mess pork, to put 190 lbs. in each barrel, which, when salted, will weigh out 210 pounds to 220 pounds, according to the quality of the meat; but in many cases, however, irresponsible packers are in the habit of putting only 180 lbs. in each barrel, so that the buyer of such is cheated out of 10 to 15 pounds of meat, which makes quite a margin for the dishonest packer.

Another trick is practiced to some extent, namely:-" marking up" the weight of casks of bacon 5 to 10 pounds, according to circumstances, and calling this soakage" when reclamation is claimed.

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JOURNAL OF INSURANCE.

NEW YORK INSURANCE LAW.

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AN INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. PASSED APRIL 15, 1859,

THREE-FIFTHS BEING PRESENT.

The people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

SEC. 1. There is hereby established a separate and distinct department, which shall be charged with the execution of the laws heretofore passed, or that may be hereafter passed, in relation to insurance.

SEC. 2. The chief officer of said department shall be denominated the Superintendent of the Insurance Department. He shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice of the Senate, and shall hold his office for the term of three years. He shall receive an annual salary of two thousand five hundred dollars, to be paid quarterly. He shall employ, from time to time, the necessary clerks to discharge such duty as he shall assign them, whose compensation shall be paid to them monthly, on his certificate, and upon the warrant of the Controller. He shall appoint one of the said clerks to be his deputy, who shall possess the powers and perform the duties attached by law to the office of principal during a vacancy in such office, and during the absence or inability of his prineipal. Within fifteen days from the time of notice of their appointment, respectively, the Superintendent and his deputy shall take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed by the constitution, and file the same in the office of the Secretary of State, and the said officers shall be, in all respects, subject to the provisions of the sixth title of chapter five of the first part of the revised statutes. so far as the same may be applicable; and the said Superintendent of the Insurance Department shall give to the people of the State of New York a bond, in the penalty of ten thousand dollars, with two sureties, to be approved of by the Controller, conditioned for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office; and the said Superintendent shall not, either directly or indirectly, be interested in any Insurance Company.

SEC. 3. The Superintendent of the Insurance Department shall possess all the powers, perform all the duties, and be subjected to all the obligations and penal ties now conferred by law upon the Controller of the State, or to which the Controller is subject, in relation to Insurance Companies and the formation thereof, under the laws relating thereto, so that every power and duty thereby conferred on the Controller shall, from and after the appointment of such Superintendent, be transferred to, and conferred upon, the said Superintendent. In addition to the requirements of the laws of eighteen hundred and fifty-three, relating to the annual reports relative to insurance, the Superintendent shall be required to report the names and compensation of the clerks employed by him, and the whole amount of expenses of the department during the year; such report shall be made by or before the first day of March, and fifteen hundred copies for the use of the Superintendent, and the usual number of copies for the use of the Legislature, shall be printed by the printer employed to print legislative documents.

SEC. 4. The said Superintendent, with the approval of the Governor, shall devise a seal, with suitable inscriptions, for his office, a description of which, with a certificate of approval by the Governor, shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State, with an impression thereof, which seal shall thereupon be and become the seal of office of the Superintendent of the Insurance Department, and the same may be renewed whenever necessary. Every certificate, assignment, or Conveyance executed by said Superintendent, in pursuance of any authority conferred on him by law, and sealed with his said seal of office, shall be received as evidence, and may be recorded in the proper recording offices in the same man