STATISTICS OF TRADE AND COMMERCE.

ANNUAL STATEMENT OF PORK PACKING IN THE WEST.

THE Cincinnati Price Current of April gives the following annual statement of pork packing in the West:

Over two months ago we published statistics in the Price Current which indicated very accurately what would be the result of pork packing the present season; and, though we have been in possession of the great bulk of the returns since then, and of all but about eight or ten during the last three weeks, we deferred publishing this, our usual annual statement, until now, in order to be able to make it full and complete. The result is wonderful. The number of hogs packed the present season, it will be seen, is over four million head, being an increase over the packing of the season of 1861-62 of over a million and a quarter, namely, 1,175,787, being an increase of 40 per cent. The decrease in weight is 7 per cent, leaving a net increase of over 323 per cent as compared with last year. The yield of leaf lard is five pounds per hog less than it was in 1861-62, but owing to the great increase in the number of hogs slaughtered, there is an absolute increase in quantity of 27 per cent over last season. In these comparisons we do not include the Tennessee packing last season.

It will be seen that the great increase was in that section of the West tributary to Chicago, but of all that section, in no place was that increase so marked as in Iowa, and our correspondents in that State say that fully one-half of the hogs packed in Chicago were shipped from thence, and explain the enormous increase in this way. The corn crop in that State, the past two years, was an unusually good one; but owing to the blockade of the Mississippi, the usual channel of outlet to a market, and the low price, the article did not admit of transportation to the East; it was therefore as a matter of necessity fed to hogs, to an extent unusual, and which would not have been the case had a market been accessible. This applies not only to Iowa, but to that portion of Illinois bordering upon the Upper Mississippi. Owing to the great speculation in, and high rate of gold, remunerative prices were obtained, which proved of as much advantage to the feeders as if the currency was down to a specie basis. The rise in gold affected none but those who used foreign goods, and of these the agricultural classes use but little.

It will be seen that there is a large increase in all the States but Kentucky, and in that State there is a decrease, but this is not wonderful, and the surprise is that the packing along the Ohio was as large as it has been, owing to the disturbed state of affairs and the repeated menaces of the rebels along the border.

When the season opened, owing to the large stock of barrel and bulk meat on hand, and which had become next to unsalable, the impression was general that the product of the hog crop, which the trade then did not suppose would exceed that of the previous season, and, in many cases, that it would not come up to it, should be packed in shape for foreign markets,

as but a small amount would be needed for a home market; and, therefore, boxing sides, shoulders, and hams for the Liverpool market was the rule throughout, and it was not until in December that any of consequence was put in barrels for a home market. This naturally led to shipments of boxed meats abroad to an extent vastly greater than the previous season; and owing to the high premium on gold and sterling exchange, this meat was furnished in the foreign markets at prices below the previous year, and which ba induced a largely increased consumption in England, France, Germany, Holland, and Denmark.

The amount of mess pork packed has been small, unusually so. We have no returns on this point to enable us to make any estimate approaching accuracy, but we think it was not over one-third the amount packed the previous season. The scarcity and high price of cooperage had some influence in diminishing the amount. A good deal of that packed in barrels was prime mess-anticipating an army demand.

Last season, owing to the very low price and the unsettled state of the public mind, and the want of confidence in the currency, an unusual number of hogs were packed by farmers and country merchants, as we stated in our last annual report; this season this was almost universally avoided, as the packing done in this way last season, the sequel has shown, proved most unwise, and generally resulted in heavy losses to the parties, because the meat was generally unsalable.

The yield of lard given below is what is called leaf lard only. In many places the greater portion of the hogs was rendered into lard, but this was not done as generally as it was last season, which was partly owing to the fact that the hogs were not so well fatted, and partly to the higher prices paid for them. Lard was considered lower in proportion than the meat, and hence it was bought and is held on speculation, as mess pork was last The shipments to foreign countries have been large.

season.

Now, although a large portion of the pork cured in Tennessee last season by the rebel government, was brought to this and other markets after the rebels were driven from that State last spring, vet a good deal of it was spoiled; and taking all the circumstances into consideration, the Tennessee packing last season ought not, we think, to be taken into account this season, no more than it was last season, by the trade. Leaving Tennessee,

then, out of the comparison, we have an increase in the other States of $1,757,787, which is equal to a shade over 40 per cent, and if Tennessee is included, the increase is equal to slightly over 40 per cent. This is very remarkable, and exceeds the estimate we made last January by over 160,000 head, for we did not include Tennessee in that estimate.

With regard to the average weight and the yield of lard, we have the following result by States, though we failed, as usual, to get the average weights in many cases, and the yield of lard in a still greater number of cases, but both were given more generally than they were last season:

The aggregate weights of similar numbers of hogs, packed at each point from whence the average weights were furnished last season and this, compare as follows:

This is equal to about 7 per cent, and which may be regarded as correct an indicator, as is necessary, of the per centage of decrease in weight of the entire packing, and this being deducted from the increase in number, not including Tennessee, makes the net increase slightly over 33 per

cent.

The yield of lard per hog last season was 34 pounds; this season it was 29 pounds, showing a decrease of five pounds per hog; but the number of hogs being vastly greater this than last season, this falling off is more than made up, which will be seen by taking the whole number of hogs packed both seasons, and multiplying them with the yield of lard, each season respectively, as follows, not including the Tennessee packing last season:

Here, then, we find there is an actual increase of 27 per cent. We will here remark that the yield of lard given above, as well as in previous years, does not include head and gut lard or grease, as in all cases where the head and gut is added, we exclude it from our tables.

We expected to have been able to give the number of hogs sent from the West to the Eastern cities, by the various railways, during the packing season, but have not yet been furnished with the number received at Buffalo, or the number shipped through Canada. The following are the compara

tive shipments by the New York and Erie Railway, from Dunkirk, and the Pennsylvania Central, from Pittsburg, from November 1st to February 1st, this and last season:

We understand that there is a marked increase in the shipments through Canada and the receipts at Buffalo. We will give the exports by these routes as soon as we get them.

We have to acknowledge ourselves under renewed obligations to our friends for the promptness with which they have furnished us the information we asked for.

BOSTON COMPETING FOR THE WESTERN TRADE.

Boston is taking advantage of the special interest now felt in Western transportation, to improve her facilities for accommodating the trade of the Northwestern States. In March, at the annual meeting of the Boston Corn Exchange, a report was made, urging the importance of enhancing the advantages of that city "as a shipping point for the productions of the West, by affording every possible facility to deliver flour and other produce at as low a rate of freight in Boston as it can be sent to New York or Portland."

Probably in reference to this demand, the Boston Commercial Bulletin of March 14th says:

"A convention of the representatives of our Northern railroads, connecting with lake navigation, has lately been held at the Revere House in this city, at which (though the fact of the meeting is not generally known to the public) it is understood arrangements were made for largely increased facilities for the accommodation of Western trade. Several hundred new freight cars are to be placed immediately on these routes, and a scale of tariff was agreed upon which cannot fail to be satisfactory to shippers and vastly enhance the volume as well as the profits of this trade. Not only this, but so far as Boston is concerned, we are happy to be able to say, that arrangements (which we are not as yet at liberty to detail) have been perfected, by which Western railroad transportation will connect directly with deep water navigation at this port, bringing cars and ships into the most intimate possible juxtaposition. This is a commercial desideratum much needed and long desired, in bringing the cost of freightage within the smallest practicable limits, and may now be considered un fait accompli.

Our railroad corporations have not moved too soon in this matter for their own or the public interest; and we may be allowed to congratulate our fellow citizens upon the increased business and prosperity which these important arrangements cannot fail to give this commercial metropolis.

RAILWAY, CANAL, AND TELEGRAPH STATISTICS.

THE BROADWAY RAILROAD-ACTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL.

THE following resolutions permitting the New York and Harlem Railroad Company to extend their railroad through Broadway and other streets were passed by the Common Council April 21, 1863:

To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of New York:

The New York and Harlem Railroad Company apply for permission to extend their railroad from their Fourth Avenue track, near the point of its intersection with Fifteenth-street, southerly through Broadway by a double track to the foot of Whitehall-street, connecting at Park Row with their present track, with liberty to extend a single track around Bowling Green and through State-street to the foot of Whiteball-street, with the switches and turnouts necessary for the convenient transaction of their business; and also to extend their railroad with double track from Fourth Avenue through Twenty-third-street to Madison Avenue, and thence up Madison Avenue to Eighty-sixth-street.

[L. S.]

W. H. EMERSON,

Secretary New York and Harlem Railroad Co.

A resolution permitting the New York and Harlem Railroad Company to extend their railroad through certain streets in the city of New York. Whereas, The Legislature of the State of New York did, by an act passed April 6, 1863, and entitled "An Act to amend an Act entitled an Act to Incorporate the New York and Harlem Railroad Company, passed 25th April, 1832," authorized and empowered the New York and Harlem Railroad Company to extend their railroad through such streets in the city of New York as the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city may from time to time permit; and

Whereas, It has become necessary, for the convenience of the public that railroad cars, propelled by horse-power, should be run in Broadway, to and from Union Square to the South and Fulton ferries; and

Whereas, The New York and Harlem Railroad Company have offered to extend their railroad in such manner as to afford to the public the requisite accommodation, and have also proposed to pay into the Treasury of the city, for the relief of the citizens from taxation, ten per cent of the gross receipts received by them for all travel on the extensions of the railroad below Union Square hereinafter authorized.

Now, therefore, the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of New York, in Common Council convened, do resolve as follows:

I. Permission is hereby granted to the New York and Harlem Railroad Company, and they are hereby required to extend their railroad and to construct a double track of rails from their present Fourth Avenue track, between Seventeenth and Fifteenth streets, through Broadway to the foot of