Circulation of the United Kingdom,.. 467 Gt. Britain & ocean steam navigation, 198 do stamps duties.. I. 151 D. 153 142 .... Indebtedness of the U.S. J. Journal of banking, currency, and 317 Gold, silver, copper, &c., in U. S.... 425 do do Kansas, finances of, debt, &c........ 448 do do L. 343 353 231 Lakes, commerce of the... 887 &c., revenue of......... 151 Maine, finances of, debt, &c. ......... 841 PAGE Manufacture of Gt. Britain, cotton.... 270 Postmaster-Gen's report, synopsis of.. Market, N. Y., cattle.. Maryland, finances of, debt, &c.. 156 344 PAGE 54 do do do ...... 837 do Moses Taylor.. 405 Mexican, Anglo French loan.. do Monetary prospects, 1864. Montana of the Andes... 875 415 257 342 .... R. 141 876 150 Receipts at N. Y., for 1861, '62, '63... 184 80 15 Regulations, commercial.. 77, 237, 897 do do Revenue of Gt. Britain do national.. S. Navy. 89 48 151 97 198 Schleswig-Holestein, difficulty.. 119, 288 Congressional legislation. 198 Secretary of the Treasury, report of.. 89 result. Navy, report of Secretary of... do do do do do New Hampshire, finances of, debt, &c, 256 tender notes.. 148 135 do do do do sundry articles. 136 134 Shipping, propagation of disease by. 435 China and U. S.. ...... 0. Ohio, finances of, debt, &c.......... 845 P. gati'n, by U.S. and Gt. Britain.... 193 T. Tariff act, treasury department, decis- 159 ... 77, 237, 897 Taxation, revenue to be derived from, 97 Pacific ocean, steam on. 405 ..... 165, 280 8 329 88 Tileston, Thomas, death of.. 294 85 106 Pennsylvania, finances of, debt, &c... 156 Treasury notes, opin'n of Jud Balcom, 60 THE MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE AND COMMERCIAL REVIEW. JANUARY, 1864. PROSPECTS OF IRELAND. THE emigration from Ireland, increasing as it does, month after month, has given rise to much discussion as to the future of that portion of the United Kingdom. The present effect is clearly seen in the published returns. Population is decreasing, while, at the same time, there is a progressive diminution in the amount and value of live stock, as well as in the amount of land under tillage. The following table shows the population of Ireland at various periods during the last forty years: We thus see that since 1851 there has been a decrease in population of 787,842, and since 1841, a decrease of 2,420,581. These are certainly not very encouraging figures, and especially when taken in connection with the greatly increased emigration of the present year. Bear in mind, too, that emigrants are for the most part in the prime of life-four-fifths of them being under thirty years-and we see how the vital force of Ireland has been drawn away. In the five years from the end of 1846 to the end of 1851, the emigration from Ireland amounted to 1,422,000. In the eleven succeeding years, that is, to the close of 1862, the account runs thus: The increase in emigration this year over past years may be more clearly understood by the following comparison for the first seven months of the last four years: EMIGRATION FOR THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS OF EACH YEAR. 1860.. 1861 55,782 | 1862 .. 45,899 80,500 The above proportionate increase will probably be sustained for the year. Such, then, are the workings of emigration and other natural causes on the population of Ireland. If now we turn to the agricultural results of such loss in population, we find them just what we should naturally expect to find from the foregoing statements. Thus, it will be seen in the following table that the live stock has gradually decreased since 1859: So also the extent of land under cultivation has decreased, while the amount laid down in grass has increased. Potatoes.. Other roots.. Flax...... 1,200,347 1,172,079 1,133,504 1,017,317 1,023,626 403,000 394,000 407,000 448,000 423,000 136,282 128,595 147,957 150,012 213,900 Vetches, meadow & clover 1,470,000 1,654,000 1,580,000 1,583,000 1,590,000 The flax crop shows a steady increase, but the cereals have all decreased -the natural result of the diminished population. Yet, notwithstanding the facts above stated, we believe that the gloomy forebodings respecting Ireland, which are heard on every side, are entirely uncalled for. True, the aggregate population is decreasing, and England is thus losing its richest recruiting ground, yet Ireland will not eventually lose, but gain by it, for it is over-peopled. Few persons know, and no one who has not traveled in that country can fully realize how large a portion of the surface of Ireland is not only uncultivated, but unfit for cultivation-much of it being absolutely irreclaimable, more quite incapable of repaying the cost of reclamation. One-third of the measured area consists of water, marsh, bog, or stones. Many districts which nature never meant to be peopled at all, are made to support a scanty population on a scanty subsistence by taking advan |