STATISTICS OF TRADE AND COMMERCE.

FOREIGN WOOL TRADE OF NEW YORK.

THE Journal of Commerce publishes the following statement of the imports of foreign wool at New York for the first six months of the current year, and also for the same time in 1862. The comparison shows the imports of the first half of this year to be more than those of the same time in 1862 by 27,094 bales, 11,509,348 pounds, and $2,081,056 in value. At this time last year nearly all the new clip of domestic wool had been bought of the growers at 35 @ 45 cents, the latter figures being the price. at that date, and foreign wools were held at prices which made them dearer than domestic. But at this date the facts are reversed. The new clip is nearly all held by the grower at 65 @ 75 cents, and the stock of foreign is offered at rates which make it cheaper to the manufacturer. And as there are few woolen fabrics which cannot be manufactured from foreign stock, but little domestic will be taken while the present prices remain. The stock of foreign wool in this market at the present time is considerably larger than that of this date a year ago, and it is estimated that the domestic clip of this year is fully twenty-five per cent larger than that of 1862:

IMPORTS OF FOREIGN WOOL AT NEW YORK DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1862, AND FOR THE SAME TIME IN 1868.

THE IRON TRADE FOR THE YEAR 1862.

DURING the year 1862, prices in irons of all kinds were marked by a continually upward movement. This movement had none of the feverish excitement which characterized those of tin and copper. It slowly followed, indeed, the advance in gold, but it derived its chief impetus from the progress of the demand, arising from government consumption, and from the general revival of trade. It was, therefore, for the times, healthily and steadily moved forward through the season, unchecked by the temporary events or contingencies of the year. The restrictions to exportations hither, on English account, induced by the uncertainty of American politics, and the fluctuations of gold and exchange, tended greatly to the benefit of the American iron master, and gave him a fair start for that race of competition with England which must ensue in future years. These circumstances yielded to him a control of the home markets at a time of immense demand, and at prices the most liberally profitable. They secured to him an accumulation of capital to fall back upon in less prosperous times.

The trade of the year was done mostly for cash; credit, indeed, was seldom asked for. During the summer months, the Pennsylvania trade, at a meeting, resolved thereafter to shorten the time on cash bills to ten days, and on time bills to four months, from date of invoices. This was followed by similar action on the part of the trade here, except in Scotch pig irons, where, by the action of the leading house in the trade, the effort was made unavailing. Scotch pig irons are, therefore, sold at six months, or for cash.

The high prices of the past year have stimulated to the utmost the production of all kinds of iron. Old furnaces, rolling-mills and forges are put, or being put, into a condition for the most active operation; new ones are projected in various parts of the country, and many are near completion. The home supplies of iron will, in the course of a year or so, equal any demand. With the competition of English irons they may largely exceed the demand. That competition cannot, with our present tariff, be shut out, nor is it likely or desirable that any alteration in the latter will be made. The American iron master must, therefore, look, to insure his success, to the quality, uniformity, and evenness of size and gauge of his iron, and, above all, to their being carefully examined before being put in the market.

Pig Irons. At the close of the year 1861, the surplus stocks of foundry, and, to a considerable extent, those of forge pig irons, were in speculators' hands.

The year 1862 opened with prices of No. 1, extra foundry, at $20 cash, forge at $18 to $20 cash, and Scotch pig irons at $22 cash, with little disposition on the part of consumers or of the trade to buy at these figures, beyond their more immediate wants. Indeed, many were convinced of a gradual decline in prices to the lowest points of the previous year; and this, notwithstanding the increasing demand, the absence of foreign competition, and the probable inflation of the currency. These views somewhat curtailed the spring demand for pig irons in the East, and buyers, for the most part, bought only for the present. In the West, however, contracts were made more freely.

In June, a destructive freshet occurred in Pennsylvania; it deranged the freighting rail-roads and canals to an extent so great that some months elapsed before some of them resumed their business. Some of the furnaces on the Lehigh were also badly damaged. In consequence of this accident, and of the really small stocks of pig iron, prices advanced $4 per ton; that is, to $24 for No. i extra. In July, August, and September, the labor question became one of great difficulty. Miners of iron ores and coal, attracted by the adventures of the war, or stimulated by patriotic feelings, freely enlisted; and the scarcity of all kinds of workmen soon became apparent, not only to the employer, but also to the employed. Strikers for higher pay and for new regulations commenced, in which the strikers were generally successful in gaining their ends. These troubles recurred with great frequency. Efforts were made to secure the immigration hither of European labor, which were only partially successful, notwithstanding the vast inducements of a most solid and enduring character offered the miner and the artisan in the United States; inducements that, to the sober, industrious and intelligent immigrant, result always in competence and a vastly better social condition than in his own country.

Bar Irons, in the early part of January, were current at $42 cash, for common, and $52 for refined, with moderate stocks of English and a small supply of American bars. These low prices, and the really promising condition of business, failed to attract the attention of the trade till late in February and early in March. At the close of the latter month, they had advanced to $50 and $59 for common and refined. From that time till the close of July they were steadily held, without much fluctuation; then an advance to $58 and $68 occurred. In October, prices reached $67 and $77 cash, at which they were steady till the close of the year. The supplies of American bar and rail-road irons will be greatly enhanced during the next few years. Like that of pig irons, the production has been stimulated by high prices, and mills have been started in various parts of Pennsylvania, and in New York and New Jersey. Their make, when the rolls are all in motion, will, with the older mills, be nearly adequate to supply the whole demand of our Eastern markets. The cheapness of producers' costs-because of proper location, contiguous to coal and ore beds, and the markets of New York and the Eastern and Western cities may enable them to compete successfully with the English irons, and perhaps, indeed, to a large extent, drive them out of our markets.

Charcoal Irons, in January, opened at $25 to $35. same causes as acted on other irons, prices advanced December closed with inadequate supplies, and prices to $65 per ton.

Influenced by the gradually, and in ranging from $35

Bloom Irons.-Northern and Lake' Champlain blooms are the merchantable blooms of the market. In January, holders were at $35 cash, per ton, with few buyers. Later in the season, the plate mills filled with orders from government, and general trade came into the market largely for blooms, the prices of which rapidly advanced to $70 and $75, with transactions at these prices.

IMPORTS INTO NEW YORK FROM JANUARY 1ST, TO DECEMBER 31ST.

PRICES AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR 1862.

January..

February.

March

July.

110

24 00

23 50

50 00

60 00

AVERAGE YEARLY PRICE OF FOUNDRY PIG IRONS IN NEW YORK, DURING THE

In 1861, the lowest price of No. 1 was $16 per ton. est price was $20; the highest, $32.

TRADE OF CALIFORNIA.

The circular of J. T. COLEMAN & Co., received by the Northern Light, contains a summary of the trade of San Francisco for the six months ending June 30, 1863. The exports, as compared with the corresponding months of previous years, were as follows:

Of these exports our breadstuffs form a leading item, amounting to about one-fourth the entire sum.

The exports of merchandise and treasure compared were:

in

Total.....

66

...

$23,514,100 $21,375,344 $28,941,135 52

A very important change in the drift of our treasure exports has been progress this year, occasioned chiefly by our currency derangements in the Atlantic States, but in part by the danger apprehended under our own flag from rebel privateers. This change is exhibited in the following statement:

DESTINATION OF TREASURE EXPORTED FROM SAN FRANCISCO DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEARS

Total....

$21,886,045 $18,566,143 $16,832,616 $22,757,680

The large diversion from New York to England is the point of special interest.

The receipts of treasure from various sources during the six months

The following figures serve to show the extent of the interior currency movement during the first half of the last three years: