The American Annual Cyclopaedia and Register of Important Events of the Year, 1861-1865, vols. 1-5. New York: Appleton & Co., 1868.

Commerce of the United States, 1862

COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES, 1862 The commerce of the United States for the past year has been, through the operation of the war, shorn of its proportions, but, under the circumstances, prosperous. The leading features of the year 1861, when the several relations of trade were violently broken, and produce, turned from its accustomed markets, was suddenly forced into new channels, have, in 1862, been more strongly marked, exaggerated as they are by the growing evils connected with the currency and the damage done on the ocean by cruisers of the enemy. The nations of Europe, as well as the English, began at the close of 1861 to feel the want of cotton in a most urgent manner, and their representatives at Washington expressed to the Government informally the desire for some relaxation of the blockade which should permit the egress of that article. This desire induced greater exertion on the part of the executive to hasten a movement of troops, which should bring within the control of the national arms such tracts of country as allowed a reopening of the trade. The advance into Kentucky and Tennessee in January and February, opening the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, on these grounds excited great hopes, which were, however, not fulfilled. The Confederates when driven back ordered the destruction by fire of all cotton and tobacco likely to fall into the hands of the Federals, and this was carried out to some extent. *When the Tennessee region was "reopened," therefore, very little cotton was found. The disposition, that might have existed on the part of the planters to bring forward their crops was checked by the want of protection to private interests, and the complicity of commanders in private cotton speculations in a manner incompatible with general business interests. There was a great want of money in all that region, and the good prices that cotton commanded in specie at first produced a little business, which drew upon the resources of the West for specie to meet its requirements. This growing confidence was suddenly blasted, by an order from General Curtis that specie should not be paid for cotton, as if specie could have any more important function than to procure that cotton, for the want of which so many mills were idle, and so many persons out of employ. The order was subsequently rescinded, but the mischief was done, and the cotton trade killed. As the troops progressed, the Secretary of the Treasury issued special licenses, March 29th, for commercial intercourse under the Act of July, 1861, which prohibits shipments from those ports of the United States heretofore declared by the President to be in insurrection, without a written permit. The licenses did not extend further than Nashville and intermediate points. Nothing shipped under them was to be disposed of to persons in arms against the United. States, or to others furnishing them aid and comfort. An order was also issued for the restoration of the mail service between Boonesville, Missouri, and Independence, which was suspended in December, in consequence of the war. Soon after the Secretary of the Treasury issued instructions to the Treasury agents, collectors and surveyors, on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, dispensing with applications to the Secretary for licenses to trade, and authorizing the shipment of all goods not intended for aid to the enemy, to all places occupied by Federal forces in the valley States. A little renewed business followed these regulations, but the regions designated in them, being deprived of their produce, had no means of payment. The little cotton bought by the army speculators did not add to the business means of the section. Down to the 11th of May, permits were granted for the shipment from Nashville of 8,512 bales of cotton. To this amount may be added from 50 to 100 bales shipped by outsiders. The whole amount shipped from the 11th of March, when trade was opened, may be set down at not less than and probably something over 3,600 bales. From two to three thousand bales were burnt by the Confederate troops-r-chiefly in Giles county, Tenn.

At the close of April the expedition to the Atlantic coast had opened some ports, but failed to elicit any trade. The fall of New Orleans, however, awakened the greatest hopes, and the occasion was at once seized by the Government to invite trade. Mr. C. L. Lathrop was appointed collector at that port, and the following circulars were addressed to the foreign ministers at Washington, announcing Page 228 the reopening of communication with reconquered Southern localities:

DEPARTMENT OR STATE, WASHINGTON, May 2, 1862.

Sir: I bare the honor to state for your information, that the mails are allowed to pass to and from New Orleans and other places which, baying heretofore been seized by insurgent forces, have since been recovered, and are now reoccupied by the land and naval forces of the United States. It is proper, however, to add that a military surveillance is maintained over such mails, as far as the Government find it necessary for the public safety. I am, sir, your obedient servant,

                                                                     WM. H. SEWARD.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, May 5,1862.

Sir: I have the honor to state for the information of your Government, that a Collector has been appointed by the President for New Orleans, and that the necessary preparations are being made to modify the blockade so far as to permit limited shipments to be made to and from that and one or more other ports, which are now closed by blockade, at times and upon conditions which will be made known by proclamation.

                   I am, sir, your obedient servant,

                                                  WM. H. SEWARD.

A great number of vessels at once left the northern ports for that city with good outward bound cargoes. The President then issued a proclamation declaring that the blockade of the ports of Beaufort, Port Royal, and New Orleans shall so far cease and determine from and after the 1st of June,' 1862, that commercial intercourse with these ports, except as to persons and things and information contraband of war, might from that time be carried on, subject to the laws of the United States, and to the limitations and in pursuance of the regulations which were prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, as follows:

Regulations relating to trade with ports opened by Proclamation.

THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Monday, May 12.

First. To vessels clearing from foreign ports and destined to ports opened by the proclamation of the President of the United States of this date, namely Beaufort in North Carolina, Port Royal in South Carolina, and New Orleans in Louisiana.

Licenses will be granted by consuls of the United States, upon satisfactory evidence that the vessels so licensed will convey no person, property, or information contraband of war, either to or from said ports, which licenses shall be exhibited to the collector of the port to which said vessels may be respectively bound, immediately on arrival, and if required to any officer in charge of the blockade; and on leaving either of the said ports every vessel will be required to have a clearance from the collector of the customs according to law, showing that there has been no violation of the conditions of the license. Any violation of the said conditions will involve the forfeiture and condemnation of the vessel and cargo, and the exclusion of all parties concerned from any further privilege of entering the United States during the war for any purpose whatever.

Second. To vessels of the United States, clearing coastwise for the ports aforesaid, license can only be obtained from the Treasury Department.

Third. In all other respects the existing blockade remains in full force and effect as hitherto established and maintained; nor is it relaxed by the proclamation except in regard to the ports to which the relaxation is by that instrument expressly applied.

                      (Signed.)    S. P. CHASE, Secretary of Treasury.

The appointment of General Butler to the command at New Orleans was followed by a line of policy which neutralized the commercial results anticipated from the possession of the port. The Secretary of State wrote to the minister, Mr. Adams, at London, July 28,1862, as follows:

We shall speedily open all the channels of commerce, and free them from military embarrassments, and cotton, so much desired by all nations, will flow forth as freely as heretofore. We have ascertained that there are three and a half millions of bales yet remaining in the region where it was produced, though large quantities of it are yet unginned and otherwise unprepared for the market. We have instructed the military authorities to favor, so far as they can consistently with the public safety, its preparation for and despatch to the markets, where it is so much wanted; any now? notwithstanding the obstructions which have necessarily attended the ref establishment of the Federal authority in that region against watchful and desperate public enemies, in whose hands the suppression of the cotton trade by fire and force is a lever with which they expect to raise up allies throughout Europe, that trade has already begun to revive, and we are assured by our civil and military agents that it may be expected to increase fast enough to relieve the painful anxieties expressed to us by friendly nations. The President has given respectful consideration to the desire informally expressed to me by the Governments of Great Britain and France for some further relaxation of the blockade in favor of that trade. They are not rejected, but are yet held under consideration, with a view to ascertain more satisfactorily whether they are really necessary, and whether they can be adopted without such serious detriment to our military operations as would render them injurious rather than beneficial to the interests of all concerned. An answer will be seasonably given, which will leave foreign powers in no uncertainty about our course.

It resulted, however, that no renewal of business took place with the interior, and the occupation of New Orleans, from which great hopes were entertained, not only as having direct influence upon the war, but on the means of freeing the 2,000,000 bales of cotton usually delivered at that port, and which would not only have kept alive the 772 northern mills, with their 5 million spindles and 125,000 looms, employing more than 100,000 hands, but would have largely supplied exchange, stopped the outward flow of specie, diminished the distress in England and France, and smoothed the foreign relations of the country, while it would have supplied immense resources to the Government, did not justify those hopes. The causes of the failure to realize these objects changed the whole face of business during the year, and while it made the occupation of the mouths of the Mississippi barren of useful results, added greatly to the exasperation of the South, and led to serious complications with foreign consuls, whoso rights and duties became by no means clear in the position in which they were placed. Their functions necessarily brought them in contact with a people under martial law, and whose rights of property depended upon the will of the military commander.

The trade of New Orleans, showing the receipts of the principal articles from the interior, during the year ending 31st of August, 1862, with their total value, is represented in the following table: Page 229 […]

The aggregate shows a decline of more than 100 millions upon the year's business, consisting mostly of cotton, which did not arrive at that port from the interior during its military occupation, since the military commander failed to inspire confidence among the planters in respect to the safety of property. On page 113, "Annual Cyclopaedia of 1861,"will be found the returns for the years 1860 and 1861—a comparison indicating the vast decline in the receipts of western products, mostly coal and provisions. The blockade of the river cut off the usual routine of commerce, by which the West, in sending produce South, makes exchange with which it pays the cost for goods consumed at the West. There was nearly $12,000,000 less pork received thence, 3i millions less tobacco, and 11 millions less corn and wheat —making nearly 27 millions less value for those three articles, of which the West was deprived, and which necessarily diminished its means of purchasing goods; on the other hand, the West was deprived of its usual supplies of sugar and cotton. The receipts of sugar at New Orleans were very large, in consequence of the plantations being within reach of the troops; and there being no other outlet for the crops, the value, even under the extraordinary proceedings of the commanders at that point, reached $31,796,058. The vessels which sought New Orleans from the North on the opening of the port found no outward cargoes that would pay.

The opening of the ports in North Carolina and South Carolina was not more successful. A small quantity of Sea Island cotton was seized by the troops at Port Royal, and sent forward in gunny bags, unginned and dirty. Attempts made to plant and raise it were unsuccessful. Some efforts to open trade with North Carolina, by sending down assorted cargoes from the North, ended disastrously, and were not renewed. Naval stores, therefore, continued to command a very high price at the North.

The internal condition of the country during the year had much influence upon its external commerce, since a very large proportion of its industry was turned in a military direction,  and the accustomed demand for goods and supplies for exports, was greatly interfered with. More than 700,000 men were called into the army and navy during the year, and the number who were engaged in the service of the Government in all departments, was represented at nearly 1,200,000. The accustomed sources of revenue for these persons were changed for Government pay, and this, to the extent of, in round numbers, 500 millions, flowed from the Treasury through the hands of individuals to the support of their families in all the States, satisfying their necessary wants, hut somewhat changing the character of the articles consumed, while those usually produced became less abundant. The natural tendency under such circumstances is for prices to rise, and this tendency was accelerated by the paper paid out by the Government in such quantities "as to causa it rapidly to depreciate. The first effect of this state of affairs was to induce larger imports, and to diminish exports, causing an outward flow of the precious metals which gave a new impetus to the decline of the currency. Other circumstances combined to push on these effects.

For the first time the trade of the entire year 1862 was confined to the Northern ports, and Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, were the points of exports as well as of imports for the whole country. The exports from Page 230 New York represented by far the largest portion of the whole quantities shipped out of the country, and the results of the year's business show a singular reversal in the course of many important items. Thus, last year the national export of cotton, as seen in page 117, "Annual Cyclopaedia, 1861," amounted to $34,051,488, which amount had been sent out of the country before the blockade became strict. This year the imports of cotton into the port of New York were 70,565 bales, valued at $6,121,403. The imports of wool were as large. The imports of sugar and molasses figured at nearly 17 millions; tobacco and rice nearly $3,800,000; so with many other articles that are usually of domestic supply. Guns reached nearly $10,000,000. The effect of the war was thus to cause a large and unwonted import of certain articles, while the usual medium of payment for imports was not forthcoming. The products of the West indeed formed the basis of the export trade; but the wants of England and Europe were much less than in the previous year; hence the quantities exported realized much lower sums of money abroad, and it is probable, but for the influence of paper money upon the shipments, the amounts would have been much less than they were. The following table shows the leading articles exported as compared with the previous year:

Exports from New York to Foreign Ports of Certain Leading Article of Domestic Produce for  Months of the Year.

Ashes: Pols, bbls. Pearls Beeswax, lbs Breadstuffs: Wheat Hour, bbls. — P.ye flour Corn meal Wheat, bushels Rye Oats Barley ears Corn Candles, mould, boxes "sperm Coal, tons Cotton, bales Cottons, domestic, packages Hay Hops Naval stores: Crude turp., bbls. Spirits turpentine Ko&in Tar Pitch Oil, whale, galls. sperm lard "linseed coal. Provisions: Pork, bbls. Beef Cnt meats, lbs Butter Cheese Lard Rice, tierces "bbls. Tallow, lbs Tobacco, crude, packages. u manufactured, lbs.. Whalebone .

The quantity of wheat exported in the shape of flour and wheat was equal to 40,000,000 bushels, against 44,000,000 bushels in the previous year, but the prices realized were much less. In provisions the increased export was very large, as was also the case with oils. The new trade which sprang up in petroleum seems to have been greatly developed by the introduction of the article into Europe, and nearly 12 millions of gallons were shipped. The exports for the year were as follows: […]

According to the annual statement of the superintendent, in the year 1862 there passed through the ship canal, at St. Mary's Falls, Michigan, which forms the gateway to Lake Superior, $12,000,000 worth of copper and iron, besides general merchandise to the value of $10,000,000. The following statement, prepared by the superintendent of the canal, shows the extent and character of this trade more in detail: 543 schooners, aggregating 170,595 tons; 121 propellers, 65,124 tons; and 174 steamers, 124,838 tons—making a total tonnage for the year of 359,612 tons. By this it appears that the whole number of vessels, sail and steam, that passed through the canal lust year was 838, with an aggregate tonnage of 359,612 tons. In the year previous there were 527 vessels, sail and steam, with a tonnage of 270,637 tons. At six cents per ton, the rate now collected, the tolls for the last year amounted to $21,676.72, of which $14,120 were deposited with the State Treasurer. A careful estimate of the trade of the Lake Superior region for the year 1862 gives the following results: Iron, pig and ore, 150,000 tons; copper, 9,300 tons; general merchandise, 80,000 tons. The iron and copper mines of Lake Superior were never in a more prosperous condition, and there is every reason to believe there will be a large increase of exports in the current year, though the business of 1862 shows an increase of about 50 per cent., compared with the year immediately preceding.

In the early part of the year the trade underwent a great depression, and the prices fell to a very low point, with a great accumulation of stock on hand ; a remarkable upward movement then took place, and a very rapid advance in prices suddenly developed a great traffic. This, like most others, was powerfully affected by the effect of paper money upon the exchanges of the country, since as the price of bills rose it imparted a stimulus to the shipment of all available goods, and consequently the export value of the produce by no means represents the value realized abroad, since the value is in paper prices. The export value of the month of December was $14,805,112 for domestic Page 231 produce, but in a paper depreciated 35 per cent. Hence the amount realized was $11,000,000 only, falling below the import value, and necessitating the export of the precious metals to make good the margin. The export trade of the port of New York, monthly, for the year, represents the greatest proportion of the national commerce for the year:

EXPORTS, PORT OF NEW YORK. January February... March April May. Juno July August September. October November. December. Specie. Foreign. Domestic. Total. […].

The banks of New York suspended at the close of 1861; but inasmuch as the institutions, in consequence, sought rather to contract than to expand their operations, no material depreciation took place until the issues of Government paper began to make their appearance in April, and became the basis of the bank paper. In the first three months the exports of produce were small. As soon, however, as the depreciation of paper began to show itself by a rise in gold, and a consequent higher price for exchange, an impetus was imparted to the export of produce, for the reason that if the market did not promise a profit abroad, the shipper by selling his bill at a higher rate for paper money realized a profit. Thus in April the price of sterling was 11 per cent., in June it had risen to 21, or 10 per cent, advance. Accordingly the exports of domestic produce in April were 8,000,000, but exceeded 10,000,000 in June; notwithstanding prices abroad were more unfavorable for shipments, with every successive rise in the bills as measured in paper money, there was more activity in shipments. Inasmuch, however, as prices became more unfavorable abroad, these shipments did not always prove profitable, notwithstanding the high price obtained for the bill, the value of which came to be regulated by that of specie. The current of the metals continued to set out in a broader stream, although they apparently bore a premium. The mode of quotation is deceptive, and the fact that specie continues to leave the country in a large volume' indicates that it is still the best remittance out of the country for the banker who sells bills, even if he 'ships American gold. Many individuals who had remittances to make out of the country invested in produce of different descriptions; but the results were not always so favorable as if gold had been depended upon exclusively. The rise in prices of produce at the seaboard did not much improve the condition of the producer at the West, since the cost of transportation was proportionately advanced, and the cost of goods taken in return was swollen not only by higher charges for carriage, but also by taxes and depreciation of the currency. The gradual decline in the supplies of cotton as a material for manufacture diminished the activity of an industry that usually employs a capital of 100 millions, but also that of all persons engaged in the buying and selling, and transportation of the material and goods. "When the blockade took place, cutting off the supply of cotton, there was a stock in the hands of dealers and manufacturers possibly equal to six months' consumption, and the stock of goods in stores was fair. Those stocks have dwindled away under the demand for consumption, at gradually rising prices; and the stock of cotton has continued to shrink, although held by speculators generally in advance of the market for goods. Month by month, and day by day, the shelves have been thinned out, and the number of bales that form the last resort of the spinners for materials has become less. One can imagine the careful manufacturer, like a shipwrecked mariner, anxiously inspecting his pile of biscuit saved from disaster, and ruefully counting what remains after each day's inevitable consumption, and fixing the date beyond which the utmost economy will not stretch the scanty supply—the moment when the last bale will have been opened for the picker, amid preparations for the final closing of the mill. With this prospect in view, the mills have diminished their work; and the weakest, one after the other, have stopped, as the stronger have bid up for the shrinking stock of cotton 10 to 20, 80, 40, 50, 60, 70, and, finally, 90 cents, without increasing the supply, until the figures have come to represent a famine rather than a trade. These circumstances have caused strong houses to hold the goods for the use of regular customers. The remains of the once great cotton manufacture were eagerly bought up, without much regard to price; and staple goods have come to be regarded as of more value even than gold, amidst a depreciated currency.

The great apparent rise in value has doubtless Page 232 conferred great gains upon holders as well as upon mills, the stocks of which have risen 00 to 100 per cent., as expressed in paper money, a medium certainly a little unstable, more particularly when it is borne in mind that whatever may have been the dividends of the past year, the future value depends upon food for the spindles. The machinery may be changed, and adapted to other materials; but whence are those other materials to be derived? The wool crop of the United States is always short, and foreign supplies can be had only in competition […] with foreign buyers at great disadvantage. The holders of goods found great advantage in the rise, but to replace most goods became, as the year advanced, a matter of more difficulty, inasmuch as while the domestic goods diminished in supply in face of the declining supply of material, the cost of importation rose in a similar ratio under the influence of higher duties, and depreciation of the currency. The imports into the port of New York were monthly as follows: […].

The importations varied from month to month, and reached the highest point in the month of July, after which the expenses of importation increased so as to weigh heavily upon the cost of goods, and make the business more hazardous. On some articles the duties were increased.

The most necessary articles, or those for which the country depends for a supply mainly upon imports, were the first to advance to such prices as would permit the importation in face of the taxes. The imports of cotton goods were much larger than for the previous year, but far less than for the corresponding period of 1860. There were about 95,000,000 yards imported against 195,000,000 in 1860. The high price of cotton in England drew large supplies from India, and this laid the groundwork of a derangement of the finances, since the larger the amount of cotton imported from a country which demands silver mostly in payment, caused a disturbing drain upon England and western Europe. The effect of this influence may be seen in the value of cotton imported into England in the first ten months of three years, as follows:

Value of Cotton Imported into Great Britain.

1860. 1861. 1862

United States than in 1861; as a consequence, the exports of silver to that country increased $15,000,000, and of gold $4,000,000. A larger portion of the silver was procured from France, whence England imported $10,500,000, and in return-sent thither $30,000,000 worth of gold. A considerable portion of this gold was required to meet American bills running on England for French goods. In ordinary years the exports of produce from the United States to Great Brittain are such as to pay for United States purchases of English goods, and leave due to the United States a largo balance, which is drawn against in favor of the Continent and elsewhere for balances due those countries over and above the sum of their purchases of American produce. In the past year the whole circle of trade has been interrupted. The United States have not been able to send their usual quantities of produce to France, and although less French goods have been bought, the amount has sufficed to aid the drain of coin from England to France, while the want of American cotton in England has compelled her to buy more of Indian at cash prices. This tendency has been counteracted to some extent by the increased sales of English produce to France under the new treaty. The exports from England to France and the United States for eleven months of 1862 were as follows: Countries. 1860. 1861. 1862. £8.986,545 £5.920,359 £7.207.769 United States. 16,623,902 7,044.592 9.933.549 Although the aggregate imports of cotton were less, the increased purchases from India were $30,000,000 more in 10 months of 1862

As compared with 1860, France bought of England $16,500,000 more, and the United States $33,000,000 less. The tendency of a drain of the metals is 6uch, however, as to induce Page 233 the greatest caution in England in respect to the currency. Of the exports of England to the United States in the last year the greatest increase has been in linens to the amount of $3,500,000, and the next largest in woollens, both of which have to some extent been more in requisition by reason of the high price of cotton. The tendency to higher rates of money in England caused also lower rates for goods as well as produce, and aided in swelling the list of American imports. The tariff of July 14, 1862, increased the duties on many articles, to take effect August 1. By the new tariff woollens were charged with 18 cents per lb., and 80 per cent ad valorem. Linen goods 30 per cent., and cotton goods from 1 ¾  to 5 cents per square yard, and cotton prints cents per yard, and 10 per cent, ad valorem. The duty did not, however, raise the amount of revenue as much as was expected. The amount of duties for the port of New York was as follows:

Receipts for Customs at New York,  […]

The importation of goods paying duty, and the average duty paid for three years were as follows: […].

Thus the apparent increase of duties under the various tariffs during the war has been a little less than 17 per cent, on the value imported. Practically the duties were much higher, growing out of the fact that they are to be paid in gold, which rose in premium from June to January. The change wrought by the tariff, and by the depreciation of paper, becomes apparent in comparing the cost of imports in two months, April and December, as follows: […]

Value of Imports. 12,496.530 8,013,961

The three items in April amounted to $4,315.417, or 36 per cent, of the value of imports paying duty. In December the same items were $6,322,155, or 30 per cent, of the dutiable imports. Under this increasing pressure the value imported declined, and for the last month in the year the amount received was not much larger than in the corresponding month for 1861.

The supply of shipping during the year was good, but the circumstances of the war were such as to interfere with the course of freights, since the operations of the Confederate cruisers compelled an advance in the insurance for war risks upon American bottoms, and as a consequence caused a great demand for foreign vessels, of which an unusual number entered American ports during the year. A large amount of American tonnage was taken into the service of the Federal Government, and a number of vessels, in consequence of the depredations of the enemy on the ocean, availed themselves of the present state of the English navigation act to get out British registers.

This change of nationality in connection with the change from the merchant service to that of the Federal Government, made a considerable difference in the tonnage returns, which for the port of New York show the following entries: […].

Page 234

The increase in foreign is very marked. In 1860 the amount of foreign tonnage was less than 30 per cent, of the whole amount entered, and in 1862 it was nearly 40 per cent. The number of arrivals has however been larger than ever, and if foreign vessels found their gain in the fears excited as to the safety of American bottoms, the supply of the latter was greatly decreased as well through the cessation of building as through the purchases of the Government. The immense outward grain freights of the past ten years have to some extent made up for the want of cotton and tobacco. The clearances of vessels have been as follows: No. or vessels. Tonnage. Seamen. […].In the year 1861... "in the year 1860...

The number of foreign vessels exceeded that of the American, as also did the number of seamen, although the aggregate tonnage was not so large. The American vessels are generally of a larger size than the foreign. Many of the latter, which run short voyages, in effect coasting voyages to and from the provinces, are small, and making a number of trips in the year, swell the tonnage to a high figure. The same remarks apply to the entries which have been as follows, distinguishing foreign vessels and seamen: -Vo. of vessels. Tonnage. Seamen. American vessels […].

The arrivals and departures of the ocean steamers have been very active during the year. The following table shows the number of passengers carried to and brought from Europe by the various lines during the past year:

Liverpool, New York, and Philadelphia steamers Cunard New York line Canard Boston line Bremen line Hamburgh line Liverpool, Quebec, and Portland Anchor line, Glasgow, Quebec, Ac Great Eastern Irregular steamers Eastward. Westward. Total.

Increase in 1862 over 1861 19,619 The number of persons arrived from abroad has in the past ten years greatly exceeded the number of those who departed. None of the lines of steamers lost any vessel during the year. The oldest line, the Cunard, ran with their accustomed regularity, and have placed two new steamers on the route: the Scotia, a side wheel, and the China, a screw. This, with the Australasian, makes two screw steamers, and there are indications that the screws may supplant the side wheels for mail and passenger service. The Scotia, however, made the shortest passages of the year, both ways, viz.: western passage, June 21 to July 1, 9 days 22 hours, and eastern passage, August 27 to September 5, 9 days 7 hours. The City of "Washington of the Liverpool, New York, and Philadelphia line made the passage to Liverpool in 9 days and 22 hours. This line has 8 steamers, and the Cunard 6, but it carries by far the greatest number of passengers, having nearly one third of the whole.

The Fulton and Arago, formerly running between New York and Havre, have been employed by the Federal Government during the past year.

A few transient steamers have made one or more voyages within the year, among which were the Stella, Congress, Melita, &c.

The Great Eastern made four passages during the year. The longest, west, 11 days 3 hours, and the shortest, east, 9 days 20.5 hours. She did not thus sustain her reputation founded on her great size, of being able to make the shortest passages.

The statement of the coasting trade is made np with more difficulty since, in order to facilitate intercommunication with domestic ports, all vessels engaged in coastwise commerce may arrive and depart without official record, unless they have foreign goods or distilled spirits on board. Few of the vessels arriving from domestic ports come within this exception, and the official record of coastwise arrivals includes but a fraction of the actual trade. The vessels which clear from New York for other domestic ports oftener carry the description of goods specified, and thus the clearances on this record are far greater than the entries. During the last two years the coastwise commerce has, of course, been greatly interrupted, and the record is very small. The official returns, however, show the following results: […].


Source: The American Annual Cyclopaedia and Register of Important Events of the Year, 1861-1865, vols. 1-5. New York: Appleton & Co., 1868.