DANISH DOMINIONS. ELSINORE.-C. L. BERNAYS, Consul. MARCH 31, 1862. I have the honor to inform you that no American vessels arrived at or departed from this port during the quarter just ended. At this season of nearly every year the navigation of this strait amounts to very little. The maritime business, this year especially, was reduced to nothing in all the ports of the Baltic, Northern, and Eastern seas, partly on account of our American difficulties, partly on account of the protracted winter. The strait has not been entirely free from ice for nearly five months. While writing this despatch, and the stove heated to redness, I nearly freeze at my desk. We have eight degrees Reaumer below zero, and the regular steam packet from Copenhagen has to work very hard through the ice to gain this port. From the different commercial agents of my district, and the United States vice-consul at Copenhagen, the reports have not arrived at this office; but as far as I could ascertain from my colleagues here, there are no arrivals nor departures of American vessels to be reported. HENRY CHARLES CAREY, Acting United States Vice-Consul. DECEMBER 11. 1862. I have the honor to transmit you, enclosed, the annual report of the commerce and navigation of the kingdom of Denmark and the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein for the year 1861. It has not been in my power to send this report at an earlier date, owing to these annual statistical tables being published so late in the season. Report on the commerce, navigation, &c., of the kingdom of Denmark, including the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, for the year 1861. EXPORTS. The total value of the exports amounted to 39,312,361 rix dollars, calculated at the official prices, which, however, are below the average market prices of all articles. It is presumed that the principal articles of export, calculated at market prices, would alone give an increased value of 15,000,000 rix dollars. Of these exports there fell on the— Kingdom of Denmark.... Duchy of Schleswig. Duchy of Holstein.. Enclaves of Hamburg. Rix dollars. 19,186,125 4,862,110 15,056,595 207,531 The quantity and value of the principal articles of export were as follows: As compared with 1860, there were exported, of spirits, 145,743 gallons; horses, 1,191 head; sheep, 1,905 head; grain, 260,890 barrels; beans, 13,800 barrels; linseed, 42,134 barrels; potatoes, 4,820 barrels; butter, 3,159 barrels, more. Of boxes, 1,164,000 lbs. ; cattle, 14,202 head; pigs, 20,827 head; pork, 2,240,000 lbs.; skins and hides, 880,000 lbs.; paper stuff, 1,244,000 lbs., less. To assist in forming a correct estimate of the different weights and measures above mentioned, it is advisable to mention that 2,000 lbs. Danish weight equal one ton; that 2.08 barrels of grain equal one English quarter; one barrel of potatoes equal about two cwt.; one barrel of butter, 248 lbs. American weight. IMPORTS. The total value of the imports has been 66,460,818 rix dollars, being 4,069,782 rix dollars more than in 1860. The quantity of goods imported amounted to 2,044,827,774 lbs., or 1,022,414 tons, being 115,133 tons greater than in the previous year. This trade fell on the different divisions of the country in the following proportions, viz: Riz dollars. 39,220,453 10,135,830 16,677,443 427,092 The quantity and value of the principal articles imported were as follows: 1,067, 934 767,710 3,520, 038 .do.. 2,461, 420 3, 006, 841 ....fathoms... ------- -pounds... do..... 25, 634 595,975 1, 181, 248 10,381, 631 179,438 857,965 147,656 621,218 .do..... 3,541, 613 525, 854 .do.... 3, 242, 211 518,752 do.... 274, 129 749,343 248, 181 526,956 6, 411, 747 497,994 3, 225, 598 124, 740 437,472 3,413, 976 483,077 959, 168 199,360 304, 082 196,799 1,364, 059 270, 343 285,317 1,094, 394 1,034, 074 199,614 3,687,998 419,342 5,975, 529 469,900 2, 119, 312 352, 718 3, 229, 672 253,853 667,659 6,632, 493 ..gallons.... 558,472 554, 314 Wine.... Between the imports of 1861 and those of the previous year the differences of any note were on linseed, 22,855 quarters, and grain, 167,385 quarters; iron and iron wares, 7,709 tons; coffee, 2,830,000 lbs.; rice, rice meal, and paddy, 2,148,000 lbs.; skins and hides, 648,000 lbs.; sugar, 1,360,000 lbs.; wool, 238,000 lbs.; woollen goods, 254,000 lbs.; coals, 121,978 tons, more. Ashes, 535 tons; salt, 3,773 tons; timber, deals, &c., 23,979; tobacco, 898,000 lbs. ; and spirits 44,285 gallons, less. The value of the imports from the principal countries was : The imported value of goods from the United States, consisting almost entirely of rice, paddy, and manufactured tobacco, amounted in 1861 to.. Against the value of imports in 1860... Showing an increase of..... The amount of imports from the United States might at times be considerably increased in the articles of flour and salted provisions, (notwithstanding that Denmark is a grain and cattle producing country,) were it not for the almost prohibitory rates of the Danish tariff on these articles, the import duty on flour being one and a half rix dollar per hundred pounds, and on salted beef, one rix dollar and four shillings per hundred pounds, and on salted pork, two rix dollars and eight shillings per hundred pounds. The attention of the United States minister at this court might perhaps be advantageously called to this, whenever an opportunity offered of obtaining a revision on these articles of the import duties. NAVIGATION. The following table, giving the amount of shipping of each different nation employed in the carrying trade with Denmark, will show that the greater portion of the trade with foreign countries is carried on by the home shipping. The coasting trade of the country, which is almost exclusively carried on by the home shipping, amounted in 1861 to 91,431 clearances, of 1,418,453 registered tons burden, carrying 836,493 tons of goods. Shipping registered in Denmark and the Duchies at the close of the year 1861. The works on the extended harbor at this place were completed in the summer of 1862, and a patent ship has been commenced, and will be ready towards the beginning of the summer of 1863. This ship will be the only perfect patent ship in existence in this country, and will prove a great accommodation to the shipping passing through the sound, affording, as it will, much facility and despatch in the repairs of ships which have sustained damage. The extended accommodation in this harbor will also be of considerable advantage to shipping as a port of refuge during the winter months, when most of the Baltic harbors, as also the neighboring port of Copenhagen, are generally closed by ice for some two or three months, whilst the entrance to this harbor, owing to the strong currents generally running, is very frequently accessible to shipping throughout the winter. |