is 4,342 tons against 5,157 at the corresponding period of last year. And to Liverpool, 3,250 tons against 2,456, so that the aggregate is almost exactly the same as at this period.

"The rise on jute since 3d instant, exceeds 50 per cent."

ROYAL COMMISSION ON COTTON.

At a meeting of the directors of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce last week, the following memorial to Lord PALMERSTON, on the subject of the royal commission upon cotton, was adopted:

"That in consequence of the blockade of the Southern ports of the United States of America, which has now existed for more than a year, and the consequent obstruction of the cotton supply, the prosperity of numerous populous districts of this country, in which the manufacture of cotton is carried on, has been most seriously affected, and the distress and suffering now existing in Lancashire and elsewhere is a source of the deepest anxiety and alarm. That from the determination shown by both parties to the contest, there is reason to fear that the civil war in America may be continued for a very considerable period of time, and even when the war shall terminate it seems unreasonable to hope that the Southern States can again, or at least until a considerable period shall have elapsed, resume their supply of cotton to anything like the extent of their former production. That the quantity of cotton required for the consumption of Europe and the Eastern States of America is upwards of 5,000,000 of bales annually, of which the Southern States have been in use to supply 4,000,000 of bales, and that consequently, without extraordinary efforts, it is unreasonable to expect speedy or effectual relief in the unfortunate crisis at which the cotton manufacture would seem to have arrived. That various schemes have been suggested for procuring a supply of cotton, adequate in quantity, and adapted to the requirements of British manu facture, from other portions of the globe, as from India, Australia, the West Indies, Africa, &c., many of which merit careful and impartial consideration. That apart altogether from the existing state of matters in this country, which call so loudly for relief, the possible opening up of a great field of production to our colonies and to our home trade offers a most important subject for investigation. That while the schemes and suggestions above referred to are numerous and important, the want of some qualified and responsible party to consider and report as to their practicability and comparative value is generally felt and expressed. That the appointment of a royal commission appears to the memorialists the most effectual mode for having the whole question of cotton supply-in which the welfare and interests of the country and its dependencies are so intimately bound up-fully and impartially considered, and satisfactorily dealt with. That such an appointment would further be attended with most beneficial results, inasmuch as it would prove to those large classes of the community who are suffering under the existing depression and stagnation of trade, that the causes in which their sufferings have originated were being carefully and authoritatively inquired into, and that the talent and energies of the country were being directed to their alleviation and ultimate removal."

AFRICA AS A COTTON FIELD.

Lord RUSSELL has received the following dispatch from Dr. BAIKIE, in command of the Niger expedition:

BIDA, NUSSE, CENTRAL AFRICA, February 26, 1862.

MY LORD: I feel it to be my duty again respectfully to request your lordship to call the attention of those in England interested in the supply of cotton, to the peculiar eligibility of this portion of Central Africa as a future cotton field. Here there are no adverse interests, no speculative political parties to interfere with our wishes, no monopolists nor capitalists to raise prices. Three-fourths of the laboring population, whether free or slave, are at liberty to have their own farms, and to sell the bulk of their own crops. Thus, though the small farmer may himself be a slave, the larger his crops the larger his profits, and in working hard he is not laboring by mere task, or simply for the benefit of his master, but for his own immediate behoof; and thus, though a large part of the population of Bonú and of Nússe are slaves, the labor on the small farms is not strictly "slave labor." It is from these small farms that most cotton comes to the market, and it is these small farmers whom any demand would stimulate. In Yoruba, more is produced by large traders, and there it has caused an increased demand and price for slaves; but here it would have, if anything, an opposite result, as it would enable many of the present serf population to effect their freedom. I have, in a former dispatch, shown how superior Sudán is, as a field for cotton, to the regions explored by Dr. LIVINGSTONE, alike from the greater proximity and superior navigability of the Niger to the Zambési, as well as that here cotton is already in abundance, and cultivated by a people able and willing to work, and accustomed to its habits and rearing. Nothing further is required but increased demand, and means to purchase, cleaning, and shipping; the rest would speedily follow. I have, &c.,

(Signed,)

WM. BALFOUR BAIKIE.

COTTON CULTIVATION IN INDIA.

The European Times tells us that Mr. MONEY, of Java, had an interview with the directors of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce on the 1st, to offer his suggestions for the cultivation of cotton in India. Mr. MONEY'S plan was simply to give the European cotton buyers power to counterbalance the influence of the native money lender by making him government receiver of the land tax, whilst the local European official's interest might be cultivated by giving him a per centage on the receivers' operations. A sub-committee was appointed to consider the suggestions. This Mr. MONEY is the same gentleman who is now contributing to the London Economist a series of interesting articles on the cotton supply question.

RAILWAY, CANAL, AND TELEGRAPH STATISTICS.

1. RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES-CENSUS REPORT. 2. RAILROADS IN FRANCE IN 1862, 8. THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH. 4. NEW TELEGRAPH LINES,

RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES-CENSUS REPORT.

THE Census Report gives us a very clear and comprehensive view of the wonderful progress of railroads in the United States during the decade which terminated in 1860:

At its commencement the total extent in operation was 8,588.79 miles, costing $296,260,128; at its close, 30,598.77 miles, costing $1,134,452,909; the increase in mileage having been 22,004.08 miles, and in cost of construction $838,192,781.

While the increase in mileage was nearly 300 per cent, and the amount invested still greater, the consequences that have resulted from these works have been augmented in vastly greater ratio. Up to the commencement of the decade our railroads sustained only an unimportant relation to the internal commerce of the country. Nearly all the lines then in operation were local or isolated works, and neither in extent nor design had begun to be formed into that vast and connected system which, like a web, now covers every portion of our wide domain, enabling each work to contribute to the traffic and value of all, and supplying means of locomotion and a market, almost at his own door, for nearly every citizen of the United States.

Previous to the commencement of the last decade only one line of railroad had been completed between tide-water and the great interior basins of the country, the products of which now perform so important a part in our internal and foreign commerce. Even this line, formed by the several links that now compose the New York Central road, was restricted in the carriage of freight except on the payment of canal tolls, in addition to other charges for transportation, which restriction amounted to a virtual prohibition. The commerce resulting from our railroads consequently has been, with comparatively slight exceptions, a creation of the last decade.

The line next opened, and connecting the Western system of lakes and rivers with tide water, was that extending from Boston to Ogdensburg, composed of distinct links, the last of which was completed during 1850. The third was the New York and Erie, which was opened on the 22d of April, 1851. The fourth, in geographical order, was the Pennsylvania, which was completed in 1852, although its mountain division was not opened till 1854. Previous to this time its summit was overcome by a series of inclined planes, with stationary engines, constructed by the State. The fifth great line, the Baltimore and Ohio, was opened, in 1853, still further south. The Tennessee River, a tributary of the Mississippi, was reached, in 1850, by the Western and Atlantic Railroad of Georgia, and the Mississippi itself, by the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, in 1859. In the extreme North the Atlantic and St. Lawrence, now known as the Grand Trunk, was completed early in 1853. In 1858, the Virginia system was extended to a con

nection with the Memphis and Charleston and with the Nashville and Chattanooga railroads.

The eight great works named, connecting the interior with the seaboard, are the trunks or base lines upon which is erected the vast system that now overspreads the whole country. They serve as outlets to the interior for its products, which would have little or no commercial value without improved highways, the cost of transportation over which does not equal one-tenth that over ordinary roads. The works named, assisted by the Erie Canal, now afford ample means for the expeditious and cheap transportation of produce seeking eastern markets, and could, without being overtaxed, transport the entire surplus products of the interior.

Previous to 1850 by far the greater portion of railroads constructed were in the States bordering the Atlantic, and, as before remarked, were for the most part isolated lines, whose limited traffics were altogether local. Up to the date named, the internal commerce of the country was conducted almost entirely through water lines, natural and artificial, and over ordinary highways. The period of the settlement of California marks really the commencement of the new era in the physical progress of the United States. The vast quantities of gold it produced imparted new life and activity to every portion of the Union, particularly the Western States, the people of which, at the commencement of 1850, were thoroughly aroused as to the value and importance of railroads. Each presented great facilities for the construction of such works, which promised to be almost equally productive. Enterprises were undertaken and speedily executed, which have literally converted them into a net-work of lines, and secured their advantages to almost every farmer and producer.

The only important line opened in the West, previous to 1850, was the one from Sandusky to Cincinnati, formed by the Mad River and Little Miami roads. But these pioneer works were rude, unsubstantial structures compared with the finished works of the present day, and were employed almost wholly in the transportation of passengers. Within the decade, in place of this one line, railroads have been constructed radiating from lakes Erie and Michigan, striking the Mississippi at ten and the Ohio at eight different points, and serve as trunk lines between the two great hydrographic systems of the West. These trunk lines are cut every few miles by cross lines, which, in the States east of the Mississippi, are sufficiently numerous to meet every public and private want, and to afford every needful encouragement to the development of the resources of this country.

The Southern States have been behind the Northern in their public enterprises, though, at the date of the census, they were prosecuting them with great energy and vigor. The progress inland of the great trunk lines of the South has been already noted. The opening of the Mobile and Ohio, and of the Mississippi Central, which will soon take place, will give completeness to the system of the Southwestern States, and leave little to be done to make it all that is wanted for that section of the country.

West of the Mississippi less has been done, for the reason that the settlements there are of a more recent date, and the people less able to provide the means for their construction than those of the older States. But even upon our western frontier extensive systems have been undertaken and very considerable progress made in their execution.

A more interesting subject than the progress of our public works would be their results, as shown in the increased commerce and wealth of the

country. But such inquiries do not come within the scope of this report. It is well ascertained, however, that our railroads transport in the aggregate at least 850 tons of merchandise per annum to the mile of road in operation. Such a rate would give 26,000,000 tons as the total annual tonnage of railroads for the whole country. If we estimate the value of this tounage at $150 per ton, the aggregate value of the whole would be $3,900,000,000. Vast as this commerce is, more than three-quarters of it has been created since 1850.

To illustrate the correctness of the estimate made, the following statement is added of the tonnage transported by the railroads of the State of New York for 1860, with the estimated value of the same.

tions are made by the companies :

Kinds of freight.

Products of the forest..

Products of animals.

Vegetable food..

The classifica

Other agricultural products

If we make a deduction of one-quarter for duplications-a portion of the tonnage passing over more than one road-the aggregate would be 3,556,330 tons, having a value of $579,681,790.

The railroads of Massachusetts transported, for the same year, 4,094,369 tons; or, making the deductions for duplications, 3,070,027 tons, and having a value of $500,524,201. The number of miles of railroad employed in the transportation of freight being 2,569 in the State of New York, and 1,317 in the State of Massachusetts, with the deductions named, the amount of freight transported in these States average 1,700 tons per mile. We have estimated the tonnage of all the railroads of the United States to average one-half the amount of the roads in these States. That this is not an overestimate is shown by the following statement of the tonnage of several interior lines;

The following tables give the length, cost, &c., of the railroads in the United States in 1850 and 1860: