To the above receipts should be added the Pulled Wool made in San Francisco, which figures among the shipments or in consumption, and is estimated for the year at about 700,000 pounds, and with the estimated amount of all kinds now on hand would give the following approximate figures : Regular receipts from all sources, (lbs)...... 7,299,950 In presenting the following brief mention for the years 1861 to 1866 inclusive it may be necessary to remark that through the whole Pacific coast Sheep are raised wholly on the natural pasturage throughout the year, hence the changes of the weather and condition of grazing through the early winter months controls the condition and character of the succeeding clip very greatly. 1861.-The clip of this year was generally in very fair condition, the bulk of it being of low grade, with a large proportion of kempy and coarse wools; still the staple was sound and open, and the skrinkage light. The amount received at San Francisco from all sources was estimated at 4,600,000 lbs. Prices ranged from 6c to 16c. the highest point having been 19 c. The market was depressed by the excitement attending the commencement of the war. 1862.-The winter of 1861-2 was marked by an immense rain-fall, continued until to-wards April. The interior valleys were generally flooded and the loss of stock of all kinds very large. Owing to the excessive rains the clip came forward very nearly as light as washed wood; and as the forage was abundant, the staple was fairly healthy. The first receipts of the season were March 8thprices opened at 19@21c., advanced to 23@23c.; in April, 24c.; in June and July 26@28c. The fall clip began to appear in August, opening at 21@22c., and maintaining that range strongly to the close of the year. Gold opened at 101, reached 137, and closed at 133. 1863. The winter of 1862-3 was much drier than the preceding year, though sufficient rain fell to produce an abundance of grasses, etc. The clip of Wool was generally in good condition, and the efforts of the wool growers to improve their flocks by introducing Merino crosses, and by throwing out the kempy and inferior Mexican stock, made a marked change in the quality of the Wool. The market opened in April at 24c., advancing to 26c., and as high as 30c. for some choice lots. Through May prices ranged at 24@29c; through July at 23@26c. Fall clip opened in August at 201c., advanced to 23@25c. in September, 26@ 27c. in October, and closed in December at 224c. Gold opened at 134, reached 172, and closed at 152. 1864. The winter of 1863-4 was pre-eminently the dry season; but little rain fell, and the prevalence of cold, dry north winds dried the surface of the ground, and checked vegetation, so that the opening spring found the pasturage worse than at the close of the previous autumn. The sheep were pinched and poverty stricken, and the clip of wool consequently inferior—it was defective in staple, loaded with dust and dirt, and in all respects bad, The market opened March 16th at 24c, ranged from 20@24c. through April and May, reached 23@25c. in June, with occasional sales of choicer lots at 27@28c., and fell back in July to 21@23c. Fall clip opened in August at 21c., maintained about that point through the fall, and declined in December to 16@18c. Gold opened at 152, reached 285, and closed at 228. 1865. The winter of 1864-5 was somewhat more favorable to general farming interests, sufficient rain having fallen to produce fair crops of grain and grass; but the first storms were severe and cold, and stock of all kinds prostrated by long starvation, perished by thousands. The loss of sheep was variously estimated at 25@33 per cent. of the entire stock. The spring rains were scanty and not sufficient to cleanse the wool at all; the whole clip went forward to market dirty, greasy, weak fibred and short stapled-the poorest clip that California ever produced. Despite the poor condition, prices ruled high throughout the year. The first arrival was March 15th, and brought 24c. Through April and May prices ranged from 20@24c., with occasional sales at 26c., and through June and July 221@241c. Fall wool opened at 17@18c., advanced to 21@22c., and closed in December at 20c. Gold opened at 230, declined to 130, and closed at 145. 1866. The winter of 1865-66 was one of the most favorable possible. During October and November sufficient rain had fallen to start the grasses finely. There was no perceptible change in the condition of the flocks of sheep in the transition from the autumn feed to the new grass, and early in the year it became apparent that the coming clip would be of unusual excellence. The result bas fully justified these expectations, and it is doubtful if a better clip was ever marketed in California. In the amount of wool most calculations have been disappointed; it has not equalled the estimates, though it may be that the low state of the market for Fall wools tended to keep some clips back in the country, and deter many farmers from full shearing. The market opened in March at 21c., advanced to 22@23c., with occasional sales at 24@25c., and receded in July to 19@21c. Fall wool began to arrive in August, with sales at 17@18c., and has steadily declined since, closing at 12@143c. for good to choice without buyers, and in larger stock than was ever known at the same period. Thus far the winter of 1866-7 has been more favorable than that of 1865-6. The rains have been copious and the weather uniformly warm. Grasses never showed so large a growth at this period of the year. The sheep are in unusually good condition, and the prospect for a large increase from the flocks is very excellent. Should we get our usual March rains the coming clip will excel any yet produced in California, and in any event it cannot fail of being every way de sirable. In amount it may not largely exceed that of 1866, as the consumption of mutton has been unusually large, and so far as the production of wool is concerned each mutton sheep may safely represent two yearling lambs. As approximate estimate, we may expect for the year 1867 the receipts of this port to equal nine million pounds; the local consumption to reach four million-leaving for export about two million pounds. Looking over the whole field, our wool growers have no cause to remit their efforts to increase and improve their flocks; the depres sion in the wool market cannot be continued more than a year or two, and may possibly be relieved earlier than is now expected, and, in the meantime, the demand for butchering purposes is such as to guarantee a profit in raising sheep, independent of their product of wool. Oregon has increased its shipments to us but very little; such wools as have come from them have maintained the past reputation for excellence, but the increase of manufactures there, is gaining steadily on the production; and bids fair to absorb it ere long. Small as the increase of export has been this year, it compelled some of the mills to draw upon California, and some parcels have been shipped to Oregon within the past few months, but the amount so sent was but trifling, and confined to the lowest grades. A NEW ROUTE ACROSS SOUTH AMERICA. The following translation of an article from a Lima newspaper, El Nacional, of January 21, descriptive of a new route opened up between the Pacific and the Atlantic: By this recent discovery the navigation of the rivers which rise in the Andes of Peru and flow into the Atlantic is brought within 70 leagues of the Pacific Ocean, at the seaport of Huachio, 63 miles north north-west of Callao. The President of the Republic and the community should rejoice, for the transAndine navigation to the Atlantic has been just definitely established. The steamers Mayo, Putumayo, and Morona are at only the distance of 70 leagues from the shores of the Pacific. In eight hours by railway this distance may be traversed, and our communication by the Amazons opened up with the Atlantic. The young Prefect of Loreto, Don Benito Arana, proposed to General Prado (President of Peru) the naval exploration of the rivers with the three steamers above mentioned. Being fully authorised by his Excellency the President, Arana set out on this expedition, and on the 1st January, 1867, at five P.M., the steamers Mayo and Putuymayo cast an anchor on the port on the river Mayro, which henceforward will be known to the world by the name "General Prado." The Morona arrived a few hours later. Notwithstanding the inconvenience which attended the navigation, the vessels have reached the Mayro in good condition; but having found the port deserted, and being short of provisions, they sent commissioners to Profure, and, when supplied with necessaries, the steamers will return to Iquitos. Senor Arana is expected to arrive in Lima by land, to give verbal information on the particulars of his glorious enterprise. The expedition was not entirely pacific. Our readers may remember the unfortunate incidents which gave rise to the catastrophe of Tavara and West, killed and devoured by the Cashioo man-eaters. Arana resolved to seize such as appeared culpable; and on the 7th December he disembarked on the banks of the Pachitea. The Indians resisted, and attacked with bows and arrows the party of Arana, who, at the sound of conflict disembarked the crew of his ships. The fight lasted five hours, and was protracted by the forest, behind the trees of which the Indians sheltered them selves. At last they fled in terror, leaving upwards of twenty of their tribe dead on the ground. By the declaration of two woman and thirteen boys who were taken prisoners, and sent to the village of Cashiboya, it appears that among the slain were found the principal assassins of the ill-doomed mariners, Tavara and West. The enterprise of Orellana, Orzoa, Tejeira, Acunha, Fritz, Condamine, and many other coadjutors of Christian civilization, is at length completed, through the exertions of the young and enthusiastic Prefect Loreto, assisted by the meritorious officers in command of our steamers. They have thus realised the unity of Peru, and opened up for our commerce with Europe a new and rapid means of communication. The correspondent adds " The arrival of the Peruvian steamers at the port of 'General Prado' on the Mayro will probably stimulate the patriotism of the present Supreme Chief of Peru to open a railway from Huacho to the head stream of the navigation of the Amazonas during his day of brief authority, and before the exhaustion of the guano of the coast-which otherwise may soon disappear, and leave behind no lasting work of improvement, in roads or bridges, to facilitate and extend the vast natural resources of the Peruvian Republic." IRISH SEA FISHERIES. The Commissioners for administering the laws relating to the deep sea and coast fisheries in Ireland report upon the whole in the year 1865 the continuance of a manifest and decided improvement in the condition and progress of those fisheries as compared with their state a few years back, an improvement, however, scarcely, if at all, apparent this year on the western and northern coats, partly owing to the loss by emigration of the more able men, the poor condition and equipment of the boats, and the wants of an immediate and remunerative market, but partly also, it seems, to real scarcity of fish. But the return of the herrings to the east coast and the success of mackerel fishing in the deep sea have given confidence to the Irish fishermen ; and the haddock and whiting, which for a very long time had scarcely been seen on the coast, re-appeared last year. The oyster fishery is not in a prosperous condition—not owing to any decline consequent on natural causes, but to the increased demand and price stimulating dredging to an extent which the beds are unable to bear. The commissioners have extended the close season on the southeast coast, and encouraged the formation of private layings with a view to create sources whence the public beds may be re-stocked. They feel obliged to dissent from the recommendation of the royal commission in reference to the abolition of a close season for the oyster fishery, and the removal of the restrictions on trawling on the banks along the coast, believing that the fish ought to be left undisturbed during the spawning season. The coast guard returns for 1865 show that there were employed in fishing 8,989 vessels, 35,184 men, and 2,730 boys—a decrease, as compared with the previous year, of 311 vessels, 2,232 men, and 794 boys; 6,582 tous of fish were conveyed by railway in Ireland in the year 1865, being 230 tons more than in the previous year. STATISTICS OF COAL. An interesting Blue-book has just been issued by Great Britain containing reports from Her Majesty's Secretaries of Embassy and Legation respecting the production of coal in different countries. According to these reports the production of coal in Austria in 1864 was 4,499,133 English tons; in 1855 it was 2,028,089 tons. In Bavaria, in 1865, the quantity of stone coal and brown coal produced was 435,602 tons; in 1859 the quantity was 260,000 tons. In Belgium the number of coal mines was 287, and the amount of coal obtained in 1865 was 11,840,703 tons, the quantity exported in the year being 3,568,406 tons. In Brazil there were no extensive workings of coal. Some of the coal-beds, however, were of great depth, and presented great facilities for working by open quarrying. In France in 1864 the production was 11,061,948 English tons; in 1865 it was 11,297,052 tons. In the year the import of coal amounted to 7,108,286 tons, of which 1,455,206 tons were drawn from Great Britain; the exports in 1865 were 335,126 tons. Prussia is rich in mineral fuel; the total amount of stone coal and brown coal produced on an average in this country in 1864 was 21,465,600 English tons; in 1860 it was 13,543,000 tons. The coal-pits of the river Ruhr extend over ten miles in length, a Prussian mile being equal to 24,000 Prussian feet, nearly 4 2-3 English miles. The western parts of Prussia are so richly furnished with mineral fuels, particularly with coals, that they do not depend for their supply on foreign countries, but rather give up a great part of their coal produce to the latter. In Russia no coal is exported, although the beds of the Donetz are rich in coal and other minerals; the amount of coal produced in this place was 128,571 tons; but this is a very insignificant quantity compared with the enormous mass of coal which the Donetz is capable of furnishing. In 1842 there were only 225 beds in a working condition, whereas now there are about 700, and each year the spring rains bring to light others. Coal fields also exist on the western flank of the Ural mountains. Five hundred and fifty-four thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight English tons were imported -into Russia in 1865. No coal is exported from Spain, and the quality raised in the country is chiefly used for making coke and artificial fuel. Oviedo furnishes more than any other province, in 1863 it furnished 307,396 tons, the total produce being being only 401,297 tons. Spain may be said to be dependent on England for her coal, notwithstanding the internal resources of the country. The effect of the differential duties has been to enhance the price of of coal, while in their protective capacity they have in nowise assisted native production. In the United States the amount produced in 1865 was 17,417,617 tons. Out of this quantity Peunsylvania alone produced 13,000,000 tons. It is estimated that the Illinois coal-fields contains 1,277,500,000,000 tons, and that it would take 100,000 years to exhaust them; yet the United States, with their enormous productive resources, raise now but the paltry amount of about 20,000,000 tons. In New South Wales the supply of coal is very great. The quantity exported from the port of Newcastle exceeded 12,000 tons a week. In the United Kingdom in 1863 88,292,515 tons of coal were raised, and in 1865 the quantity had increased to 98,150,587 tons. |