Statement showing the commerce of Algeciras &c.—Continued.

Statement showing the navigation at the port of Algeciras for the year ending September

30, 1877.

Statement showing the navigation at the port of Algeciras, &c.—Continued.

Statement showing the ralue of declared exports from the consular district of Alicante to the United States during the four quarters of the year ending September 30, 1877.

OCTOBER 27, 1877. (Received November 26.)

Report upon the commerce and navigation of Barcelona for the year 1876.

In accordance with the requirements of the Consular Regulations, I now submit my annual report on the commerce and navigation at this port for the year 1876, with the accompanying tables for 1876 and 1877.

NAVIGATION.

Shipping has slightly increased in number of vessels and tonnage, but has diminished in the value of cargoes, and while foreign shipping has improved in number of ships, tonnage, and value of cargoes, Span

ish shipping has considerably suffered in all these three points, a fact which is only attributable to the reopening of the land routes, on the termination of the late civil war, and to the transport by land now of what had to come by sea previously.

The cargoes brought by the different flags have not undergone much change, only that Spanish, Norwegian, and German vessels are rapidly taking a part of the coal carrying trade from England, which heretofore was entirely controlled by English vessels. The Greek flag has been more conspicuous than any year before, thirty vessels having en tered, twenty of which with cargoes of wheat from the Danube, valued at $350,000. The Russian vessels bring timber, deals, and codfish; the Austrian, masts and staves; the Swedish and Norwegian, timber and codfish; the Danish, the same; and the two regular steamer lines, the French from Marseilles and the German from Hamburg, bring large quantities of fancy goods, drugs, cotton goods, railway iron, wool, coal, leather, cutlery, preserved fruits, andwines; the Italian vessels chiefly charcoal, marble, maize, sulphur, staves, and hoops; but fifteen vessels under that flag entered with grain from the Danube, valued at $450,000, and two others brought petroleum from the United States, valued at $70,000.

UNITED STATES AND SPANISH SHIPPING.

Return No. 1 shows the American shipping at Barcelona. The nature of their cargoes continues to be the same as heretofore, viz, cotton, petroleum, lumber, and staves. As to return cargoes, I have to repeat what I stated in my last report, that almost all vessels clear in ballast, and of the twelve American vessels that entered not one cleared with cargo.

Return No. 2 shows the Spanish shipping, with a diminution in arrivals compared with 1875.

Return No. 3 shows the foreign shipping, American and Spanish not included.

By returus Nos. 1, 2, and 3, it will be seen that the entire exports from Barcelona during the year 1876 amounted to $25,400,950, against $33,832,450 in 1875, a falling off of nearly one third, while the entire imports in 1876 amounted to $43,334,965, against $48,951,800 in 1875.

PRINCIPAL ARTICLFS OF IMPORT.

Cotton. From the United States, 83,568 bales; from Brazil, 35,118 bales; from West Indies, 12,094 bales; from Levant and other ports, 79,325 bales; making a total of 210,105 bales, an increase of 11,707 bales over 1875.

Reports Nos. 4, 5, and 6 relate exclusively to the cotton movements, the most important article of our export to Spain.

Sugar.-48,300 boxes, against 46,200 in 1875.

Coffee.-1,000,600 kilograms, a great increase over 1875 and 1874. Most of it came from Cuba and Porto Rico.

Cocoa. From Curaçoa, 91,670 kilograms; from Cuba, 45,125 kilograms; from Guayaquil, 1,159,790 kilograms; total, 1,296,585 kilograms; considerably less than the import of 1875, and far less than that of 1874.

Hides.-440,540. or 40,000 less than in 1875.

Petroleum.-35,360 barrels; about the same as in 1875.

Wheat.-401,518 quintals, against 297,208 quintals in 1875; an increase of more than one-third; it came as follows: From Berdiansk, 72,361 quin ̧

tals; from Marianopol, 59,787 quintals; from Taganrog, 82,079 quintals; from Burgas, 14,018 quintals; from Braila, 53,229 quintals; from Danube, 69,289 quintals; from Algiers, 2,363 quintals; from other ports, via Marseilles, 48,392 quintals-a total of 401,518 quintals. The prices of all these articles have been regular, except toward the end of the year, when in cotton and petroleum they rose considerably.

AGRICULTURE AND PUBLIC WORKS.

On agriculture there is nothing special to report. Farmers are tilling their lands in the same antiquated style as handed down to them by their ancestors, and they cannot be persuaded to use modern American implements, and I am almost certain that not a single modern thrashingmachine or plow is in use in this consular district.

In regard to public works, the harbor works are progressing rapidly, and, if continued with the same zeal as shown during the last year, no doubt the final completion of the same is not distant, and when once done it certainly will be second to no harbor in the Mediterranean. The railway line to France, from Gerona to Perpignan, is also pushed on with energy, and strong hopes are entertained that it will be open for travel by the 1st of January, 1878, thus reducing the traveling distance between Barcelona and France some ten hours.

FRED. H. SCHEUCH.

1.-Return of American shipping at the port of Barcelona during the year 1876.

2.-Return of Spanish shipping at the port of Barcelona during the year 1876.

484, 360

-Return of foreign shipping (American and Spanish not included) at the port of Barcelona during the year 1876.

Description.

4.-Statement showing the morements of cotton at the port of Barcelona during the year 1876.

NOTE.-The weight of cotton bales from the United States is given at 200 kilograms a bale; from Brazil, 80 kilograms; from the Levant, 180 kilograms; from the Indies, 145 kilograms; from other indirect ports, about 50 kilograms.