drills extending in some instances throughout the year. Brown drills opened at 8 a 9 cents, and the entire production of the year has been sold mostly at these figures, although at the close 8 cents is the current rate. All other leading styles of cotton goods have sustained very good and uniform prices during the year. The comparative exports from Boston and New York the past five years have been as follows:

The prospects of the trade the coming year are not so encouraging as last year. Our exports to the East Indies have been materially checked for some months past, and drills begin to accumulate in the hands of manufacturers. The Western trade promises fair, but to what extent the political and financial excitement will interfere with operations with the South and West remains to be seen. The trade for a month or two past have been disposed to purchase lightly, but as there is only a small stock of desirable goods in the hands of manufacturers, no material change in prices is looked for at present. To California the shipments have amounted to 4,367 packages against 6,800 packages in 1859, 6,922 packages in 1858, 2,947 packages in 1857, 5,161 packages in 1856, 9,992 packages in 1855, 1,601 packages in 1854, and 6,524 packages in 1853. The highest and lowest prices for heavy sheetings and drills for five years have been as follows:

DYEWOODS.-The highest and lowest prices for some years have been

as follows:

FISH.-Prices of mackerel have been quite irregular the past year, OWing to the variety of qualities embraced in the catch. For six weeks past prices have been quite unsettled, and fare sales for cash have been made at very low figures. Early in the season the prospects of the catch were very unfavorable, all vessels from the bay returning with unusually small fares, but during October and November shore mackerel were caught quite freely, and the bay fleet toward the end of the season were more fortunate. The returns of the Inspector are likely, in consequence, to add up much larger than last year, of which no inconsiderable part are medium 2's. The highest and lowest prices for some years past have been as follows:

Medium and large codfish have been comparatively uniform in price

during the year..

1860........

1859.....

The exports of fish have been as follows:

Codfish

Codfish.

Codfish

Mackerel...
Herring

.. boxes

FLOUR.-The flour market maintained a very uniform tone until the middle of November, and prices were less fluctuating than in any previous year for ten years, the variations of the different brands, except a few of the very choice grades of superior, not exceeding 25 a 50 cents per barrel. The first six months of the year the export demand anticipated was not realized, and, with a large stock of old wheat and flour on hand, and the prospect of a larger crop than for many years, nothing could have prevented prices from touching a very low point except the failure of the crops in Europe, which at that time became quite apparent. From September to early in November the movements in breadstuffs were more extensive than at any previous period in the history of the trade. Every conveyance has been called into requisition to convey the surplus products of the West to the seaboard, and this surplus has been freely taken for the English market, the shipments to that destination largely exceeding any previous year. Notwithstanding this extensive export demand, prices rapidly declined the last of November and early in December, ranging some two weeks ago from 4 25 a $4 50 for the common. For four weeks in November and early in December the article was almost unsaleable, which, at a time when our harvest receipts were coming forward, greatly depressed the trade. This state of things was brought about by the unsettled state of political affairs, the unexpected and stringent money market, and the difficulty of negotiating exchange. Within the past two weeks the advance has been as rapid as the decline a few weeks previous, and the current prices at the close of the year are $5 25 for common. The injury to the choice winter wheat in the vicinity of St. Louis has materially reduced the quantity of choice flour received from that section, but the choice family brands of Baltimore have in part made up this deficiency. From Canada very choice flour has been received, but not to such an extent as last year, but from Ohio and Michigan the flour received gives more than the usual satisfaction. The highest and lowest prices of Western fancy, extra, and superior flour, including choice St. Louis, for five years past, have been as follows:

The stock on hand is estimated at 275,000 bbls. against 250,000 bbls. in 1858, 225,000 bbls. in 1857, 150,000 bbls. in 1856, 150,000 bbls. in 1855, and 75,000 bbls. in 1854. The arrivals have been as follows:

GRAIN.-Prices of corn ruled highest in January last, when sales were made at 90 a 2c. for Southern yellow and 85 a 90c. for white and mixed. From these price there was a gradual decline, the market touching the lowest point in December, when sales of yellow were made at 67 a 68c., and western mixed, 65 a 66c. per bushel. The present current rates are 76c. for old yellow and 75c. for western mixed, with which quality our market has been liberally supplied. Our receipts show an increase of 276,709 bushels compared with last year. The highest and lowest prices for five years have been as follows:

The receipts of corn, oats, rye, and shorts for five years have been as

WOOL.-In January last the market opened dull for domestic wool, and from January to June the tone of the market was rather downward, prices during that time having declined from 5 a 6c. per lb., ruling in June from 30 a 60c. for fleece, and 30 a 52c. for pulled. The movements of manufacturers and speculators in the wool-growing districts the last of June, and the eagerness with which the new clip was purchased by them at an · advance of 2 a 3c. per lb., in many instances, on the previous year's prices, caused a much better feeling, and improved prices were realized until the sudden stringency of the money market in November put a stop to all business. The demand for some months past has been almost exclusively confined to the medium grades of fleece, and there is in consequence a

very good supply of fine wool on hand, while early in the year low and medium grades were neglected. The demand for woolen goods has been quite equal to expectation, the production of all our leading mills having been sold readily at satisfactory prices, but the prospect ahead is not considered very encouraging on account of the embarrassed state of all branches of trade. Manufacturers have, in consequence, reduced the production to some extent, and the business is likely to be quite small for the present. The prices previous to the panic ruled from 39 a 67c. for fleece, and 35 a 55 for No. 1 to extra pulled, but the few transactions since have been principally at 5 a 6c.per lb., decline from these figures. The stock is estimated at 2,000,000 lbs.. against 2,500,000 lbs. in 1859. The receipts have been as follows:

EXCHANGE.-Bankers' 60 day bills on London ruled from 8 a 10 per cent premium, from January to early in November; but for the past six weeks the rates have been almost entirely nominal, ruling from par to 5 per cent premium, with sales principally at 2 a 5 per cent during that time.

SPECIE. The export of specie for the last nine years has been as follows:

:

BOOTS AND SHOES.-The year just closed must again be put down as one of comparative dullness and inactivity in the boot and shoe trade. Prices during the year have ruled low and unsatisfactory, if we except some favorite styles of work, and the amount of goods sold show a considerable falling off compared with previous years. The spring trade was quite backward, and active operations did not commence before the middle of January. At the commencement buyers had everything their own way; the desire to close up stocks on the part of holders was so great that they were almost allowed to fix their own prices. A strike among the workmen in February, which became quite extended, afforded a partial relief to the market by reducing the production of desirable work, and for the balance of the season comparatively better prices were obtained for the styles of goods most affected by the strike. trade was but a moderate one, and disappointed expectation. Neither the South nor the West purchased to the extent expected, and notwithstanding the production in the interval between the spring and fall business was less than for some previous years, still stocks were ample for all the requirements of trade, with, in fact, an oversupply of ordinary work on the market. The position of the trade at the close of the season was, however, more favorable than some previous years. The stock of all good and desirable work was sold up close, and the market was also relieved sufficiently of other descriptions to insure a healthy trade. Our manufacturers were looking forward for a large increase in the demand

The fall

from the West, on account of the general prosperity of that section, which it was believed would more than make up for any falling off from other quarters, but the sudden and unexpected money crisis in November last, extending to all branches of trade and all sections of the country, has changed the aspect of things, and will no doubt seriously interrupt the trade for the present. For a month or two past manufacturers have been curtailing operations, and the production of goods is now much smaller than for any previous year for some time. Both dealers and manufacturers look forward to a very unsatisfactory trade, but have been warned in season to prepared for such a state of things. The shipments to California during the year have been light compared with previous years. We look for some increase in the exports to that market the coming year. The shipments amount to 38,774 cases in 1860, against 50,254 cases in 1859, 64,577 cases in 1858, 32,868 cases in 1857, 42,258 cases in 1856, 64,958 cases in 1855, 37,621 cases in 1854, and 37,916 cases in 1853. The quantity of boots and shoes cleared at the customhouse has been as follows:

The quantity forwarded by railroad has been 463,000 cases, which would make the aggregate amount of goods forwarded from our city, by water and railroad, 658,000 cases, against 750,000 cases in 1859, a falling off of 92,000 cases compared with last year, equal to $3,500,000.

LEATHER. The market for leather has been very dull throughout the year, and prices have ruled quite low, but more uniform than compared with some previous years. Manufacturers have purchased sparingly, and there has been scarcely a week when the market could be called active. The receipts this year, if will be observed, are made up from every possible source, by railroad and water, and comprise 491,304 sides and 216,854 bundles, equal to 3,100,000 sides of leather, the estimated value of which is about $10,000,000. The highest and lowest prices for ten years have been as follows:

GUNNY BAGS.-For the first three months of the year the market was very dull for gunny bags, and prices declined from 101 a 10fc. in January to 8 a 9c. for light and heavy bags early in April. During April some 5,000 bales were purchased on speculation and for consumption at from 8 a 11c. and from May to October the article was held firm, with a speculative inquiry, some 19,000 bales having been sold and resold during that time, prices touching 13 a 14c. for heavy bags the last of September. Since October there has been scarcely enough doing to make a price. The stock in first hands is 4,000 bales against 6,808 bales in 1859, 14,700 bales in 1858, 13,500 in 1857, 13,000 bales in 1856, 1,000 bales in 1855, and 5,000 bales in 1854. The highest and lowest prices for some years have been as follows: