RANGE OF PRICES. The following shows the range of prices of middling uplands in the New-York and Liverpool markets, on Friday of each week, during the year 1874-75, compared with the previous year: ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE LUMBER TRADE OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR THE YEAR 1875. THE lumber trade of the Eastern and Middle States has been in a stagnant condition since the panic of 1873. The prostration of all kinds of business has perhaps affected the price of lumber more than that of any of the raw materials that we produce. The receipts at tide water from 1861 to 1875, inclusive, were as follows: RECEIPTS OF LUMBER AT TIDE WATER FOR THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS. Showing a falling off in the last year of nearly 300 millions feet from the years 1870, 1871 and 1872. On the other hand, the trade of the West has shown no falling off, but in some of the States quite an increase. Thus, the trade of Chicago, which but a few years since was quite insignificant, has for the last three years averaged over 1,000 millions feet each year, which is more than double the amount received at tide water for Eastern consumption and export. The pine forests of our country are fast disappearing; and at the present rate of destruction, but a few years will elapse when no large body of timber land will be left. Already the forests of NewYork and New-England are exhausted, while Pennsylvania has only enough left for a few years of home consumption. Therefore, we have left only the States of Michigan and Wisconsin. The estimated quantity of lumber manufactured in Michigan for the year 1875, was about 2,500 millions feet; thus it will be seen, that at the average production of say five thousand feet to the acre, it required 500,000 acres to produce the above quantity, it needs no further figures to show that within twenty years Michigan will have no lumber to export. The lumber of Wisconsin is all needed at the West, and therefore one serious question of the times is, where shall we obtain future supplies of lumber? ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE WHALE FISHERY OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR THE YEAR 1875. THE year just closed has been quite free from disasters to the fleet at sea, and no great changes have taken place in the business. Gains and losses have been about equally divided, the arrivals at this port during the year showing eighteen voyages that were fairly profitable and sixteen that resulted in quite a large average loss, but with a revival of business throughout the country, we anticipate better results in the future. Of the 18 vessels in port at New-Bedford, January 1st, 1875, 16 have been fitted for whaling, and 2 are now in port. Of the 10 whalers now in this port, 8 will probably be fitted during the season, and of the 25 vessels to arrive here this year, nearly all will go to sea again. Some vessels may possibly be added to the fleet from the merchant service; but as such ventures are attended with so heavy an outlay for repairs, alterations and whaling inventories, it is not probable that many such additions will be made. The present whaling fleet is 169 vessels, against 163 January 1st, 1875, 171 in 1874, and 203 in 1873, and the number at sea January 1st, 1876, was 137 vessels, against 119 a year ago, and 123 in 1874. Any further increase in the fleet must necessarily result in lower prices for oil. Right whaling makes a good exhibit for the year, vessels in the Arctic Ocean having been very successful, 13 vessels taking 18,000 bbls. whale and walrus oil, and 180,030 lbs. whalebone, an average of 1,384 bbls. oil and 13,848 lbs. of whalebone. Three vessels on Kodiak and Bristol Bay took 3,980 bbls. whale oil and 45,430 lbs. whalebone; thus making for the fleet an average of 1,374 bbls. whale and walrus oil, and 14,091 lbs. of whalebone, the largest average of any season since the year 1850. As we stated in our review last year, we do not believe Arctic whaling will be given up, and certainly the whales have never been plentier on these grounds than during the past season. The fleet have all come out safely except the bark Desmond, which is supposed to have been obliged to winter there. A few vessels in Hudson's Bay and Cumberland Inlet have had fair success, while right whaling in the Southern Oceans has been neglected. Humpbacking has been very successful on the coast of South America, while in other localities the catches have been moderate. Sperm whaling has been only moderately successful, there having been but few large catches the past year. Vessels have done best on Chili and the Off Shore ground, while elsewhere the average has been moderate. A summary is as follows: On Chili and Off Shore, 17 vessels cruised, taking 7,010 bbls. sperm, an average of 412 bbls.; on New-Zealand, 17 vessels took 6,095 bbls., making an average to each of 358 bbls.; in the Indian Ocean and on New-Holland, there were 13 vessels, taking 4,335 bbls., an average of 333 bbls., and in the North and South Atlantic Oceans, 87 vessels, with a catch of 19,405 bbls., averaging 223 bbls., the last named being for an average period of about ten months, as many of the fleet winter in port. With any increase of the fleet a smaller average catch may be looked for; and it will be already seen by reference to our columns, that the number of vessels at sea which have obtained 1,000 bbls. or more of sperm oil, is smaller than for many years. The distribution of the whaling fleet for the present year we estimate as follows: North and South Atlantic, 77 vessels; Indian Ocean and New-Holland, 15 vessels; New-Zealand, 13 vessels; Pacific Coast and Off Shore Ground, 23 yessels; North Pacific, 18 vessels; Cumberland Inlet, 4 vessels. The number of vessels estimated to arrive at this port the coming year is 25, of which apparently 13 will be good voyages, while 12 will show a loss, the net results being much the same as for the past few years. The demand for oils and bone has been fair throughout the year past. Sperm oil opened in January at $1 70, with a very small stock on hand, and was held at $1 80. @ $1 85 in March, and at $1 90 in April. Few sales could be effected at these figures, and the price gradually declined to $1 47 @ $1 50 in midsummer, remaining at about these figures until December, when it advanced to $1 60, closing the year at that price, at which, however, there were more sellers than buyers. Whale oil opened the year at 67 cents per gallon for Arctic, advancing to 70 cents in January, declining to 63 @ 65 cents in May and June, and in September advancing again to 70 cents, at which price it continued to the close of the year. Humpback and South Sea oils have continued at 60 @ 65 cents through the year, with little variation. Whalebone opened at about $1 20 per lb. for Arctic, and continued firm during the year, advancing in the fall months, and finally closing at $1 30. By reference to our last year's review, it will be seen that our estimates of importations are not far from the result, except in whalebone, caused by shipments overland in advance of the usual time. Our figures are made after careful consideration, and we are not swayed by the interests of either importer or purchaser. We estimate the imports for 1876 at 40,000 to 45,000 bbls. of sperm oil, 30,000 to 40,000 bbls. of whale oil, and 150,000 to 300,000 pounds of whalebone, the latter being according to the success of the fleet in the Arctic Ocean during next summer. STATEMENT OF STOCKS OF OIL AND WHALEBONE IN THE UNITED STATES, JANUARY 18T, 1876. |