Egypt is obviously the identity of the principal exportable productions of the two countries-cotton and grain. Vessels can be freighted in the United States with goods which readily find a sale in Egypt; but, excepting rags and gums, they find here among the usual exports of the country few articles which would advantageously command a market in the United States.

Since, however, American bottoms have a preference in freights hence for Europe, a ship may come hither from the United States loaded with American manufactures and take hence cotton or grain to Liverpool or Marseilles, where return cargoes to the United States can generally be attained without difficulty. The facility with which a profitable commercial intercourse between the two countries may thus be established does not appear to be generally understood by our merchants.

Statement showing the arrival of vessels of all nations at the port of Alexandria during the year 1861.

Statement showing the departure of vessels of all nations from the port of Alerandria during the year 1861.

Statement showing the value of imports at the port of Alexandria during

Statement showing the value of exports of merchandise from the port of Alex

England..

Austria.

France.

andria for the year 1861.

Francs. 218, 448, 689

20, 530, 592

69, 600, 974

Next month it is expected that a new Italian line of steamers between Ancona and Alexandria will be in operation, so that we shall have by it an arrival and a departure every fortnight. The steamers, which are large and luxuriously appointed, are nearly finished in England. The passage between Egypt and Europe will, in this way, be reduced to three days and a half. When the railway shall be constructed from Ancona to Otranto, the Italian terminus of the line will be at the latter port, so that only three days will be required. As Ancona is by rail but eighteen hours from Turin, via Milan, this route promises to be the shortest and most popular of all between western Europe and Egypt. The French Messageries have, since the 20th of October, added to their line two steamers a month, making one a week. The boats of this company alternate, touching in the voyage between Marseilles, one week at Messina, and the next at Malta. This company last month started their monthly line between Suez and India. This is the commencement of a rivalry with the English P. & O. company's weekly line on the same route. The other principal lines between here and Europe are the P. & O. company's weekly line, with a terminus at Southampton, its other weekly line with a terminus at Marseilles, and the weekly Austrian Lloyd's, terminating at Trieste. The passage by this last

requires but five days, and is the shortest at present existing. Add to these the six lines of merchant steamers intended primarily for freight, but accommodating passengers, namely, four between here and England, and two between here and France, and it may be said that we have at least an arrival from, and a departure to, Europe of a commercial steamer every day.

There are also three lines between here and Constantinople, the steamers of which come and go once a fortnight, touching at Smyrna and along the coast of Syria, namely: the Austrian Lloyd's, the Russian company's, and the French Messageries; besides these is the more direct lines (once a fortnight) of the Austrian, which touches at Smyrna, Athens, and the Ionian Iles, without visiting Syria in the journey between here and Constantinople. These facts, with others, such as the projected railway of six hundred miles to Berenice, (mentioned in despatch No. 23,) indicate the increasing commercial importance of Egypt.

The proposed re-establishment of the port of Berenice on the Red sea is worthy of remark. This city was anciently founded by Ptolemy Philadelphus as the emporium of European trade with India, and continued such for centuries, until the diversion of commerce by the discovery of the passage by the Cape of Good Hope. The ruins of its past greatness still attract the notice of travellers. History tells us it was through Berenice that the Romans imported annually from India merchandise which cost them two millions of dollars, and which they sold in Europe for a hundred times that amount.

CYPRUS.-J. JUDSON BARCLAY, Consul.

MARCH 31, 1862.

I have the honor to transmit the accompanying tables of the export and import trade of this island for the year 1861. There is as yet but an insignificant commerce between the United States and this place, confined to the exportation of "Terra Umber" and wine, and in return the introduction of late of American furniture, as also large quantities of plank, which finds a ready and profitable market in this island. An experiment has lately been made by an intelligent American capitalist to manufacture wine of superior quality to that of the island, which I am happy to say has entirely succeeded, and will hereafter be prosecuted on a large scale.

Owing to a deficiency in the grain crops the exportation of wheat during the past year was small, proving a loss to the export trade of the country equal to about $150,000. The cotton crop also gathered in last year was very short, and in consequence the trade in this article was very limited. These deficiencies will account for the curtailing of the trade of the island last year, which has occasioned a loss to the custom-house of one million of piasters.

The operation of the new protective tariff of the Sublime Porte, in regard to some articles, is most prejudicial to the trade of Cyprus. Of these in exports I would mention wines and spirits. By the tariff of 1839 the duties upon these were raised from very low rates to 19 aspers per oke on red wine; 601 aspers per oke on comanderia; 45 aspers per oke on raki, or, according to prices ruling in 1845, equal to four per cent. upon the value of the first, seventytwo per cent. upon the second, and thirty per cent. upon the third. The duty imposed upon comanderia wine was SO excessive that the custom-house directors, from 1839 to 1859, did not exact its full amount, but accepted rates varying from eighteen to thirty aspers. On account of this heavy duty imposed on wines, a decline in the trade is inevitable, and already apparent. Indeed, no more efficacious means could have been taken to cripple this leading branch of trade to which, at one time, Cyprus owed largely her wealth and prosperity. On the part of the Turkish government, the policy is the most suicidal that

could be conceived. With the famed quality of the grape, its cheapness, (about three-fourths of a cent per pound,) and the capacity of the island for its production, the manufacture of wines for exportation would be most remunerative; but when ten per cent. upon the raw material and twenty-five upon the manufactured is devoured by the government there is left a small margin for profit. It is hoped, however, that this onerous duty will soon be removed. The comparatively large revenue from this island, amounting to fifteen millions of piasters, is due to her great agricultural resources. The soil is of the most rich and fertile character, and is capable of raising to perfection almost all agricultural productions. The level nature of the country renders transportation easy; and the absence of all predatory tribes, with the inoffensiveness of both its Greek and Turkish population, render life and property secure in every part of the island. It is sad, however, to report that, although favored with every natural advantage, its agricultural resources are comparatively undeveloped. Scarcely the fifteenth part of the arable land is under cultivation, and, in addition to this large amount of unproductive soil, it may be added that the portion under cultivation does not produce one-half of its capacity, when it is remembered that the island supported a population of two millions under the Venetians, and was also at the same time the great granary of Syria. Last year the island was obliged to import largely to support a population of only one hundred and eighty thousand inhabitants! Agriculture has suffered fearfully from the ravages of the locust for many years past, and there is not enough energy and public spirit on the part of the inhabitants, or interest manifested by the government, to take effective measures for the destruction of this ruinous scourge.

The chief products of this island are wheat, barley, cotton, linseed, sesame, madder root, and grapes. The wheat is small grained and hard, resembling the Russian wheat, and brought to market largely mixed with earth and other extraneous substances. The barley is of a very superior quality, finer even than the Egyptian, and sold at low prices. The capacity of the island for the production of cotton is great, but the cultivation is much neglected. According to "Mariti," Cyprus under the Venetian rule exported 30,000 bales, or 6,600,000 pounds; but the amount at present exported, even during the most favorable years, scarcely amounts to 6,000 bales, or 1,320,000 pounds. Although the soil under cotton cultivation is of the richest nature, yet, from carelessness and ignorance, bad quality of seed and want of capital, the produce per acre is only from 110 to 240 pounds. The quality of cotton chiefly cultivated is very inferior, rendering it of little value in the European markets; and until prices of cotton attained fabulous rates the crop was not remunerative to the agriculturists. American cotton is almost altogether grown now, and the "Manchester Cotton Supply Association" is making here, as everywhere in the East, huge efforts to increase the culture of this all-important article.

The cultivation of madder root is one of great care and profit to the farmer, and in Europe are more esteemed than the Smyrna produce. In some parts of the island the land best adapted to this culture brings the enormous price of $300 per acre.

There are no public works or enterprises at present in progress on the island. The great disadvantages under which Cyprus labors are want of population and enterprise, there being only one soul to every fifteen acres of arable land; and its future is as dark and desolate as its present state should it remain under Turkish rule.