The value of goods thrown upon the market shows a less relative decline than the value entered at the port, from the fact, as already stated, that the withdrawals from warehouse have been larger than the entries. We annex, also, a comparison of the receipts of dry goods at the same port since January 1st: IMPORTS OF DRY GOODS AT THE PORT OF NEW YORK FOR SEVEN MONTHS ENDING JULY 30. The receipts for duties continue to decline, although not in the same proportion as the imports, the payments upon the stock taken from warehouse having otherwise added to the revenue. We annex a comparison of the total from the 1st of January for three years: $20,211,065 72 $17,491,100 06 Total since January 1st.... $17,240,026 00 The revenue of the United States for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1852, is about $2,500,000 less than for the preceding year, as will be seen by the following comparative statement, to which we also annex a summary of the imports for the last four years, the figures for 1852 being estimated from the duties, in anticipation of the official returns: Considering the diminished imports, it would be but reasonable to expect a corresponding decline in the exports, but this has not thus far been realized, judging from the returns at the same port. The exports from New York to foreign ports for July have indeed fallen off from last year in the item of specie, but in the value of produce and merchandise there is no material difference. EXPORTS FROM NEW YORK TO FOREIGN PORTS FOR JULY. Taking the total from January 1st, (exclusive of specie,) the value of goods exported from New York show a slight advance upon the amount for the corresponding period of 1851, and a considerable excess as compared with the same period of 1850. EXPORTS FROM NEW YORK TO FOREIGN PORTS FOR SEVEN MONTHS ENDING JULY 31. It will be seen from this that the falling off from last year in shipments of specie amount to about nine-and-a-half millions of dollars, and this notwithstanding undiminished receipts from California. We annex a comparative summary of the total exports of merchandise, recapitulated from the above table: We continue our monthly table of the comparative exports to foreign ports of some of the leading articles of domestic produce, showing the total from January 1st to August 20th, inclusive:— Coal.. Cotton. Hay. Hops.. tons 3,517 ..bales 227,065 4,354 123 26,431 Tallow. ..lbs. 2.721,722 1,190,302 1,682,411 449,754 2,755,493 551,456 . 3,970,807 2,518,131 tcs. 19,976 22,378 ..lbs. 1,504,961 271,570 273,051 Tobacco-Crude.pkgs. 11,437 16,887 There is considerable excitement in the market for breadstuffs, owing to the partial failure of the English wheat harvest, now thought to produce less than an average crop; and the prospect of damage to potatoes, which each succeeding arrival more fully confirms. The exports to supply the expected deficiency will be large for the coming month. It is well to notice the change in the description of breadstuffs shipped to English markets. During the "famine" year we shipped large quantities of Indian corn, intended for consumption in Ireland; ever since, the exports of this article have been gradually declining. It will be interesting to trace the progress of this decline, which has extended to all other ports, and we therefore annex a statement of the comparative shipments of the principal breadstuffs from New York for the last five years, which we have carefully compiled exclusively for this review : EXPORTS OF BREADSTUFFS FROM NEW YORK. It would seem from this, that while our flour and grain have been well received, corn has been gradually given up. As an article of human consumption, it is certainly less popular than wheat, and wheaten flour. There is also another change; so much of our flour has reached its destination in bad order, that the grain is now evidently preferred; and the orders for wheat are disproportionately increased. We give a comparison of the shipments of these three items from the 1st of January to the 20th of August in each of the last three years:— Thus we see that, while the export of flour has slightly increased from last year, that of wheat has been nearly doubled, and that of corn only about half as much, up to the present date. This difference will be still more perceptible as the season progresses. The late orders have been nearly all for wheat, and the clearances will now be quite large compared with the corresponding period of last year. JOURNAL OF BANKING, CURRENCY, AND FINANCE. DEBT AND FINANCES OF NEW ORLEANS. We are under obligations to W. H. GARLAND, of New Orleans, for a pamphlet, written by him, containing an expose of the financial affairs of that city, from which we gather the statements here presented :— The indebtedness of New Orleans consists of two kinds:-1. That which was contracted before the division of the city into Municipalities, called the Old City Debt. 2. That which has been incurred by the Municipalities separately, since that division, The following is a statement of the Old Debt as it stood on the 8th November last:STATEMENT OF BONDS ISSUED for old city DEBTS AND OUTSTANDING ON NOV. 8, 1851. Interest coupons due and unpaid on the 8th November, 1851...... 202,065 Total of Old City Debt...... $2,868,065 At the division of the city a sinking fund was created, with large assets, for the purpose of liquidating this debt, but through bad management and the changing vicissitudes of commercial revulsions, these assets have become almost worthless. With the exception of some $60,000 of available assets still in the hands of the liquidators, the amount that may be obtained from the sale of the Batture, and the contingent hope of realizing something from the donation by Stephen Girard of negroes and land on the Ouachita, the means of paying this debt will have to be drawn from the general resources of the city. There may, however, be deducted from this debt a series of bonds, originally $500,000, issued to the Commercial Water Works, in exchange for an equal amount of the stock of the company. From the dividends arising from this stock, a portion of these bonds have been redeemed, and the amount remaining is $364,000, while the city still holds the $500,000 of stock in the water works. Although the market value of this stock is now only about $40 a share, it will undoubtedly increase in value so far as to be amply sufficient to meet the bonds for which it was exchanged. From the sale of the Batture, it is estimated, sufficient will be received to pay the interest past due, $202,065. These two sums amount together to $566,065, and reduce the debt to $2,302,000. By an act of 8th March, 1836, the means of paying the interest on this debt were to be drawn from the several Municipalities in proportion to their respective resources, and not in proportion to their assessed wealth. The neglect of the Municipalities to respond to the requisition of the General Council for the payment of the interest of this debt, has had the effect to injure materially the credit of the city. The amount of the yearly interest is $138,460, and, as will be seen by the table, the interest for about a year and a half, $202,065, was remaining unpaid at the cominencement of the present year, which, with $234,000 past due of the principal of the debt, makes the sum of $436.065 due to the holders of this stock. The neglect in question arises from no indisposition to meet the obligations which the city is so abundantly able to provide for, but is the result of the peculiar administration of her municipal affairs. The population of New Orleans is made up of classes not only differing from each other in language and manners, but confined according to these differences to particular sections, and constituting thus almost separate communities. Time and the genius of our institutions, it is admitted, are gradually wearing away these distinctions, but still they exist to a very considerable extent, with all their prejudices and influences. The prevalent feeling between the sections is a constant jealousy lest either one should acquire an undue influence, and should abuse its power by aggressions upon the others. To this sensitiveness, it has become necessary that the general principle, so much in favor as the conservator of the rights of the weak, representation based upon population, should bend-and hence the division of the city into Municipalities, supreme in certain matters within themselves, and among these, each liable only for such debt as it may itself contract. This is carrying into extended practice the principle involved in the old dogma of State Rights; and although this may be the best system that the city in question could adopt, under existing circumstances, it could not but be the occasion of serious inconveniences. Among others, is this very neglect, injurious alike to the city and to its creditors, of meeting punctually its obligations. The Mayor draws his warrant on the several Municipalities, and has done therein all that is required at his hands-farther authority in the matter he has none. The present Municipal Councils, not having contracted the debt themselves, and seeing that its adjustment is to pass through the Mayor's hands, profess to know little about the matter, and thus the government of the city fails of doing what it ought, in consequence of a divided responsibility, which is, of course, everywhere, no responsibility. The want of punctuality in the Municipalities gave rise to a system of giving twelve months' drafts upon them severally for the accrued interest; which drafts were paid or not, as circumstances would dictate. Against the injustice of this, no practical remedy has been found Undoubtedly, the evil will continue, getting more and more aggravated, until some change is made in the construction of the city government. A prostration of credit, and the inconveniences therefrom, might induce a temporary promptness on the part of the Municipal Councils, in furnishing their respective contributions, but the evil would be sure to recur when the spur was no longer felt, and must at last permanently affect the reputation of the city. Such a change, at least, should be effected as will establish sufficient centralism to prevent all considerations of the general interest from being swallowed up in the intense selfishness of a morbid sectionalism. The other debt, attaching to the several Municipalities, and contracted since the division of the city, was, at the commencement of the present year, as follows: |