G18 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



The world's steel product in 1877, based upon the latest re- 

 liable statistics, is as follows, in tons of 2240 pounds: Great 

 Britain, 1 5 000,000; United States, 570,000; Germany, 370,000; 

 France, 250,000 ; Belgium, 75,000 ; Austro-Hungary, 75,000 ; 

 Sweden, 25,000 ; Russia, 15,000 ; Canada, Spain, Italy, India, 

 Japan, and other countries, 20,000 making a total of 2,400,- 

 000 gross tons. 



SILK MANUFACTURE. 



The statement of the imports of raw silk at the ports of 

 New York and San Francisco for the year 1878, which we 

 have received through the politeness of the secretary of the 

 Silk Association of America, indicates a stead v growth of the 

 silk industry in this country, showing as it does an increase 

 in the consumption of the ra\v material. The figures for sev- 

 eral years, presented for comparison, are as follows: 



Year. Bales. Value. 



1874 7,452 $3,627,367 



1875 10,552 5,327,742 



1876 11,237 5,600,877 



1877 9,913 5,591,084 



1878 13,698 6,774,305 



An inspection of these figures will show that the number 

 of bales imported in 1878 is so largely in excess of that for 

 the previous year that the value also shows a considerable 

 increase, although the price of raw silk is materially lower 

 than at any time since the Rebellion. The general statistics 

 of the trade, compared for a number of years, demonstrate 

 its steady growth by illustrating that the falling-off of our 

 imports of manufactured silk goods has been in close relation 

 with the steady increase of their production here. During 

 the past year, it may be noticed, the question of introducing 

 the culture of silk in the United States has attracted wide- 

 spread interest and enlisted the advocacy of many influential 

 men. Prominent among these may be named Professor 

 C. V. Riley, of the Department of Agriculture, whose able 

 paper before the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, on the feasibility of successfully establishing 

 silk -culture as an American industry, is worthy of special 



notice. 



MANUFACTURE OF COTTON. 



The statistics of this branch of manufacturing industry are 



