COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES. 



CONGREGATIONALISTS. 131 



cation with the East by telegraph, the Pacific 

 steamers, and the transcontinental railways, 

 have enabled the primary markets in the Ori- 

 ental ports to supplant the old center of the 

 trade in America. Jobbers and large grocers 

 can send their orders directly to the Eastern 

 cities. Intelligence is transmitted so rapidly 

 that the market is constantly well stocked and 

 the margin of profit is small. San Francisco 

 has become an important entrepot, and sup- 

 plies much of the Western trade ; while New 

 York, instead of being the central market as it 

 once was, is only the distributing point for the 

 goods which are unshipped there. The total 

 consumption of teas in the United States was 

 64,229,822 Ibs. in 1877, against 49,127,299 Ibs. 

 in 1876, 46,094,596 Ibs. in 1875, 52,424,545 Ibs. 

 in 1874, and 51,028,904 Ibs. in 1873. It is thus 

 seen that the use of tea, like that of coffee, has 

 increased during the hard times. Of the con- 

 gumption of 1877, less than 15,000,000 Ibs. 

 were China green teas, over 20,000,000 Ibs. 

 were Japan teas, and over 14,500,000 Ibs. 

 Oolong; the total black tea consumed was 

 19,000,000 Ibs. The Japan teas, which were 

 first introduced in this market in 1863, are 

 gaining rapidly in favor, even supplanting the 

 Chinese green tea in the Western markets. 

 The price of tea, and of coffee as well, is fre- 

 quently of late subject to sudden fluctuations 

 on account of rumors of the restoration of a 

 tariff on those staples. The average currency 

 prices of Japan tea, fair to fine, in New York, 

 was 33*25c. in 1877, against 37'04c. in 1876, 

 and 54-91c. in 1875 ; of Hyson, 32-62c. in 1877, 

 against 33'92c. and 39'79c. ; of Oolong, 37'16c., 

 against 44'17c. in 1876, and 40'20c. in 1875. 

 At the beginning of February, 1878, Japan 

 tea, superior to fine, was quoted at 32 to 42c. ; 

 in the beginning of March, at 28 to 35c. ; in 

 April, at the same rates; in May, the same; 

 in June, the same ; in July, at 30 to 38c. ; in 

 August, at 26 to 32c. ; in September, at 26 to 

 83. ; in October, the same. 



The full returns of the wheat exports of the 

 United States for the year 1878, as compiled for 

 the New York Produce Exchange, give 228,- 

 293,410 bushels, a gain of 53 per cent, over the 

 previous year. Philadelphia shipped 83 per 

 cent., New York 53 per cent., Baltimore 39 per 

 cent., and Boston 34 per cent, more than in 

 1877. The potato crop, reported at 124,000,000 

 bushels, was larger in 1878 than had been ex- 

 pected. The corn crop has been large every 

 year since 1874; theaveragein 1878 was51,000,- 

 000 acres, 'against 50,300,000 in 1877, and the 

 yield 30,000,000 bushels greater than that of 

 1877, which was 1,283,000.000 bushels. The 

 oat crop was the largest ever raised. The rye 

 crop was 60,000,000 bushels, against 51,000,000 ; 

 barley, 48,000,000, against 34,500,000 bushels. 

 The wool clip, 211,000,000 Ibs., was the largest 

 ever got, exceeding by 3,000,000 Ibs. that of 

 1877, in spite of a decrease of 14,000,000 Ibs. 

 in California. These figures are from the re- 

 turns of the Agricultural Bureau. 



CONGREGATIONALISTS. The following 

 is a summary of the statistics of the Congrega- 

 tional churches in the United States, as they 

 are given in the " Congregational Quarterly " 

 for January, 1878 : 



The number of licentiates was 204 ; total 

 number of persons in the Sunday schools, 

 420,523 ; number of families, 145,012. The 

 total amount of benevolent contributions re- 

 ported by 2,735 churches was $1,117,808.44; 

 the amount of contributions for home expendi- 

 tures reported by 1,503 churches was $2,276,- 

 164.37. 



The receipts of the American Congregational 

 Union were reported at its anniversary in May 

 to have been $24,633. The Union had ad- 

 vanced to churches the sum of $11,946, and 

 for pastors' libraries $364.77, and had a bal- 

 ance in its treasury of $4,094. Thirty- one 

 churches had been helped. The report gave a 

 review of the twenty-five years' history of the 

 Union. The Rev. Dr. Edwin B. Webb, of 

 Boston, Mass., was elected President at the 

 annual meeting. 



The receipts of the American Home Mission- 

 ary Society for the year ending with the anni- 

 versary in May, 1878, were $284,486.44, and 

 its expenditures $284,540.71. The Society has 

 employed 996 ministers, who had supplied in 

 whole or in part 2,237 congregations and mis- 

 sion stations, and had 91,762 pupils enrolled 



