THE COTTON TRADE. 265 



reaching an average of thirty -four million pounds per annum, 

 and showing an increase on the five years immediately pre- 

 ceding. Next to the United States, Spain imports cotton from 

 Brazil, while her West India possessions hold a third rank in 

 the trade. 



I-IANSE TOWNS. 



The states of Germany are supplied with the cotton con- 

 sumed in their factories, chiefly through the Hanseatic cities, 

 Hamburg, and Bremen. Bremen sent to the Zollverein, in 1853, 

 cotton, imported direct from the United States, to the value 

 of $984,772 14; and to Austria to the value of $156,153 21. 

 The factories of Prussia and Saxony are numerous, and import 

 not only the raw material from these cities, but also large 

 quantities of yarns. The number of spindles in operation in 

 the states composing the Zollverein, is estimated at upwards 

 of 1,000,000. This is, doubtless, an under estimate, as the 

 industrial enterprise of the Zollverein has made rapid progress 

 since the date of the official document from which these figures 

 are derived. The export of cotton tissues from the Zollve- 

 rein, in 1853, amounted in value to $2,394,497 34, of which 

 amount $2,075,299 68 in value, came from the factories of 

 Saxony. 



The Hanse Towns, from geographical position, are, and 

 must always continue to be, the great marts from which raw 

 material of all descriptions will be supplied to the states of the 

 Germanic commercial union. Hence, exports of American 

 cotton and tobacco to these points are heavy, and constantly 

 increasing. These commercial cities receive their supplies of 

 raw cotton not only from the United States, in direct trade, 

 as well as from Brazil and other countries of South America, 

 but also in the indirect trade from English ports and other 

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