THE COTTON TRADE. 269 



the vexatious and expensive transitage, especially through 

 France. The oppression of this system may be inferred from 

 the fact that the annual average aggregate value of merchan- 

 dize on which transit tolls are paid, proceeding from Switzer- 

 land, is (1853) nearly thirty millions dollars ; and the value of 

 that proceeding to that republic, more than half as much. 



Switzerland sent, in transitu to France, cotton tissues to the 

 value of nearly three millions dollars in 1852 ; and to the value 

 of nearly four millions, in 1853. By the French tariff, such 

 fabrics are excluded from France for consumption. Since 1845, 

 Switzerland is stated, officially, to have quite superseded in the 

 markets of Germany and Austria, the yarns of Great Britain. 

 In 1830, that republic had in operation 400,000 spindles ; in 

 1840,750,000; and in 1850, 950,000; the number having more 

 than doubled in twenty years. 



According to Swiss official custom-house reports, that re- 

 public received cotton from the United States as follows, the 



years specified : 



Pounds. 

 1850, 15,942,740 



1851, 13,729,320 



1852, 19,065,200 



1853, 18,441,830 



In return, cotton stuffs, as follows, were sent 

 to the United States : 



1850, 3,226,300 



1851, 3,509,660 



1852, 4,077,920 



1853, .... 5,265,150 



In 1855, Switzerland returned to the United States, in ex- 

 change for raw cotton, the same article manufactured, to the 

 value of $212,700. 



