20 Ohservations on Tasmanian Staitstics. 



Our exports during the last three years consisted of 

 820 head of cattle, 4107 horses, and 11,217 sheep, of the 

 declared value of ^9100,590 ; and the imports for the corre- 

 sponding period were respectively 16,308 head of cattle, 

 61 horses, and 152,023 sheep, valued at £153,687. 



Of the imports, the value in 1851 was £22,385, or 27 per 

 cent, increase upon 1850; in 1852, £49,754, or 122 per cent, 

 increase; and in 1853, £81,548, or 63 per cent, increase ; 

 and of the exports, the value in 1851 was £19,064, or 173 

 percent, increase upon 1850; in 1852, £53,127, or 178 

 per cent, increase ; and in 1853, £28,399, or 26 per cent 

 decrease upon the previous year. 



Tahle 15 shows the value of the hides, skins, and leather, 

 manufactured and unmanufactured, which were imported 

 and exported during the last ten years, and calls for no 

 special remark. Upon the average of the last three years, 

 the value of the imports, and of the exports, in this depart- 

 ment of commerce was about £10,000 respectively, thus 

 balancing each other. 



Table 16 shows the quantity and value of wool and oil 

 exported from the colony from 1844 to 1853. As to the 

 former of these staples, wool, it is cheering to know that 

 the scarcity of labour arising from its withdrawal to the gold- 

 fields has had no effect in diminishing the quantity produced; 

 and also that a much higher value is given to the exports of 

 the last three years from the rise of price in the English 

 market. As to the latter of these staples, oil, the diminished 

 quantity of this most important product of colonial in- 

 dustry has been already adverted to : but in this case also 

 the advance in value upon the smaller yield in some measure 

 compensates for the deficient supply. Of the wool, the 

 quantity exported in 1853 was 19,524 bales, of the declared 



