ON THE TRADE OF MARSEILLES. 



173 



Coal and Fuel. — About 32,000 tons of foreign coal only were im- 

 ported here during 1861, of which a large proportion was re-exported. 



The late treaty of commerce with England has caused hut little 

 change in this trade, which is likely to remain stationary, in consequence 

 of the great development of the coal mines in the neighbourhood of 

 Marseilles. The English coal brought here is now only used by the 

 Gas Company for lighting the town. 320,000 tons of French coal were 

 brought to Marseilles last year by railway, principally from the depart- 

 ment of the Gard. About 60,000 tons of lignite were also derived from 

 the mines in the neighbourhood of this town. Nearly 80,000 tons of 

 small coal are used annually in this neighbourhood in the manu- 

 facture of soda. A considerable quantity of French coal was ex- 

 ported last year, which, together with that used on board of the steam- 

 ships belonging to the port, amounts to about 10,000 tons. 



Timber, Deals, and Slaves. — 8,400 loads of deal, 100,000 planks, 

 and 9,000,000 staves, were landed here in 1861 from the Adriatic. 



About 25,000 dozen deals arrived here from the Baltic, and 2,000,000 

 staves were imported from America. The timber trade with the Baltic 

 is increasing, owing to the large demand for the building trade, which 

 has been so active of late in France. 



Hides. — The following Table shows the importation of hides at Mar- 

 seilles during the last ten years, and the countries whence they have 

 been received : — 



Years. 



Buenos Ayres 



and 

 Montevideo. 



Rio Grande. 



Brazil. 



Various 

 Countries. 



Totals. 



1852 



161,411 



75,856 



19,787 



281,733 



538,787 



1853 



168,092 



19,000 



21,699 



314,733 



523,552 



1854 



97,943 



23,290 



8,504 



265,608 



395,345 



1855 



90,881 



58,911 



15,016 



468,381 



633,189 



1856 



40,127 



56,309 



17,385 



471,487 



585,308 



1857 



135,113 



47,257 



24,891 



790,478 



997,739 



1858 



149,470 



14,601 



6,942 



783,518 



954,531 



1859 



107,800 



35,211 



1,800 



742,162 



886,973 



1860 



199,409 



24,877 



900 



525,067 



750,253 



1861 



125,702 



15,393 



1,200 



426,041 



563,336 



Spirits and Wine. — A very large trade in spirits is growing up with 

 the United States. As much as 1,175,000 gallons of corn brandy were 

 imported here last year, the wines exported hence being largely mixed 

 therewith. About 3,000 tons of wines of all sorts were imported during 

 the year, from different countries, three-fourths consisting of the strong 

 red wines of Spain. The exportation of wine from this port amounted 

 to about 18,000 tuns. 



The merchants of Marseilles complain greatly of their inability to 



