COMMERCE OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

In an elaborate article which we prepared from authentic documents, and published in the Merchants' Magazine for May, 1850, (vol. xxii., p. 499–516,) will be found a full statistical view of the commerce of Charleston for a series of years, down to 1848. We now subjoin a statement of the foreign commerce, and coastwise and foreign navigation of that port for the year 1849:

STATEMENT OF EXPORTS FROM THE DISTRICT OF CHARLESTON OF THE GROWTH, PRODUCE, AND MANUFACTURE OF THE UNITED STATES, IN AMERICAN AND FOREIGN VESSELS, FOR THE YEAR 1849, AS PUBLISHED IN THE CHARLESTON MERCURY.

Boards,

Naval

Cotton.

Whither exported.

Feet.

Russia..

Miscel- Total laneous to each plank, &c. stores. Sea Island. Other. Rice. rice. articles. country. Bbls. Lbs. Lbs. Tres. Bush. Dollars. Dollars. 1,362,366 1,353 89,043

Rough

132,419

593,704 457 59,889
4,779

125,271

400

54,963

Holland

10,603

Belgium.

106,705

England

584,382 14,254 4,176,711 66,525,252 11,721

Scotland

1,385,611 4,608 70,543 3,147,988 2,835 235,260 21,294 1,384,354

198,341

382,829

7

136,745 5,966 28,779

432,566

France on the Atlantic...

96,746

1,766,705 13,837,534 4,027

1,460,381

Spain on the Mediterranean

11,091

34

4,773,027

....

413,277

Honduras

71,757

1,000

Total value of exports, foreign and coastwise, for the year 1849.. $15,838,291

THE PRODUCT OF COTTON PLANTATIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

TO FREEMAN HUNT, ESQ., Editor of the Merchants' Magazine :

SIR :—The following table will be found interesting, as showing the comparative amount of labor performed, and crops grown, upon some of the Sea Island cotton plantations, against those of other parts of the United States:

This shows a cultivation less than three and a half acres to the hand of cotton, yielding an average in 1848 of 1844 pounds per acre, and 498 pounds per hand. The cultivation in 1849 was about the same number of acres per hand, yielding an average of 136 pounds per acre, and 4694 pounds per hand. This cotton varies in price from 25 to 55 cents per pound at this time. The crop of 1849 will average about 37 cents a pound. I cannot give the total average of the corn crop, owing to the blanks above; but it will not vary much from those given. The total number of acres to the hand of all crops is less than six. The reason of this is, that the whole island, with but little exception, is cultivated with the hoe.

SOLON ROBINSON.

PRICES OF COTTON AND COTTON FABRICS.

The Journal of Commerce published a table showing the comparative prices of cotton and the several descriptions of plain goods on the first and fifteenth of each month since January, 1849. The quotations for cotton have been revised by Mr. Thomas J. Stewart, cotton broker, and the prices of printing cloths by Mr. H. C. Beach, agent for the sale of a majority of the various styles of these goods offered in this market:—

RELATIVE PRICES OF COTTON AND PLAIN COTTON GOODS AT THE FOLLOWING DATES.

STOCKS OF LEAF TOBACCO IN EUROPE.

ESTIMATED STOCKS IN EUROPE ON 31ST DECEMBER FOR LAST FIVE YEARS.

COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS.

NICARAGUA TREATY.

CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HER BRITANIC MAJESTY.

The United States of America and Her Britanic Majesty, being desirous of consolidating the relations of amity, which so happily subsist between them, by setting forth and fixing in a convention their views and intentions with reference to any means of communication by ship-canal which may be constructed between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, by the way of the river San Juan de Nicaragua, and either or both of the Lakes of Nicaragua or Managua, to any port or place on the Pacific ocean, the President of the United States has conferred full powers on John M. Clayton, Secretary of State of the United States, and Her Britanic Majesty on the Right Honorable Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer, a member of Her Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council, Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, and Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Her Britanic Majesty to the United States, for the aforesaid purpose; and the said plenipotentiaries, having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in proper form, have agreed to the following articles :

ART. 1. The Governments of the United States and Great Britain hereby declare that neither the one or the other will ever obtain nor maintain for itself any exclusive control over the said ship-canal: agreeing that neither will ever erect or maintain any fortifications commanding the same, or in the vicinity thereof, or occupy, or fortify, or colonize, or assume, or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America; nor will either make any use of any protection which either affords or may afford, or any alliance which either has or may have to or with any State or people, for the purpose of erecting or maintaining any such fortifications, or occupying, fortifying, or colonizing Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America, or of assuming or exercising dominion over the same; nor will the United States or Great Britain take advantage of any intimacy, or use any alliance, connection, or influence, that either may possess with any State or Government through whose territory the said canal may pass, for the purpose of acquiring or holding, directly or indirectly, for the citizens or the subjects of the one, any rights or advantages, in regard to commerce or navigation through the said canal, which shall not be offered on the same terms to the citizens or subjects of the other.

ART. 2. Vessels of the United States or Great Britain traversing the said canal, shall, in case of war between the contracting parties, be exempted from blockade, detention, or capture by either of the belligerents; and this provision shall extend to such a distance from the two ends of the said canal as may hereafter be found expedient to

establish.

ART. 3. In order to secure the construction of the said canal, the contracting parties engage, that if any such canal shall be undertaken upon fair and equitable terms by any parties having the authority of the local government or governments through whose territory the same may pass, then the persons employed in making the said canal, and their property used, or to be used, for that object shall be protected, from the commencement of the said canal to its completion, by the governments of the United States and Great Britain from unjust detention, confiscation, seizure, or any violence whatsoever.

ART. 4. The contracting parties will use whatever influence they respectively exercise with any State, States, or governments, possessing, or claiming to possess, any jurisdiction over the territory which the said canal shall traverse, or which shall he near the waters applicable thereto, in order to induce such States or governments to facilitate the construction of the said canal by every means in their power. And, furthermore, the United States and Great Britain agree to use their good offices, wherever or however it may be most expedient in order to procure the establishment of two free ports -one at each end of the said canal.

ART. 5. The contracting parties further engage, that when the said canal shall have been completed they will protect it from interruption, seizure, or unjust confiscation, and they will guaranty the neutrality thereof, so that the said canal may be forever open, and the capital invested therein secure. Nevertheless, the governments of the United States and Great Britain, in according their protection to the construction of the

said canal, and guarantying its neutrality and security when completed, always understand that this protection and guaranty are granted conditionally and may be withdrawn by both governments, or either government, if both governments, or either government should deem that the persons or company undertaking or managing the same adopt or establish such regulations concerning the traffick thereupon as are contrary to the spirit and intention of this convention, either by making unfair discriminations in favor of the commerce of one of the contracting parties over the commerce of the other, or by imposing oppressive exactions or unreasonable tolls upon passengers, vessels, goods, wares, merchandise, or other articles. Neither party, however, shall withdraw the aforesaid protection and guaranty without first giving six months notice to the other..

ART. 6. The contracting parties in this convention engage to invite any State with which both or either have friendly intercourse to enter into stipulations with them similar to those which they have entered into with each other, to the end that all other States may share in the honor and advantages of having contributed to a work of such general interest and importance as the canal herein contemplated. And the contracting parties likewise agree that each shall enter into treaty stipulations with such of the Central American States as they may deem advisable, for the purpose of more effectually carrying out the great design of this convention-namely, that of constructing and maintaining the said canal as a ship communication between the two oceans, for the benefit of mankind on equal terms to all, and of protecting the same. And they also agree that the good offices of either shall be employed, when requested by the other, in aiding and assisting the negotiation of such treaty stipulations; and should any differences arise as to the right of property over the territory through which the said canal shall pass between the States or governments of Central America, and such differences should in any way impede or obstruct the execution of the said canal, the governments of the United States and Great Britain will use their good offices to settle such differences in the manner best suited to promote the interests of said canal, and to strengthen the bonds of friendship and alliance which exist between the contracting parties.

ART. 7. It being desirable that no time should be necessarily lost in commencing and constructing the said canal, the governments of the United States and Great Britain determine to give their support and encouragement to such persons or company as may first offer to commence the same, with the necessary capital, the consent of the local authorities, and on such principles as accord with the spirit and intention of this convention; and if any person or company should already have, with any State through which the proposed ship-canal may pass, a contract for the construction of such a canal as that specified in this convention, to the stipulations of which contract neither of the contracting parties in this convention have any just cause to object, and the said persons or company shall, moreover, have made preparations, and expended time, money, and trouble, on the faith of such contract, it is hereby agreed that such persons or company shall have a priority of claim, over every other person, persons, or company to the protection of the governments of the United States and Great Britain, and be allowed a year from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of this convention for concluding their arrangements, and presenting evidence of sufficient capital subscribed to accomplish the contemplated undertaking; it being understood, that if, at the expiration of the aforesaid period, such persons or company be not able to commence and carry out the proposed enterprise, then the government of the United States and Great Britain shall be free to commence and proceed with the construction of the canal in question.

ART. 8. The governments of the United States and Great Britain having not only desired, in entering into this convention, to accomplish a particular object, but also to establish a general principle, they hereby agree to extend their protection, by treaty stipulations, to any other practicable communications, whether by canal or railway, across the isthmus which connects North and South America, and especially to the inter-oceanic communications should the same prove to be practicable, whether by canal or railway, which are now proposed to be established by the way of Tehuantepec or Panama. In granting, however, their joint protection to any such canal or railways as are by this article specified, it is always understood by the United States and Great Britain that the parties constructing or owning the same shall impose no other charges or conditions of traffick thereupon than the aforesaid governments shall approve of as just and equitable; and that the same canals or railways, being open to the citizens and subjects of the United States and Great Britain on equal terms, shall also be open