WOOL. In addition to the articles heretofore exported from Michigan, that of wool will form a considerable item the coming season. In 1837 about 22,684 sheep were enumerated. In 1840, there were 89,934. It is esti mated there were 75,000 sheep brought into the state the two past years, which, with the increase to be calculated in 1840, it is a fair estimate to put the present number down at near 300,000. The average wool may be put down at 24 pounds, which gives a total of 700,000 pounds, which at the lowest price, 30 cts., is $210,000. GYPSUM OR PLASTER OF PARIS. Rising 1,000 tons of this article was imported into Detroit the past year. The recent discovery of several beds of the purest quality, and mills for grinding the same having been erected, hereafter Michigan will be able to supply itself and export large quantities to Illinois, Indiana, and Wiskonsin. SALT. At least 100,000 barrels of salt are annually imported into the state, at a cost of $160,000. Mr. Lyon at Grand Rapids has his arrangements completed so far as to commence its manufacture in the spring. He has erected a building 250 feet long, and the two arches that support the caldrons are 130 feet; exceeding in span any ever before constructed for this purpose in our country. One hundred and thirty gallons of salt water discharges a minute. He is also boring other wells; but from the one finished he will be able to manufacture, daily, 339 barrels, or upwards of 120,000 a year. The number of gallons of water required to give a bushel of salt, at the various works in this country, is— At the best salt wells in New York, salt wells of Kennawha, Va., (average) springs on Grand river, Arkansas, 88 41 to 45 70 best salt wells on Muskingum river, O., 50 80 Lyon's salt well, Grand river, Michigan, at 661 feet, 821 State salt well, Grand river, Michigan, depth 239 feet, (fresh water not separated,) 1101 State salt wells, Tittabawassa river, Michigan, earth 2211 Conemaugh, Penn., 300 Nantucket, sea water, 350 The following calculations, founded on the recent census, were made by Bela Hubbard, Esq., editor of the Western Farmer: Out of the whole population, those engaged in agriculture, in proportion to those engaged in all the other departments of industry, are in That we may see whether the soil of Michigan bears a favorable pro portion of the cereal grains (wheat, barley, oats, rye, buckwheat, and Indian corn) we give the following comparison of the number of bushels to each inhabitant, in this and other states: Michigan produced, in 1840, 381 bushels to each inhabitant. New York, Recent census of England and Wales, Extending the result to other wheat-growing states, the number of bushels of wheat raised, is as follows: We cannot more properly conclude this article than by adverting to the very extraordinary advantages that are held out by the soil and commercial facilities of this state for colonization. Spreading out ample tracts of fertile land, whose agricultural products find a ready market at the east, endowed with a picturesque scenery, and encircled by a chain of mediterranean seas that open a wide field to commerce, there is no part of the country that furnishes stronger inducements to settlement by agriculturists. The farmer can, without much labor, supply himself and his family with an independent freehold, yielding a comfortable subsistence, which is not liable to be subverted by the fluctuations of the currency and the uncertain mutations of trade; and while reaping his harvests from his own fields, he cannot but feel proud in the conviction that he is engaged in an honorable pursuit, more adapted to the spirit of our government perhaps than any other, and that he is thus enabled to leave the same advantages to his children. Of its advance hitherto, we are enabled to judge by the fact, that in 1810 the entire population of the territory was but four thousand seven hundred and sixty-two, and that the last census of 1840, exhibits it to have increased to two hundred and twelve thousand two hundred and sixty-seven. From its present position and past progress, we doubt not that it is destined ultimately to take its place among the most opulent states of the Union. FREE TRADE. God's laws, creation's laws, proclaim and teach ART. VI.-WRECKS, WRECKING, WRECKERS, AND WRECKEES, ON FLORIDA REEF. "There be land-rats and water-rats, land-thieves and water-thieves, And then there is the peril of the waters, winds, and rocks."-Merchant of Venice. THERE is no portion of the American coast more dangerous to the mariner, or where more property is annually wrecked, than on the Florida Reef. Its contiguity to the gulf stream, and forming a sort of Scylla to that Charybdis, the Bahama Islands, are the main causes which make it so dangerous to, and so much dreaded by, seamen. Lying in the way, as it does, of much important commerce, many ships of the largest class are compelled to encounter its dangers, and run the risk of an inhospitable reception upon its rocky shores and sunken coral reefs. There is, on an average, annually wrecked upon the Florida coast, about fifty vessels, a very great proportion of which are New Orleans, Mobile, or other packets. The great destruction of property consequent upon this state of things, and the hope of gain, have induced a settlement at Key West, where, to adjudicate upon the wrecked property, a court of admiralty has been established. A large number of vessels, from 20 to 30, are annually engaged as wreckers, lying about this coast to "help the unfortunate," and to help themselves. These vessels are in many instances owned in whole or in part by the merchants of Key West; the same merchant frequently acts in the quadruple capacity of owner of the wrecker, agent for the wreckers, consignee of the captain, and agent for the underwriters. Whose business he transacts with most assiduity, his own, or that of others, may be readily inferred. A residence of a few years on the Florida reef, enables me to speak with some knowledge of the manner in which business is usually conducted about those parts; and to a community suffering as much as this does, I think a statement of facts may prove useful. The commercial world need then no longer remain inactive in seeking a redress of grievances in consequence of an ignorance of their existence. I am sure the manner in which wrecked property is saved and adjudicated upon in Key West, cannot be known to the underwriters, or they would take some measures to put an end to many of the evils they endure under the present state of things. The whole coast, from near Cape Carnaveral to the Tortuga, is strewed with small wrecking vessels, either sloops or schooners, that anchor inside of the reef, out of sight from vessels at sea, because if they were seen by the unfortunate vessel who is making unconsciously too near an approach to the shore, they would apprise her of her danger, so that she would stand off to sea, and thus the victim would not be sacrificed. That the wrecker hails with delight the wreck of a vessel, is not to be wondered at. His gains are enormous; it is his business, and his interests are so much at stake that all the softer feelings of humanity soon die away in his bosom, and he hails the stranding of the unfortunate vessel with delight. It is not to be supposed, then, that he will, seeing a vessel coming ashore, sail for her and make known to her the danger she is encountering, but rather that he will endeavor by every means in his power, if not to allure her, at least not to caution her. To the praise of the wreckers be it said, that they never have refused to listen to the calls of humanity, even when doing so has often been to their loss. The cases are numerous where they have left their wrecking ground, and carried wrecked passengers upwards of a hundred miles, furnishing the passengers with food and passage free of charge. The wreckers have been accused of raising false lights to deceive vessels at sea. As a general rule I do not believe this charge is true, and the strongest reason I have for disbelieving it is, that it is not to their interest to do so. As soon as a vessel sees a light on Florida shore, she knows she is as near to land, if not nearer than she ought to be, and of course would immediately haul off from the danger. The practice of the wreckers is quite the reverse. No lights are allowed to be burning in their vessels except in the binnacle, and this light is most cautiously guarded, lest vessels at sea should descry it, and thereby discover their proximity to land. Every morning at break of day, the whole of the reef is scoured by some one or the other of the vessels, in search of "a prize," that may have come on the rocks at night. If a vessel is discovered on shore, and two wreckers descry her at the same time, every stitch of canvass is set, in order to be the first to board her and relieve her; if it is calm, the small-boats are manned, and they pull as if for life. This looks charitable, but the charity begins at home. The captain of the wrecker jumps on board the unfortunate vessel, and inquires for her captain; and now commences a series of impositions upon the underwriters. "Captain," says the wrecker, "are you insured?" "Yes; well-to the full amount." "I suppose you know," says the wrecker, "that if you go into Key West to get repaired, that the expenses are enormous, and your owners will be obliged, according to the rules of the underwriters, to pay one third of the repairs; whereas, if the vessel should be so unfortunate as to be a total loss, the insurers pay all, and that makes a clean and short business of it." Certainly," says the wrecked captain, "that is very true, but I am bound to do the best I can." "All right, sir, but what can you do? you are hard and fast-the tide is at its height, (probably it is then dead low-water,) and you had better let me take full charge, for if not got off this tide, she'll bilge the next. I am a licensed wrecker." The license is produced, signed by the judge of the admiralty court, at Key West. Of course this is all right, at least so the wrecked captain thinks, or pretends to think. "But," continues the unfortunate captain, "if my vessel earns no freight, I earn no wages." "Very true," answers the complacent wrecker, "and I pity your unfortunate case; it is truly deplorable that such injustice is done to such a worthy class of men, and as I shall make something handsome by saving this property, if you give me and my consorts* the full business of wrecking the vessel, I could afford to pay you your wages, and make you a handsome present of three or four thousand dollars.' "But will this all be right?" asks the wrecked captain. "Certainly; you can if you please hand the three or four thousand dollars to the underwriters—that is left to yourself; if you say nothing about it, of course I shan't-I dare not-I should lose my salvage if I did." Enough. The bargain is fixed, the captain has an order on the merchant for the cash, the stranded vessel is in the command of the wrecker, and there need not now be any fear that *Consorting is for several vessels to go shares, and station themselves on different parts of the reef, and when one gets a wreck, he sends to the others to come and help. the owners will have to pay one third for repairs—the vessel will soon be beyond repair. As to the underwriters, they have seen all they will of the bonus paid the captain. An appearance of an effort to get the vessel off, must be kept up among the passengers and the crew, who have heard none of the foregoing conversation, which generally takes place in the captain's private state-room. "Come, boys," cries the wrecker captain to his crew," we must go to work as soon as the tide serves to get her off;" in the mean time, all hands turn to, to lighten her. By all hands is meant all the wrecker's crew. Some of them have already charitably informed the sailors that they have lost their wages by the loss of the vessel, and of course they work no more. The hatches are opened, and the articles taken out till she lightens. By this process she is driven still further on the reef; and when by lightening her she has got so far on that it is impossible to back her off, an attempt is made "to pull her over." To this effect an anchor or two is carried off from her bows, and dropped on the reef; the windlass is then manned, and all hands put to work to drag her over, aided by her sails. It is soon found that is impossible, and she is now in the middle of the reef, beyond hope of getting forward or backward, and here she bilges. In unloading, one would suppose it was to the interest of all parties to save the property in as good a condition as possible-but it is not; the wreckers' interest is to have it a little wetted, inasmuch as a very large per centage as salvage is given on property saved wet, compared to that on the dry-50 per cent, sometimes, on wet, and 7 to 10 on dry. And although the property is taken dry from the stranded vessel, some of it gets damaged on board the wrecker; a great quantity being put upon the decks of these small vessels, for each puts on board as much as he can, as they are paid by the quantity of goods saved and their value, and not by the number of loads. The passage from the wrecked vessel to Key West, is frequently boisterous, and always dangerous. The goods when they are landed at Key West, are consigned to some merchant-probably, as before stated, the owner of the wrecker. The captains of the wrecked and the wrecker are now of course "hail fellows, well met." The latter recommends his own merchant to the former, as his consignee; the merchant invites the captain to his house, makes no charge for his stay, and the captain, in the next paper, publishes a card of thanks for the merchant's "disinterested hospitality." All now is going on swimmingly. The marshal advertises the goods, (and here let me say, that the present marshal discharges his duty like a man and a christian,) the auction sale comes on, and thirty to forty thousand dollars worth of goods are sold on an island containing about five or six merchants, nearly a hundred miles from any inhabited land. Who is to blame? Not the marshal-the law points out his duty, and he pursues it. The advertisement generally consists of publication in a paper, the subscribers of which number about three hundred, nearly all wreckers, owned and supported by the merchants of the Key; and a few written advertisements stuck up around the island, added to this, completes the publication. The marshal can do no better; it is not that it is an unfair sale that is to be complained of, but the whole system is to be reprobated. The day of sale arrives. Who are the bidders? The aforesaid five merchants! How easily might these merchants agree not to run the |