again in the office, and the latter, after commending them for their cheerful and energetic performance of duty, signified his intention of increasing the salary of the two elder ones one hundred dollars, and the junior ones fifty dollars, from that day. Except Reuben, they all remained with him for several years, much devoted to his service, until they established themselves in business in different parts of the country with the patronage and support of Mr. Mason. Two of them have paid the debt of nature, after an honorable though short career as merchants. Reuben soon took a fancy to go abroad. He first went out as supercargo to Batavia, and afterward became connected with a house in Cuba, where he realized a fortune, and has returned to Massachusetts to enjoy it, still in the vigor of his manhood, and respected more for his integrity and firmness of character, than for his handsome fortune.

ART. IX.-CONDITION OF POLAND.

COMMERCIAL POLICY OF POLAND BEFORE DISMEMBERMENT-COMMERCIAL POLICY SUBSTITUTED BY RUSSIA-POLAND AN AGRICULTURAL COUNTRY BEFORE ITS DISMEMBERMENT-PRODUCE-POLISH CURRENCY-PRICE OF ARTICLES OF MERCHANDISE-PRICE OF LABOR IN POLAND COMPARATIVE PRICE OF WEARING APPAREL-LIVE-STOCK, ETC.-EFFECTS OF RUSSIAN POLICY, ETC.

We are indebted to Major G. Tochman, a Polish exile, for the following extracts from a letter addressed by him to a gentleman of Boston. Mr. Tochman's object in lecturing in the principal cities and villages of the United States, is to correct the misrepresentations as to the history and present condition of the political affairs of that patriotic but oppressed nation, and the letter of Mr. T. was written to satisfy the inquiries of his Boston correspondent. The extracts contain information that will prove interesting, not only to the commercial, but general reader.

Poland, before the dismemberment, was an agricultural country, in the full signification of the term. Its fertile soil prevented the Poles from becoming manufacturers, and its policy was to adopt the commerce of exchange. Always applying the price of their product to the ratio of the price demanded by foreigners for their goods, the Poles were happy in their commercial pursuits; and whilst foreign merchants drew great profits from Poland, the balance of trade was also profitable to the Poles. All classes of our people were at ease, and thousands of our merchants and owners of land made large fortunes.

Since the dismemberment of Poland, a new commercial policy has been substituted by Russia, Austria, and Prussia; which is, to export as much domestic produce as possible, and to receive in exchange nothing but money. Our commerce became now that of our oppressors, and our produce, exported through Dantzic, is now called "German produce;" and what. ever is exported through Riga and the Black Sea, is called "Russian produce;" so that our wheat, timber, iron, leather, hemp, flax, honey, tallow,

&c. &c., are called either German or Russian, although neither German nor Russian hands till the soil which produces them.

The result of this policy has been, that money is very scarce in all parts of Poland, the laboring class is in a wretched condition, and uneasiness is to be seen even in the magnificent palaces built by our fathers. Many a Pole, who possesses thousands of acres of land, and who has thousands of bushels of wheat in his granaries, finds himself often under diffi. culty to pay taxes and arbitrary contributions. Consequently every thing that the laborer and the soil produce is very cheap-whilst the foreign articles of all kinds are rare, and very dear; the importers of the last being obliged to pay heavy duties, to maintain this new commercial policy.

To give you correct ideas in this matter, allow me to explain here the kind, or rather the value of our currency. In the last two or three centuries before the dismemberment of Poland, copper money was almost unknown in Poland-silver and gold were in circulation-the people scarcely knew any other money than dollars and ducats, (a dollar was of the same value as the American; a ducat is a gold piece worth $2.50 cents:) now a Polish florin, (zloty polski,) which is equal to one shilling of the State of New York, is divided into thirty very small pieces of copper, called "grosze," and for one such piece of copper, that is to say, for one thirtieth of a shilling, you have a loaf of bread, sufficient for the breakfast, dinner, and supper of an American gentleman. The price of wheat is from 18 to 25 cents a bushel: rye, barley, and oats, sell at two thirds or a half of the price of wheat. In some parts of Poland, incorporated with Russia, these articles may be got at a much lower price; whilst for coffee and sugar we must pay from 18 to 25 cents a pound, and for tea from 75 cents to $3.

The consequence is, that the foreign articles, even of the first necessity, as the above, are used by a very few families, in proportion to the popula tion of the country: scarcely one person in a hundred is rich enough to use coffee and tea in Poland, since it has been dismembered. An owner of two or three hundred acres of well-cultivated land, seldom makes use of any article which does not grow on his soil. As to the laboring class, they never see any. The produce of the soil feeds and clothes them.

Having made you somewhat acquainted with the condition to which our people have been reduced "by the paternal laws and policy of the governments of Russia, Austria, and Prussia," which are recommended by some of the writers in this country, "as favorable to the mass of the people,”* I proceed to answer your questions.

A common laborer gains in Poland from 6 to 12 cents per day; a mechanic seldom more than 25 cents. A female servant, in the country, has from 37 to 75 cents per month; a male servant from 50 cents to $1 per month. In the cities, the wages of servants are about one fourth higher. The clothing of the laboring class of both sexes, is comfortable, but very poor-made of linen and woollen cloth, and furs of the country. The whole dress of a country female per annum, costs from $3 to $6; the dress of a laboring man from $4 to $8, including shoes and boots. A pair of shoes used by a laboring female, sells from 18 to 37 cents; and a pair of boots of a laboring man, from 371 to 75 cents. As to the clothing of a lady, this costs nearly as much as in the United States; the cotton

* Paris Correspondent of the National Intelligencer of the 11th of January, 1840.

and silk stuffs, the ribands and other articles necessary to make ladies' dresses, being almost of the same price throughout Poland as here. It is the same with regard to the dress of a gentleman-only that the ladies' shoes and the gentlemen's boots are cheaper in Poland: such shoes as you pay here $1.25 for, are selling in Poland for from 25 to 37 cents; for such boots as cost here $7 or $8, we pay from $2 to $3. But remember, sir, that to get boots for $3, you must sell from 12 to 15 bushels of wheat; and the dress of your lady, worth only $20, will cost you from 80 to 100 bushels of it. A farmer, who has 2,000 bushels of wheat for sale, can buy a silver watch for himself, but not one for his wife; while had he, before the dismemberment of Poland, sold 2,000 bushels of wheat, neither he or his lady and half a dozen of daughters would look at gold watches, not set with diamonds, or at least, with rubies.

The cattle, flocks, and herds, are also very cheap. A milch-cow sells from $2.50 to $8; an ox for labor from $6 to $15; an ox for slaughter from $10 to $30. A horse, such as you pay here $70 for, is worth in some parts of Poland about $25; in the parts of the country incorporated with Russia, such a horse is worth only from $7 to $12. A common sheep sells from 18 cents to $1. Those called " merino sheep," introduced from Spain, are sold from $20 to $100.

The policy which reduced our people to such a condition as this, forced many Poles to open some manufactures of cloth, cotton, silk stuffs, ribands, iron utensils, and others; and all the articles manufactured at home are cheaper by about one third than the articles of the same kind imported from abroad. Some articles are of as good quality as those of the English and French manufacture. But whoever thinks that this is an improvement of the condition of Poland, labors under great mistake: Poland, from its natural situation, can never prosper as a manufacturing state; and the Poles have undertaken to be manufacturers, choosing the least of two evils.

This new industry has not been adopted by the inhabitants of the provinces incorporated with the empire of Russia; the Russian government itself being there the owner of all manufactories, for the purpose of keeping all classes of the Russian subjects under strict and dependant control, and to prevent their communication and intercourse with foreigners; fearing lest such intercourse should open, eventually, the eyes of its slaves.

Yours respectfully,
GASPARD TOCHMAN.

P. S. Allow me to add here, that in consequence of the above described system and policy, in proper Russia all the articles of domestic produce sell at two thirds of the above price-and very often much lower; whilst the foreign articles sell as dear as in Poland, and in some parts of Russia much higher prices are demanded for them. Hence it is, that Russia Proper gives less consumers to the commercial community than even Poland, in her present condition; and this is to be attributed to the fact that the balance of the little trade which this country has with Russia, is always against the United States.

G. T.

ART. X.-COMMERCE OF SOUTHERN PERU.

THE following particulars of the trade of Arica and Tacna in Southern Peru, will probably be of interest to our commercial readers. They are mainly derived from the London Journal of Commerce.

The navigation of Arica from 1829 to the commencement of 1837, the latest date to which the account is made up, is thus stated, arrivals and sailings together:-1829, 99 vessels of 20,722 tons; 1830, 84 of 17,250 tons; 1831, 82 of 16,526 tons; 1832, 77 of 14,470 tons; 1833, 91 of 17,222 tons; 1834, 91 of 19,804 tons; 1835, 85 of 20,378 tons; 1836, 86 of 20,631 tons; 1837, from January 1 to April 30, 34 of 7,941 tons. The shipping thus engaged in carrying on the foreign trade of Arica was principally that of Great Britain, France, and the United States, in the following proportions:-1829-France, 21 vessels, 6,580 tonnage; England, 31 vessels, 5,712 tonnage; United States, 13 vessels, 3,638 tonnage. 1830-France, 26 vessels, 7,109 tonnage; England, 25 vessels, 4,338 tonnage; United States, 8 vessels, 2,368 tonnage. 1831-France, 25 vessels, 6,253 tonnage; England, 25 vessels, 4,955 tonnage; United States, 15 vessels, 2,865 tonnage. 1832-England, 29 vessels, 4,576 tonnage; France, 13 vessels, 3,218 tonnage; United States, 12 vessels, 2,897 tonnage. 1833-England, 28 vessels, 5,580 tonnage; France, 19 vessels, 4,563 tonnage; United States, 13 vessels, 2,869 tonnage. 1834England, 35 vessels, 7,443 tonnage; United States, 15 vessels, 4,496 tonnage; France, 12 vessels, 3,002 tonnage. 1835-England, 27 vessels, 6,836 tonnage; France, 20 vessels, 5,216 tonnage; United States, 9 vessels, 2,868 tonnage. 1836-England, 38 vessels, 8,039 tonnage; United States, 11 vessels, 4,936 tonnage; France, 15 vessels, 4,093 tonnage. Jan. 1 to April 30, 1837:-England, 16 vessels, 3,712 tonnage; France, 10 vessels, 2,628 tonnage; United States, 1 vessel, 231 tonnage.

There are no indications in the customhouse entries from which the values of imports and exports may be gathered. All the merchandise entered at Arica is forwarded to Tacna; that exported is derived from Tacna or some other points of Southern Peru or Bolivia. Tacna, about 35 miles distant from Arica, is the market from whence a part of Lower Peru and that part of Bolivia lying on the Peruvian frontier are supplied. Thus Arica is a port of entrepot and transit only. It is at Tacna that all the business is transacted, and there the heads of commercial houses reside. The erection of Arica into a port of entrepot on the 20th of April, 1836, was one of the first consequences of the revolution by which Southern Peru was separated from North Peru. Some months later this entrepot was declared in common to Lower Peru and Bolivia. The 18th of February, 1839, it again became purely Peruvian. At the end of 1838, that is, when under the régime of common right with Bolivia, the foreign importations were approximatively valued at $1,800,000. The exports were loosely rated at several millions. The proportion in which foreign products contributed to the consumption of the Peru-Bolivian Confederation was reckoned at 2-3ds for English commodities, 1-6th French, and 1-6th for those of the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain together. The English cotton prints have a large sale and are in general use, but some of the finer descriptions and patterns of French printed cambrics, although not in any considerable quantity, get placed, being about

the only article of cottons supplied in those markets from France. They are about 50 per cent higher in price than English printed cambrics of the same sort, and, therefore, only suited for the richer class of consumers. Muslins are of large consumption, but the white only are now in demand; they are furnished chiefly from England and Switzerland. From England also, almost exclusively, the markets of Arica and Tacna are supplied with men and women's white and colored stockings, cambric, counterpanes, florentines, gauze, madapolams of all qualities, pocket-handkerchiefs of all kinds and colors, nankeens white and yellow, percals white and dyed, printed muslin and other shawls, gray calicoes called tocuyos, cotton velvets called panas, cotton thread in balls, &c.

In silk goods France supplies stockings, gros de Naples plain, figured and watered or waved, mantillas, handkerchiefs, (foulards) in piece, ribands and gauzes, satins plain, strong and light, figured satins, serges black and broad, velvets and stuffs for vests, &c. Also sewing silks and gloves assorted. From China are brought levantines, crape and other shawls, black and colored satins, black serge, sewing silk, &c. From England, Germany, Spain and Switzerland also silk stockings, cravats, handkerchiefs, stuffs for vests, ribands of all sorts, taffetas, serge and sewing silks are imported. In woollen cloths the English make is preferred by the Peruvians as being of better finish, better pressed, lighter and cheaper than French or other foreign woollens. French merinos, however, were without competition, but being high priced they were of limited consumption, only among the classes in easy circumstances. The more favorite colors some time ago were white, blue, pearl gray, soft yellow, red and rose. All other sorts of woollen tissues are almost exclusively derived from England, such as Cashmere shawls printed, stockings, bayetas or coarse flannels, imitation carpeting, &c. Linen cloths are chiefly supplied from England and the Hanse towns. Iron unworked is furnished from England, Spain, and Sweden; paper from Spain, France and Italy; perfumery from France; earthenware from England and France; cutlery, English and German; glassware, a good deal from Germany. In assorting cargoes for the PeruBolivian markets care should be taken that the quantities of each article should not be too large.

The exports from Arica are composed for the most part of Bolivian products. Those of Peru are little else than saltpetre and cotton. The saltpetre is shipped at Iquique and Pisagua, the first distant about 112 miles from Arica, the other 55. It forms a part always of the return cargoes for Europe. The contraband trade in European goods was formerly extremely active on these two points, and it was for its repression that the obligation was imposed on all vessels going there to load, to unship and leave at Arica all the merchandise subject to duty which they might have on board. The cotton of the valleys of Sama and Lluta is of good quality; and particularly since a clearing machine or saw-gin has been established at Tacna by a British merchant, Peruvian cottons have become more valuable, and their cultivation has been considerably extended. A speculation was tried once by some parties of shipping silver ore at Iquique, the produce of the province of Tarapaca, but the results were not encouraging and the speculation was abandoned. The principal Bolivian products exported from Arica are quinquina (jesuits' bark,) copper, bismuth and wool. The quinquina of the yungas of La Paz and of the provinces of Majos and Apolobamba is the most esteemed of all America, and large quantities of