NOTE ON THE EXPORT TRADE IN PERUVIAN BARK FROM THE PORTS OF SOUTH AMERICA, AND ON THE IMPORT TRADE INTO ENGLAND.

Arica, the port for the "Calisaya" bark from Bolivia. In 1859 the export of bark amounted to 192,600 lbs., valued at 17,334l.; and between January and November, 1860, to 388,800 lbs., valued at 35,000l.

Islay, another port for the "Calisaya" bark from Bolivia. In 1859 the export of bark amounted to 146,000 lbs., valued at 13,460l. (of which 136,500 lbs. went to England, and 9500 lbs. to France); and between January and November, 1860, to 107,700 lbs., valued at 9770l.

Payta, the port for the "Crown" barks from Loxa. The price of bark at this port for the last nine years has been twenty-four dollars the cwt.; but during the last year the price has risen to thirty dollars, where it is likely to remain for some time. The usual annual export amounts to 140,000 lbs., the actual quantity shipped in 1861, and it is valued at 8400l.

Guayaquil, the port for the "Red" bark and the "West Coast Carthagena" bark. The quantity exported varies very much in different years, the price being at present about twenty dollars the cwt. In 1857 the export of bark amounted to 516,600 lbs.; in 1858 to 533,300 lbs.; in 1859 to 201,700 lbs.; in 1860 to 91,500 lbs.; and in 1861 to 443,700 lbs.; valued in the last of these years at 17,748l.

The "Grey" barks were exported, in former years, from Callao, and in small quantities from Huanchaco and Lambayeque, but of late years none has been exported.

The "Carthagena" barks from New Granada are exported from the ports of Carthagena and Santa Martha, and also from the little port of Tumaco on the Pacific coast. From 1849 to 1855 great quantities were exported, but in the latter year the supply began to fail. The existing civil war in New Granada has still further injured this trade. No reliable account of the export of bark from the above ports of New Granada has been received.

From the four ports of Arica, Islay, Payta, and Guayaquil the average amount of bark annually exported may be taken at 912,900 lbs., valued at 59,076l. Small quantities may come from other ports, of which no authentic account has been obtained; so that the total amount annually exported from South America may be estimated at considerably over 2,000,000 lbs.

There being no duty on the importation of Peruvian bark into England, the returns of the amount imported are much less carefully kept than was formerly the case. The returns, too, are in packages, and not in lbs. or cwts., and these packages vary in weight from 120 lbs. to 60 lbs. The number of packages of Peruvian bark imported into England in 1858 was 19,831; in 1859 the number was 10,651; in 1860 it was 10,456; and in 1861 it was 20,748. Taking the average of the weight of the packages at 80 lbs. each, the quantity imported into England during the last four years would be 4,934,880 lbs., and in the year 1861 about 1,659,840 lbs.

The quantity of Peruvian bark imported into England during the three months ending on March 31st, 1861, was reported to be 306,300 lbs., and during the same period, in the present year, 310,700 lbs. At this rate the annual import would be a little over 1,200,000 lbs., which is probably more correct than the above estimate from the packages.

THE END.

LONDON: PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET, AND CHARING CROSS.