present we depend mainly upon those grown in Canada, whence we import from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 pounds, and which supply we shall be deprived of, if the reciprocity treaty is abrogated. Our wool growers have favored the termination of this treaty under the impression that it interfered with their interests. This we think an error, for the wool we import from Canada, not only does not compete with that raised in this country, but the drain we make upon the Canadian supply, sends the manufacturers of that country into our markets to buy the fine wools of the United States, which they can purchase for less money than they obtain for their coarser grades. Unfortunately our Custom House returns do not show the amount thus taken; but we have returns from manufacturers in Canada, which show it to be very large, probably equal to one half or two thirds of what we buy in Canada. We now beg to refer to the report to Congress of the Committee on Manufactures, to which we before alluded. In it they state as follows: "The existing tariff admits wool costing eighteen cents per pound and under, at five per cent ad valorem, being, upon an average of the foreign or invoice valuation, about three-fourths of a cent per pound. The second class, valued at eighteen to twenty-four cents, pays three cents per pound; and the third class, valued above twenty-four cents, a duty of nine cents per pound. It was evidently the intention of Congress, in passing this Act, that the wool value below eighteen cents, being the minimum, would be that used for coarse cloths, carpets, &c., and would not come in competition with the lowest grades of wool produced in our own country. This expectation has not been realized; on the contrary, the statistics herewith, from the Treasury Department, show that nearly seven-eighths of the importations of the last fiscal year, were invoiced below the minimum-eighteen cents per pound; the whole importation, in fact, averaging less than seventeen cents per pound. This result is accomplished by fraudulent invoices, or by importing wool in the dirt, to reduce its value, thus defrauding the treasury, and doing great injustice to the wool-growers of our country." We have called this an extraordinary report, not because it recommends a high duty on wool; for, as we must have a large portion of our supply from abroad, and for present emergencies want all the revenue we can have, it appears well enough to tax this article, provided sufficient additional duty is put upon the goods manufactured from it to protect the home manufacturer. This, we think, has been done. The Committee claim that 61,000,000 pounds of wool have been thus imported. This is no more than is required, indeed, considering the shrinkage of the wool imported, it is less than is required to manufacture the goods purchased by the Government for the army. Consequently, if the wools had advanced, as they would have done but for the large importation in anticipation of the tariff, to the extent of the duty, the new duty would have amounted to a bounty from the Government to the wool growers. Wools not having advanced, Government this year has obtained its supply without much added cost, and it is to be hoped that Peace will soon remove the Government as large purchasers. What we wish particularly to notice, in this report, is the clause charging the importers with fraud, viz. "This result is accomplished by fraudulent invoices, or by importing wool in the dirt, to reduce its value; thus defrauding the treasury, doing great injustice to the wool-growers of the country." and One of your Committee on Wool, visited Washington, as the representative of a meeting of wool dealers, importers and manufacturers, and could not learn that any evidence was presented to the Committee, on which this charge was based. As far as he could learn, it was assumed, simply because it seemed to them impossible that so fine wool could be bought at so low a rate. He had with him abstracts of the Prices Current of Buenos Ayres, and the Cape of Good Hope, the chief markets from which fine wools are imported, showing that during the period referred to in the report of the Committee, these wools were not worth eighteen cents, and of Liverpool, Antwerp, and Havre, the principal markets for the same in Europe, showing that they were not in either of them worth enough to enable buyers for these markets, to pay eighteen cents in the producing countries. Not being able to get these before the public through the Committee, we publish them, to disprove the charge of systematic frauds in invoices. We would now add, that we have full opportunity to know the condition of the wool imported, and are confident that there has been no admixture of dirt to reduce its value, and that it is in no worse condition than wools of similar grades shorn in this country without washing, that of the pure blood Silesian sheep wasting as much as like wool imported from Europe. We also present herewith a statement from the Quartermaster General of woolen goods, purchased by the Government for the use of the army during the year 1863, that it may be seen that our estimate of the quantity of wool required for them is reasonable. In addition to these it must be borne in mind that the Government purchased largely of woolen goods for the navy. GEO. WM. BOND, GEORGE LIVERMORE. QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE, GEO. WM. BOND, ESQ., Boston, Mass. SIR: In reply to your communication of the 6th inst., asking to be furnished with an Abstract of the Woolen Goods purchased for the Army in 1863, you are respectfully referred to the following Abstract of Woolen Clothing, purchased and manufactured in the year from July 1, 1862, to June 30, 1863. 1864. STOCK OF FOREIGN WOOL ON HAND AT BOSTON, JANUARY 1, FOR SEVEN YEARS. 1859. 1860. 1861. 1862. 1863. 1865. Bales. Pounds. Bales. Pounds. Bales. Pounds. Bales. Pounds. Rales. Pounds. Bales. Pounds. Bales. Pounds. Smyrna, Syrian, Donskoy, &c. 3,823 1,708,000 3,504 1,400,000 1,419 Buenos Ayres, 715 510,000 1,217 900,000 754 570,000 481 192,000 2,355 900,000 3,588 1,400,000 3,469 1,350,000 662,000 567 190,000 232 78,000 143 47,000 48 17,000 100 33,000 584 163,000 540 150,000 240 72,000 699 350,000 54 21,000 29 14,000 53 22,000 5,897 2,855,000 9,375 4,286,000 8,529 3,520,000 7,939 3,518,000 14,344 6,667,000 10,004 5,086,000 15,312 7,515,000 STOCK OF DOMESTIC WOOL, 1864,-In Boston, 6,000,000 pounds; Philadelphia, 4,000,000 pounds; New York, estimated 2,500,000 pounds. 1865, do. 5,000,000 do. |