lf a million upon the exports of the preceding twelve
months. Tobacco is also an article of great export, and amounted last
year to 94,000 hogsheads, being an increase of two-thirds upon the
previous twelve months. The great staple produce of the neighbourhood is
sugar and molasses. In good years, fifty gallons of molasses go to a
thousand pounds of sugar; but, when the maturity of the cane is impeded
by late rains, as was the case last year, seventy gallons go to the
thousand pounds of sugar. Thus, in 1853, 10,500,000 gallons of molasses
were produced, representing 210,000,000 pounds of sugar; while, in 1854,
18,300,000 gallons of molasses were produced, being nearly double the
produce of the preceding year, but representing only 261,500,000 pounds
of sugar,--owing, as before explained, to the wet weather. Some general
idea of the commercial activity of New Orleans may be formed from the
following statistics for 1853:--2266 vessels, representing 911,000 tons,
entered New Orleans; and 2202 vessels, representing 930,000 tons,
cleared.

Now, of course, the greater portion--or I might almost say the whole--of
the goods exported reach New Orleans by the Mississippi, and therefore
justify the assertion that the safe navigation of that river is, in the
fullest sense of the term, a national and not a local interest, bearing
as it does on its bosom an essential portion of the industrial produce
of eleven different States of the Union.

It is quite astounding to see the legions of steamers from the upper
country which are congregated here; for miles and miles the levee forms
one unbroken line of them, all lying with their noses on shore--no room
for broadsides. On arriving, piled up with goods mountain high, scarce
does a bow touch the levee, when swarms of Irish and niggers rush down,
and the mountainous pile is landed, and then dragged off by sturdy mules
to its destination. Scarce is she cleared, when the same hardy sons of
toil build another mountainous pile on board; the bell rings, passengers
run, and she is facing the current and the dangers of the snaggy
Mississippi. The labour of loading and unloading steamers is, as you may
suppose, very severe, and is done for the most part by niggers and
Irishmen. The average wages are from 7l. to 8l. per month; but, in
times of great pressure from sudden demand, &c., they rise as high as
from. 12l. to 14l. per month, which was the case just before my
arrival. The same wages are pai