and imports at the end of the present period of twenty-five years? Already trade, breaking through new channels, begins to empty into our lap the treasures of India, and when the great tide which bears that commerce upon it shall have actually set in, as it assuredly will, you may measure the waters of the ocean, and count the stars of the firmament, but arithmatic will fail in the effort to calculate the extent of wealth which will flow into our cities. Ancient Tyre, but a mere peninsula, enjoyed a rivulet of that trade, and she grew into the most mighty of cities. Venice and Genoa, in the course of time, possessed it; and their Doges proclaimed them the brides of the sea. But, say ye, who shall foretell the future, ye venerable Scers, if any such there be now on this earth, what dowry shall equal that of America, when the Atlantic shall have fully wedded that of America?” STATISTICS OF POPULATION, &c. POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE VALUE.OF THEIR PRODUCTS. The Secretary of the Treasury, in a communication to Congress in 1856, gives the following table, showing the population of the different States and territories, and the value of real and personal estate therein, prepared in part from enumerations and valuations, and in part from estimates : The footing of the above table shows a population of 26,964,313, with property, real and personal, amounting to $9,817,641,072. To this to be added for property not valued for under valuation, and for rise in the value of property since 1850, $1,500,000,000; giving a total of $11,317,641,072. In the construction of this table, when the enumerations and valuations are not given from official state returns, it has been assumed that the population and property of the country have increased in the same ratio since the general census of 1850, in which they increased during the decennial period from 1840 to 1850. The increase has, without doubt, been proportionally greater. In some States the latest official valuations have been given. These are of various dates, and are, it is believed, much too low. The valuation for Massachusetts is for 1850; for Maryland and Michigan, for 1853; for Connecticut, New York, and Missouri, for 1854; and for other States, for 1855. With respect to some of the States, the official valuation is so very low, that it has been deemed necessary to add to it considerably, in order to represent fairly the true value of the property in those States. Thus, to Pennsylvania, $500,000,000 have been added; to Virginia, Tennessee, and Missouri, $100,000,000 each. Texas and California are exceptional cases, and their population and wealth have been estimated upon such data as could be obtained. The Controller of Texas is the authority for that State. The Governor of Georgia says, in a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury, dated the 18th of April, 1856, that in that State "the total amount of the taxable property of all kinds is about $500,000,000." The Governor of Minnesota says, in a letter dated January 29th, 1856, that the returns he transmits of the value of the property in that territory, "are but approximations," the returns not being complete. The official valuation of the property in the territory of Nebraska, for the year 1855, was so small-only $617,822—-that it was thought proper to double it in the table, and it is still too low, probably. The Auditor of the State of Indiana says, in his annual report, (November 24, 1855,) “a new valuation of the real estate would probably make the total taxables $380,000,000.” The territories of Kansas, Nebraska, and Washington, do not appear at all in the census of 1850, except as component parts of other States or territories, and, with respect to them, the estimated numbers and values may be very inaccurate, as they may be, indeed, with respect to the other territories, and some of the new States. The State valuations of property are for assessment purposes, and are not only low, but the taxable property only has been valued; and in all the States there are many kinds of property, some of it valuable, that are not taxed. Supposing the whole population of the United States to be 27,000,000, then, taking the State of Maine as a criterion, with respect to the value of property, the amount for all the States and territories will be, in round numbers, about $5,760,000,000. Taking the State of New York as a criterion, the amount will be, in round numbers, about $10,611,000,000. Taking the State of Kentucky, then it will be about $10,000,000,000. Taking the State of Illinois, it will be about $7,290,000,000. Taking the State of Georgia, it will be about $14,430,000,000. Taking the two extremes, the maximum and the minimum, Georgia and Maine united, it will be about $10,000,000,000. Taking Ohio and Kentucky, which will make perhaps a very fair mean, the amount will be $10,268,000,000. Taking the seven States as a criterion, the amount will be about $9,233,000,000. This is too low, however, for the official valuation is too low in them all, unless it be Georgia. THE IRISH CENSUS OF 1851. The Irish Census Commission of 1851 has completed its task, and the sixth part and tenth volume of the series of publications, which began with the record of the population, presented to the Lord-Lieutenant in 1851 and 1852, has been laid before the Earl of Carlisle. In reference to the famine and emigration of 1845 and the following disastrous years, the Commissioners set down the total decrease of the rural population from that double cause at 19.85 per cent, or exactly at 1,622,739; but of course this enormous figure does not truly represent the havoc then made by death and voluntary exile. There being no general measure for the registration of births, marriages, and deaths in Ireland, the Commissioners had no data whereby to ascertain what should have been the normal increase of the population between 1841 and 1851. The total loss of population from 1841 to 1851 was not less than 2,466,414. It appears that in 1851 there was a net decrease of 271,006 houses below 1841. Yet, notwithstanding this decline, there was "more houses by a considerable number in 1851 than the wants of the diminished population required.” RAILROAD, CANAL, AND STEAMBOAT STATISTICS. COMMERCE OF THE OHIO CANAL AT CLEVELAND. Our esteemed correspondent, Mr. Barry, of the Commercial Gazette, has furnished to our hands the following tabular statement of the leading articles arrived and cleared at the port of Cleveland on the Ohio Canal, during the years 1853, 1854, 1855, and 1856, in barrels, bushels, pounds, feet. &c., with the amount of money received at the Collector's office for tolls, water rents, fines, and penalties: THE RAILWAYS CONNECTED WITH MONTREAL. In another part of the present number of the Merchants' Magazine will be found an article on "Montreal: its Trade and Commerce." In this connection we give, from the same reliable sources, a statement of the facilities possessed by Montreal as regards railway communication. The intimate and growing commercial intercourse between Canada and the United States render it peculiarly proper that a magazine which has a wide circulation in both countries should note the industrial progress of each. A great chain of railways now links the East with the West, but space is only at our disposal to review those lines with which Montreal directly connects. The first claiming notice, in order of time, is THE CHAMPLAIN AND ST. LAWRENCE RAILROAD, Which is constructed between the St. Lawrence, at St. Lambert, or South Montreal and Rouse's Point, on Lake Champlain. It was chartered from Laprairie to St. John's in 1831, commenced in 1835, and was open for traffic in 1836. The charter authorizing an extension from St. John's to Rouse's Point and the branch to St. Lambert, was granted in 1851; it was opened for traffio throughout in 1852. Its total length, including the Laprairie branch, is fortynine miles, and the cost of road, wharves, stations, and equipment, amounted to £381,195. This, the oldest railroad in Canada, connects at Rouse's Point with the Ver mont and Canada Railroad, and with all the lines of railroad to Boston, New York, and all parts of the New England States, and also with the Ogdensburgh Railroad and with the Lake Champlain steamers, thus affording the greatest facilities for communication with New York, Boston, Albany, Troy, Rochester, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Canada West, and the Western States, and being a direct and uninterrupted railroad route to the cities above named. Goods are conveyed be tween Montreal and Boston, New York and intermediate places, without transhipment; and by this route passengers reach Boston in 13 hours, New York in 15 hours, Buffalo in 24 hours, and Chicago in 48 hours. The next road claiming notice, in order of seniority, is THE MONTREAL AND NEW YORK RAILROAD, Which comprises, firstly-the Lachine Division, extending from Montreal to Lachine, a distance of 8 miles. It was commenced in 1846, and opened for traffic in 1847. A prominent feature in this road is the steam ferry, between Lachine and Caughnawaga, running directly across the St. Lawrence, a distance of about three-fourths of a mile, but which is increased by the course of the navigation to nearly 2 miles. This, it may be remembered by the way, is the only steam ferry in Canada East which is open every day in the year. The crossing is made with a powerful steamer, which has been built with a railroad track on its deck, for the purpose of connecting the two divisions of the Montreal and New York Railroad without breaking bulk. The Iroquois crosses the St. Lawrence with a locomotive and tender, and three loaded cars at one time; and this work it is capable of repeating every 15 minutes, if necessity requires it. And, secondly, the Caughnawaga Division, extending from Caughnawaga to the Province Line, a distance of 29 miles. It was commenced in 1851, and opened for traffic in 1852. The total length of the Montreal and New York Railroad, including the ferry, (of say 2 miles,) is 39 miles, and its cost, including superstructure, locomotives, cars, buildings, steamer, wharves, ferry slips, extra land, and general equipment, was £238,229 2s. 9d. currency. Its connections are, firstly, with the various steamers at Lachine; and, secondly, with the Plattsburgh and Montreal Railroad at the Province Line to Plattsburgh, a distance of 23 miles-making in all 62 miles from Montreal. It crosses and connects with the Ogdensburgh Railroad at Mooer's Junction for |