Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review

THE official returns have now been made up showing the quantities and value of the imports and exports of France the past year. It seems that the total value of the imports taken for consumption in the year 1864, was 2,480,214,000f.; in 1863, 2,426,379,000f.; in 1862, 2,198,555,000f.; and 1861, 2,442,328,000f. The total value of the exports of French productions was, in 1864, 2,909,429,000f; in 1863, 2,642,559,000f.; in 1862, 2,242,681,000f.; and in 1861, 1,926,260,000f In the imports, the principal articles were hides, skins, and furs, silk, wool, sugar, timber, cotton, coal. Of cotton, the value was 315,606,000f. in 1864, which was 53,000,000f. more than in 1863, and 189,000,000f. more than in 1862. In exports, the principal articles were silk, wool, and cotton tissues; articles in skin and leather; turnery, mercery, and buttons; ready-made clothes and linen, wines and brandies.

As to the precious metals, which are not included in the preceding totals, the value of them (comprising a small sum for copper and platina coin) was in im ports, in 1864, 733,500,000f.; in 1863, 532,603,000f.; 1862, 536,418,000f.; and 1861, 491,586,000f.; and the exports were, in 1864, 655,406,000f.; in 1863, 587,818,000f.; 1862, 455,910,000f.; and 1861, 502,480,000f.

We gave last month (March number, 1865, page 211,) the full returns of the movements of the precious metals, with the countries from which the imports came and to which the exports went. It is unnecessary to repeat those tables now, but below will be found in detail the value of the principal imports and exports of French production for the last three years: