The State Of Trade

Dun, Barlow & Co. 's Mercantile Agency, of New York, have just published their annua) circular of statisties, showing the nnmber of failures that have occurred tbroughout the United States and the Dominion of Canada during tho last year, together with the amount of liabilities. The number reported in business in 1876 in the United States is given at 630,099 and 54,282 in the Dominion of Canada. The number of failures duiing the year in the United States was 9,092, the amount of liabilities beiDg 8191 117,786. The number of failures in Canada was 1,728, the lia biliües being $25,517,991. These figures indicate an increase in failures during 1876 of 1,350 in number as compared with 1875, which, in its turn, showed an increase of nearly 2,000 over those of 1874. The liabilities of 1876, notwithstanding the increase in the number of failures, show a diaúnution, and the average amount of indebtedness last year in each failure is muoh lower than for rnauy years previous. The average liabilities in 1876 m the United States was $21,020. Of the 9,0t2 failures in the United States, 887 were in New York city, the average liabilities being $37,479. The total number of failurr a in the United States during the four previous years was as follows : In 1875, total failures, 7,740,; average liabilitics, $25,960 ; in New York city, 951 failures ; average liabilities, $5Í,769. In 1874, total failures, 5,830; average liabilities, $26,627; in New York citv, 645 ; average liabilities, $50,510. In Ï873, total failures, 5,183 ; average liabilities, $44,085; in New York city, 644 failures ; average liabilities, $143,843. In 1872, total failures, 4,069 ; average liabilities, $29,996 ; in New York eity, 385 faimres ; average liabilities, $53,724. The circular then says : The markod reduction in the average liabilities of 1876 indieates that tho wider the wave of trouble extends the groater tho numbor of small traders it iucludes. It may be interesting to discover in what section of country the finuncial pressure has been the most severe, and with that view tho following table is presentid : , iö6. No. of Amount oj FailurCH. Liabililies. New England States 1,314 $37,657,002 Middlo Stat, :2,9Ö0 722'6?1 Western States 3,139 62,870,541 Kmthern States ....1,861. 23,083,266 JW1& bmk - 25,617,991 S::::5:íg ; fiSt1 1968 ÍSÍn Sow Eugiand States 790 ..JS Mídale States 2,035 SSS'Sfl asrüir.-.-.v.::""-.".-. ■. j_1873 New Eagland States C 599 ftfgfö Middlo States 1,91 , nin no WosUTn States M 'JS'Sw Southern StatOB 917 1J,C85,WJO SÍÍ.'.V.".".V.: 23ÏM92 SiSTSstatc9 ::il872 fe-:::::::::::? gjss Southern States w "'" ' Paciflo States Canada . . "'"Li.' In 1876 the rmrnber In business, wo percentage of failures and the average liabilities were as follows : A-o. in Percentage Average iminr.ua. offaüures. Liabihties New Englaud States. 77,559 1 in 69 8,6 Middle SUtes 105,184 1 in 87 24,800 Western SUtca 225,39 1 lu 72 16,843 Southern States 87,140 1 In 64 16,960 Plfic States 22,313 1 m 60 14,261 Canada 51,000 1 m 3J H.767 Aü examination of the above table conürma the impreasion, whioh has been verv general, that trade in tho Western and Southern States has been less chsastrous than that of the Eastern and Middle Btates. It is a significant cir ■ cumstance that the failures m the Middle States are 1 in every 57 names reported in business, while in the Western States the proportioii is 1 in every 72 but the comparison between the East and the South is even more signiücant, for in New Eogland, with all lts wealth and solidity, 1 in every 59 has yielded to the prossure of the times, while in the South, with all its poverty its poliücal and olher disabilities, the percentage of failures is only 1 in every 64. Even iu Canada, where there is a gald basis, light taxatioa, freedom from political complications and all other favoring oonditions, the above showing is indicativo of mucli greiiter pressure thim in the United Statee, the faüures ín the Dominion neme 1 in every 32. In England no very accurate figures are obtainable, and none of course as yet for the past year, but for 1875 a return was made of" 1,700 failures among 6'), 000 firma prominent in trade, indicating 1 f ailure for ewry 36 linns reportad m business, wiüian average liabüity of $87,870. Tlie figures for the United Sfcates.snowiiig a f ailure of 1 in every 63, with an average iiabilitj of $21,000, indicate that the pressure of the times has been either not so greut in this country as elsewhere, or that it has been borne with lesa disastrous resulta.