CALIFORNIA.

Wellington Independent, Volume VII, Issue 586, 24 May 1851, Page 4

CALIFORNIA.

[Communicated byS. Rkvans, Esq.]

Flour.—The Stock at San Francisco January Ist 1851, was 100,000 bags, say of 200 lbs. each, Consumption in 1850 estimated at 300,000 bags of 200 lbs. each ; by 150,000 people. Immigration in 1850, 76,000. Emigration and deaths 36,000-; both greater than likely to occur in 1851. Immigration for 1851 estimated at 50,000, and it is more likely to be greater than smaller; Population of California estimated to be 200,000 at close of 1851. Consumption of Flow assumed will be in same proportion in 1851 as in 1850, and there is no reason why it should not be ; if this prove correct California will require 400,000 ba«s of 200 lbs. each in 1851. °

Supply.—ln 1850 was 300,000 bags of 200 lbs. each; of which 220,000 tags

were from Chili, which was stated to have had an unusually large crop in 1849 ; yet prices rose from 4£ to G dollars per bag, towards the close of 1850, a certain body of merchants acting in company engaged to send 25,000 bags per month, or 300,000 bags in 1850; yet they and those who did not combine with them sent altogether only 220,000 bogs. The Colonies and America on the Atlantic supplied the remainder. Flour in the Australian Colonies has advanced from £10 to £17 per ton, within three months after the harvest of 1850, without any California or other foreign demand, it is fair therefore to assume that the crops of our neighbours have proved deficient, and that they have little if any flour to spare California this year.

The flour from the Atlantic States has ulmost invariably arrived in California in a damaged state, which is attributed, but with what justice has not been substantiated, to having twice passed the line. Loss has almost invariably attended such shipments, while the accounts received in the Atlantic States from California up to the end of April 1851 will most probobly bo unfavourable to such shipments. Shipments from the Atlantic States consequently are not likely to be made in May 1851, nor in fact even after shippers shall have heard of steadily increasing prices in California. The first accounts will lead speculators to imagine the advance merely temporary ; later they will consider it speculative ; finally they will be convinced it is consequent upon short supplies. But whensoever they might fuel inclined to ship from that date five months would be the average period of their cargoes being on the passage to California; consequently it does not appear probable that any important shipments could be made that would arrive before the close of 185 Knowing that they could not get to market before that period they would maturely hesitate, without important circumstances which will have their influence, to ship from asserting that their old flour, which had twice crossed the line, would be going to market just as the Australian and Chilianharharvests of 1851 had been reaped, and that in all probability it would have to compete with the fresh flour of the Pacific, which had had only once to cross the line. But there are other important circumstances to influence them ; and they are the probability of a material advance in the price of flouiyn the Atlantic States, and a most promising demand or market in Europe. The English press states that the result of the English harvest is a low average crop; that Belgium has suffered to the extent of nearly a total destruction of crops, by the inundation of the floods ; that France has suffered great deterioration of crops from excess of untimely rain, though fortunately her Parisian granaries are well filled; and that Southern Russia has nearly lost her wheat crop from the dryness of the season. The demand is likely to prove great in Europe, while one of the chief sources of supply, Odessa, will send but little if any to its assistance, happily however the Atlantic States are reported/jjtoS/have had a most prolific harvest. Under those circumstances it does not appear probable that the Atlantic will send any material shipments of flour \o the Pacific either in the latter part of 1851 or in tho early part of 1852.

Demand.—California it is assumed will need 400,000 bags in 1851. It does not appear probable that Chili will have more to send in 1851 than she sent 1850 ; have in 1850; here then is a probable deficiency of 180,000 bags of 200 lbs. each in 1851. It is true California had a stock •of 100,000 bags'atithe beginning of the

year, but this is equivalent to v supply only for 3 months which is not more than such a population importug'as it does all its bread stuffs should always have in store. It appears therefore very likely that flour will be scarce this year in the Pacific, and the sole object of these remarks is to invite the attention of the farmers and merchants of the Australian Colonies to the important fact.