“From this port shipments of the article began to be made during the latter half of the year 1880, and, considering that this trade has only so recently taken its rise, and that by this time it has already assumed rather important proportions, I felt called upon to prepare the present report, giving some information concerning the same. “In order to show, as nearly correct as possible, the course this trade has taken from its commencement to the present time, I made up the following statement, which exhibits the quantity and value of such tobacco shipped from Amsterdam to the United States during each quarter since such shipments first began to be made, viz.:— ──────────────────────────────┬────────────┬──────────── Quarters ending— │Quantities. │ Value. ──────────────────────────────┼────────────┼──────────── │ Bales. │ $ September 30, 1880 │ 311│ 37,694 December 31, 1880 │ 454│ 52,113 │ ————————│ ———————— Total │ 765│ 89,807 │ ————————│ ———————— │ │ March 31, 1881 │ None.│ None. June 30, 1881 │ 558│ 56,958 September 30, 1881 │ 1,162│ 128,474 December 31, 1881 │ 1,059│ 114,758 │ ————————│ ———————— Total │ 2,779│ 300,190 │ ————————│ ———————— │ │ March 31, 1882 │ 496│ 52,203 June 30, 1882 │ 1,464│ 140,184 September 30, 1882 │ 2,245│ 254,372 December 31, 1882 │ 2,785│ 333,254 │ ————————│ ———————— Total │ 6,990│ 780,013 ──────────────────────────────┴────────────┴──────────── “From this statement it will be observed that the export of the article to the United States is constantly and very largely increasing; and when it is further taken into account that certain quantities of it were invoiced and shipped from Rotterdam and Bremen as well, it may safely be stated that about 9000 bales of Sumatra tobacco entered our markets in 1882. “What has created, increased, and what sustains this trade appears to be: “1st. That certain qualities of Sumatra tobacco in certain dark colours have been found to be peculiarly and advantageously adaptable for cigar-wrappers, and are gaining more and more in favour with manufacturers of cigars in the United States; and