STATISTICS OF THE BANKS IN BOSTON. The Boston banks, in accordance with the provisions of an act of the Legisla ture of Massachusetts, commenced making weekly returns of their condition on the 5th of June, 1854. The following table, compiled by our valued correspondent, JOSEPH G. MARTIN, Stock Broker, Boston, shows the condition of the banks for each week of the year, from the commencement of the present system of making returns :— WEEKLY STATEMENTS OF BOSTON BANKS FOR 1854 AND 1855-56. • Maverick Bank, capital $400,000, commenced September 25, 1854. • Grocers' Bank, capital $750,000, omitted from weekly statements December 3, 1855, CAPITAL STOCK. This was $30,880,000 June 5, 1854, and then gradually increased until reaching $32,710,000 May 7, 1855. Up to December 3d it continned the same, when the stoppage of the Grocers' Bank reduced it to $31,960,000, the present amount. The Legislature has refused all applications for increase of capital by any of the Boston banks, and allowed only $375,000 in the whole State. LOANS AND DISCOUNTS. The average of the loans of 1855-6, it will be seen, is considerably larger than that of 1854-5. The lowest point of the loans was $48,369,492 at the commencement of making the weekly returns, and the highest $54,343,166 October 15, 1855. The loans at first gradually increased to $52,102,498 September 11, and then steadily declined again, with some fluctuations, to $48,389,303 January 1, 1855. An upward turn then commenced, touching $52,114,800 February 26, and continuing very steady, not varying $600,000 for sixteen weeks, but finally rising to $54,343,166 October 15, which was the turning point; and December 3d they had fallen to $48,794,226. The stopping of the Grocers', however, at this time, took out over $1,200,000, and but for that the loans would not have shown less than $50,000,000 any time since January 22d, 1855. On the 28th of last January, we find the loans had again turned $52,000,000, since which they have maintained great evenness, the extreme fluctuations being inside of $1,000,000, as will be seen by the table. SPECIE IN BANK. This important item is the most sensitive of all the others, and has had its " ups and downs" to an equal extent with any. It opened at $2,860,277, receding to $2,295,152 September 18, and then gradually increased to $3,422,696 November 6, from which a reduction to $2,261,805 occurred in four weeks, and it again turned $3,000.000 January 8, 1855. For the twentyeight succeeding weeks the specie continued above $3,000,000, and not rising higher than $3,598,651 June 18, 1855, during the whole time. With some moderate fluctuations, we find it again gradually reduced to $2,127,544 November 12, 1855, the lowest point touched within the two years, and at a time when the loans were over $52,000,000. In three weeks, however, the increase was about $1,500,000, and since then the specie has been well maintained-at one time (April 21) reaching the maximum point of $4,631,919. DEPOSITS. These were $13,270,002 at first, but fell off to $11,903,930, September 25, and then rose to $14,570,929 November 6, again running down to $11,211,333 December 25, 1854, which was the lowest point reached. After this, a gradual reaction took place, rising to over $15,000,000 April 9, and with moderate fluctuations, touched $16,157,440 October 8, 1855. November 26th, they had receded to $13,051.782, and then with a gradual and steady improvement reached $17,382,004 on the 5th of May last. CIRCULATION. The highest point of circulation was $9,158,459 July 10, 1854, and the lowest $6,800,947 March 31, 1856. From March 5 to April 2, 1855, it kept very even and almost down to the lowest figures, being under $7,000,000 all the time. It will be seen that the average for 1854-5 was about $300,000 above that of 1855-6. GOLD AND SILVER COINAGE OF THE UNITED STATES. The following table of the gold and silver coinage of the United States, from its establishment in 1792, and including the coinage of the Branch Mints and the Assay Office (New York) from their organization, is condensed from the Report of the Secretary of the Treasury. This table covers a period of 63 years. We have omitted the cent column in each year from considerations of economy in space, but have included it in the aggregates for the 63 years : In 1844, we estimated the specie in circulation and in the banks at $100,000,000, and we now (1856) think it will exceed $275,000,000. 894,786 1853 55,213,906 9,077,571 64,291,477 967,975 1854 52,094,595 8,619,270 60,713,865 1,845.677 1855 41,166,557 2,893,745 44,060,302 1,720,968 $385,506,545 34 93,552,404 90 485,847,538 80 BANKING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. There appear to be three banks carrying on business in South Australia-the South Australian Banking Company, the Union Bank of Australia, and the Bank of Australasia. We have the official statement of account of two of thesethe Bank of Australasia to the 15th October, 1855, the Union Bank of Australia, to the 1st October, 1855. It may be remarked that the transactions of the South Australian Banking Company, are on a much larger scale than those of the other banks, mere branches. CONDITION OF THE BANKS OF OHIO. In the Merchants' Magazine for May, 1856, (vol. xxxiv., page 660,) we gave a condensed view of the condition of the banks of Ohio for the quarter ending on the first Monday in February, 1856; in continuation of that exhibit, we have compiled a similar statement for the quarter ending on the first Monday in May: Total...... ..... $2,620,150 66 $2,706,542 14 $15,718,835 84 $3,108,611 77 $3,620,150 66 $2,706,542 14 $15,718,835 84 $3,108,611 77 CONDITION OF THE BANKS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. We compute from the official report dated at the office of the Controller General, and published in the Standard, Charleston, June 11, 1856, an aggregate statement of such of the banks of South Carolina, as have accepted the provisions of the act of December 18th, 1840, showing their condition for the month of May, 1856. And all other moneys due, exclusive of bills in circulation, profits on hand, balances due other banks, and money bearing interest. |