Ivory, in the rough state, is a very considerable article of commerce. The importation of elephants' tusks into Great Britain, for twelve years from 1788 to 1799 inclusively, amounted to 18,914 cwts. or, on an average, to 1576 cwts. annually. Since that period, however, the trade has much increased. The imports in 1831 and 1832 were, at an average, 4130 cwts., of which 2950 cwts. were retained for home consumption. But as the medium weight of a tusk is about sixty lbs. it follows that the yearly imports of 1831 and 1832 must be taken at 7709 tusks, and that, to obtain these, 3854 male elephants must have been destroyed. But, supposing the tusks could only be obtained by killing the animal, the destruction would really be a good deal greater, and must probably have amounted to 4500 or 5000 elephants. Occasionally, however, tusks are accidentally broken, one lost in this way being replaced by a new one; and a good many are also obtained from elephants which have died a natural death. Still it is obvious that the supply from these sources cannot be very large; and if to the quantity of ivory required for Great Britain be added that required for the other countries of Europe, as well as for America and Asia, the slaughter of elephants must, after every deduction, be immense; nor can it fail to excite surprise that the breed of this magnificent animal, and consequently the supply of tusks, has not been more diminished. The western and eastern coasts of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, India, and the countries to the eastward of the Straits of Malacca, are the great mart whence supplies of ivory are obtained. The imports into Great Britain from Western Africa in 1831 amounted to 2575 cwts. whilst the Cape of Good Hope only furnished 198 cwts. During the same year, the imports from India, Ceylon, and other eastern countries, amounted to 2173 cwts. The price per cwt. duty (£1 per cwt.) included, of elephants' tusks in the London market, in December 1833, was as follows:

| Sort | Weight Range | Price | |------|--------------|-------| | 1st sort | 79 to 90 lbs. per tusk | £29 0 0 to £31 0 0 | | 2nd do. | 56 to 60 | £25 0 0 to £23 0 0 | | 3rd do. | 38 to 55 | £23 0 0 to £26 0 0 | | 4th do. | 28 to 37 | £20 0 0 to £24 0 0 | | 5th do. | 18 to 27 | £18 0 0 to £21 0 0 | | Scrimmelloes | 14 | £14 0 0 to £15 0 0 | | Sea-horse teeth | | £5 0 0 |