lumber. The line passes through fine timber lands and extensive prairies. The soil for road bed is, much of the distance, sand and gravel, so that a foundation will be made, of the best kind, at a cheap rate. Our readers, on looking at the map of the United States, will see how necessary is this railroad between the extremes of Lakes Erie and Michigan, to the formation of the great line touching the Atlantic, the lakes, and the Mississippi, and bringing these great water avenues into one system of commercial operations. IMPORTS OF HIDES INTO NEW YORK IN 1849. We give below a tabular statement of Hides imported into New York, from the 1st of January to 31st of December, 1849, as compiled for the Merchants' Magazine, from a statement prepared by William M. Brown, hide broker: a And St. Thomas; b and Porto Cabello; e from neighboring cities; chases made in Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. chiefly pur The above table shows the quantity imported into New York from different places, and the subjoined table the total quantity, in each month of the year, beginning and ending as above:— IMPORT OF FOREIGN COAL INTO THE UNITED STATES IN 1849. The following is an official statement of the amount and value of coal imported into the United States during the year ending the 30th June, 1849: For a statement of the quantity of coal imported into the United States in each year from 1821 to 1848, inclusive, see Merchants' Magazine for September, 1849, (vol. xxi., page, 278,) article on the "Coal Trade," etc. SHIP BUILDING IN MAINE. We gather the following particulars of ship building in Maine, during the year 1849, from statements published in the Portland Advertiser, the Bath Tribune, and a statement made by the Collector of the district of Waldoboro'. In the district of Bath, composed of Bath, Bowdoinham, Pittston, Richmond, Brunswick, Phipsburg, Thopsham, Augusta, Gardiner, Vassalboro', Georgetown, Woolwich, and Waterville, there were built, during the year, of ships, 27; barks, 7; brigs, 5; schooners, 4; steamers, 1. The average tonnage of ships was 678; barks, 359; brigs, 169; schooners, 136. The total tonnage built in the district amounts to 22,263. The tonnage built in the district of Waldoboro', including that place and Warren, Thomaston, East and West Thomaston, Damariscotta, Newcastle, Bristol, and St. George, amounted to 23,965 tons. The tonnage built in the Collection district of Portland and Falmouth, during the same year, amounted to 10,179 tons. EXPORTS OF BREAD STUFFS FROM THE UNITED STATES. We give below a tabular statement of the quantity and value of wheat and rye flour, corn meal, wheat, rye, oats, ship-bread, &c., exported from the United States to foreign countries, during the year commencing on the first day of July, 1848, and ending on the 30th of June, 1849: Wheat....bush. Flour......bbls. Ind. Corn...bush. Ind Meal.. bbls. Quantity. Value. 1,527,534 $1,756,848 Rye Meal....... bbls. Quantity. Value. 64,830 $218,248 139,793 bbls. 111,372 364,318 21,378 13,257,309 405,169 7,966,369 Ship Bread. 1,169,625 Ship Bread..... ..kegs The total value of the above articles is $22,895,783. COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS. THE NEW MEXICAN TARIFF. Official notice is hereby given, by the undersigned, of the following alterations made by the General Congress during its present session, in the Mexican tariff of 4th October, 1845: ARTICLE 1.-The ports open to foreign commerce, and to scaleage and coasting, are Vera Cruz, Tampico, Matamoras, Campeche, Sisal, and Tebasco, in the Gulf of Mexico; and Acapulco, San Blas, Huratalco, Manzanillo, and Mazatlan, in the Pacific. ARTICLE 2.-The ports open to the coasting trade are Guaymas, and Altata, in the Gulf of California; Isla del Carmen, Goazacoalcos, Alvarado, Tecoluta, Santecomapan, Soto la Marina, Tuxpan, in the Gulf of Mexico; Bacalar, on the eastern coast of Yucatan; Tonala, on the Pacific; Santa Maria, in the Gulf of Tehuantepec; and La Par, in the Gulf of California. ARTICLE 3.-Frontier custom-houses are established en la Frontera del Norte, Matamoros, Camargo, Presidio del Norte, and en la Frontera del Sur, Comitan, and Tuatla Chico. ARTICLE 4. In addition to the smaller vessels in the revenue service, as per the decree of 13th July, 1840, the government may establish in the Gulf of Mexico a steamer and six revenue cutters, and on the Pacific coast, a steamer and seven revenue cutters, the expenses of repairs, wages, and provisioning of which, shall be included in those of administration. The government will issue orders in regard to the service of these vessels, and to their cruising, as also to the officers of the custom-houses to which they may be attached. ARTICLE 5.-The government will form, and submit to Congress for approval, an estimate of cost of building custom-house, stores and offices, in those places where there are none. ARTICLE 6.-The custom-houses for the coasting trade belong to the general government, and will be under the control of the nearest maritime custom-house. ARTICLE 7.-The importation of side and fire arms is permitted on payment of an import duty of $4 per quintal, gross weight. The government will take such measures as to prevent their introduction being injurious to public order and tranquillity. ARTICLE 8.-The 18th article of the tariff is abolished, and the goods therein specified shall pay an ad valorem duty of 40 per cent on the value of the invoice, except the following articles, which shall continue to pay the duties designated in said article, viz: Aceite de trementina o agua-ras. Albayalde seccoo en aceita. Agua de almendra amarga, de colonia, de espliego, o de la banda, de laurel cereso de la reyna, y cualesquiera otras aguas, compuestas, destiladas, o esprituosas. Almireces. Almizcle en grauo. Almizcle en zunon. Alquitran y brea, pez de todas clasos, trementina. Alumbre. Amarillo cromo. Amarillo de Napoles. Arsenite de cobro o verde de Schele y el verde de Schweinfart o verde de Almania. Asfalto o chiele prieto. Azul de cobalto, Azul de esmalto. Azul de Ultramar. Barnices de Alcohol y resina. Bermellon. Betun de Judea o asfalto. Blanco de Espana y de plomo. Bol de armenia. Caparrosa azul o sulfato de cobre, blanca o sulfato de Zinc, verde o sulfato de fierro. Carbon animal o negro animal. Cardemillo o verde gris. Carmin. Cola de boca. Cola fuerte. Cola de pescado en buche. Colores de todas clases no especificados. Crisols en barro refractario. Crisoles de plombagina y de porcelana y bizcocho. Esmeril. Esponjas nas y corrientes. Estractos de Campeche para tintes. Fosforos. Goma laca. Jaldre. Licores compuestos, como ratafias, &c. Lupulo. Maderas tintoriales o en polvo, o en leno. Mino o deutoxido de plomo. Morteros de agata, de alabastro y marmol, de porfido, de porcelana y bizcocho, y de vidrio. Ocre. Piedra lipiz. Platina en granos o mineral, en alambre y laminas, o en espenza, o en utiles de laboratorie que no sean aparatos. Prusiato amarillo, y rojo. Rubio tintorio o granza. Rojo de Inglaterra. Tormasol en panes. Vitriolo blancs. Zine reducido o en pan. Zinc laminado. ARTICLE 9.-The import duties established by the tariff of October 4th, 1845, remain reduced to 60 per cent in conformity with the decree of 3d May, 1848. ARTICLE 10.-The reduction made in the import duties does not affect the inferior or consumption duties, nor those of averia of 1 per cent, nor those of averia of 2 per cent, specified in the decrees of 31st March, 1838, and 28th February, 1843, these shall contínue to be collected as heretofore. ARTICLE 11.-The export duties on the precious metals shall be as follows:- Plata acunada, 34 per cent. Plata labrada quintada, 44 per cent. Copello o pura, labrada en munecos con certification de haber pagado los derechos de quinto, 4 per cent. ARTICLE 12.-The circulation duty on money is reduced to 2 per cent, and will be collected on entry of money in the ports. ARTICLE 13.-The government cannot issue orders on the maritime custom-houses for the payment of duties effected, or to be effected. Whenever the General Treasury, or the General Direction of Maritime Custom-houses, receive orders of this kind, to communicate to the respective custom-houses, or any other orders that they may consider illegal, or injurious to the Public Treasury, they will notify the government and Collectors of said custom-houses; in case of receiving them directly, shall also be under the same obligation. If, notwithstanding the observations they make, the government should insist, they shall comply, and he or they who shall have made the observations shall send to the Contaduria Mayor the order certified by the respective Contador, that they may be freed from responsibility; the Contaduria Mayor taking note of it for the ends to which it may give rise, will pass it, with a note corresponding, to the Chamber of Deputies, or, in recess of Congress, to the Consejo de Gobierno; the Contadores Mayores, in case of omission, incurring the penalty of suspension of office for two years, besides other penalties which the laws impose on them. ARTICLE 14.-The penalty of confiscation of vessels, imposed on captains by article 84, is substituted by a fine equal to double the value of the goods omitted-all the remainder of said article continues in full force. The penalties imposed by article 35 will be substituted by a fine of from $200 to $1,500. ARTICLE 15.-The government will cause to be published within thirty days, counted from 24th November, 1849, the date of this law, the regulations of the maritime frontier and coasting custom-houses, simplifying the system of accounts and of despatch, without altering the basis of this law, nor of the actual tariff. The government, during the said period, will also organize and regulate the coast guard service. ARTICLE 16.-The regulations which the government will issue, in conformity with this law, cannot be altered nor modified without the express authority of the general Congress. ARTICLE 17.-The frontier custom-houses established by this law will be characterized as provisional; meantime, those to be so hereafter, are not designated, the employees of them observing the 4th part of article 1 of the decree of 13th May, 1840. ARTICLE 18.-The tariff of 4th October, 1845, remains in force, with the additions and explanation that has been made to it in all that may not be altered by this present aw. Jose Ramon Pacheco, vice-presidente de la Camara de diputados. Crispiniano del Castillo, vice-presidente del senado. Felix Veistegui, diputado secretario. Juan Rodriguez de San Miguel, senador secretario. Por tanto mando se imprima, publique, circule, y se le de el debido cumplimiento, Palacio del gobierno federal en Mexico, a 24 de Noviembre, de 1849. Jose Joaquin de Herrera. Francisco Florriaga. New York, January 4th, 1850. WM. GEO. STEWART. Vice-Consul of Mexico. REDUCTION OF EXPENSES OF COLLECTING REVENUE FROM CUSTOMS. CIRCULAR INSTRUCTIONS TO COLLECTORS AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 31st, 1849. In view of the specific sum appropriated by Congress to defray "the expenses of collecting the revenue from customs," as contained in the 4th section of the act of 3d March, 1849, to wit: the sum of one million five hundred and sixty thousand dollars per annum, and in proportion for a less time, and the peremptory restriction by law of such expenses within said amount, it becomes the imperative duty of the Department to make such curtailment and reduction of existing expenses of collecting the revenue from customs as will conform to the requirements of the law, to take effect on and after the 1st of January, 1850. In accomplishing this object, it has been the wish and endeavor of the Department to apply the curtailment and reduction of expenses to objects and services deemed least likely to affect the security of the revenue, or produce inconvenience and embarrassment to the branch of the public service in question. Upon careful consideration of the entire subject, the Department has, under the pressing necessity before referred to, concluded to apply the reduction of expenses to the following enumerated objects and services: 1st. For the present, and until otherwise ordered, to discharge the crews of the reveque cutters, and lay up the vessels. On this point, specific instructions will be immediately given to the collectors of districts where revenue cutters are now employed. 2d. Under the existing restriction by law in regard to expenses attending the collection of the revenue from customs, it becomes necessary to defray the entire expense of the warehousing system out of the receipts from storage; it being evidently the intention of Congress, in granting the facilities of that system, that it should not become a charge upon the revenue. You will, therefore, be careful to adopt such a course as will be sure to cover all the expenditures for rent, labor, cartage, and for the services of storekeepers, clerks, and all other persons employed in the public warehouse at your port. 3d. The 4th section of the tariff act of 30th July, 1846, provides that in certain cases therein specified, weighing, gauging, and measuring, shall be performed at the expense of the owner, agent, or consignee. Whenever it may become necessary for the Appraisers to have any merchandise weighed, gauged, or measured, with a view of verifying invoices on appraisement, the expense incurred therefor must be borne by the owner, agent, or consignee. In cases, also, where it may become necessary to weigh, measure, or gauge, in order to ascertain deficiency or damage during the voyage of importation, on the application of the importer, such expense must be defrayed by the owner, agent, or consignee. Whenever it becomes necessary, under existing laws or regulations, to weigh, gauge, or measure any article of merchandise, in order to ascertain the dutiable value, in the cases of unclaimed goods, and when no invoice has been received, the expenses connected with the same will be duly noted and collected with the duties. 4th. The expenses attending the appraisement of merchandise, such as labor, cartage, storage, &c., must hereafter be paid by the importers, and will be charged upon the goods and collected before delivery thereof. 5th. There must be withheld a proportion of the compensations of all officers of the Customs, and other persons employed in the collection of the revenue from customs, until the result of the curtailment and reduction herein proposed shall have become known to the Department; and in making remittances to collectors, &c., the Department will retain such a per centage on the amount of their estimates as may be deemed necessary to accomplish the object proposed in these instructions. In conclusion, the Department must impress upon collectors and other officers of the customs, the necessity for a reduction of the contingent expenses of their respective offices to the lowest practicable amount, dispensing with such objects as may not be indispensably necessary for the prompt discharge of the current business of their offices. W. M. MEREDITH, Secretary of the Treasury. OF FRAUDS UPON THE REVENUE BY FOREIGN SHIPPERS. CIRCULAR INSTRUCTIONS TO COLLECTORS AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 18th, 1849. The Department is apprised, from authentic sources, of a system or practice pursued by foreign shippers of merchandise, leading to impositions and frauds upon the revenue in the assessment of duties in our ports. The system or practice referred to, consists in the preparation and transmission of double invoices of the identical goods embraced in the importation, with a material variation between the two invoices as to the cost or foreign market value of the same goods. With a view to check this illegal system, and thereby prevent impositions and frauds upon the revenue, I have to enjoin upon the proper officers of the customs the exercise of great circumspection and vigilance, with instructions, that in all cases of the kind referred to, coming to their knowledge, the merchandise should be refused entry, and be deemed and treated as fraudulently invoiced, and seizure of the goods should take place, and the proper legal proceedings instituted for forfeiture and condemnation of the same. The power vested in the Collector, Naval Officer, and Appraisers, by the 17th section of the Tariff Act of 30th August, 1842, should be exercised in all cases where there is reason to suspect the existence of double invoices. And whenever it shall be found that the owner, consignee, importer, or agent has, on making entry of any goods, violated the oath taken, as prescribed in the 4th section of the supplementary act, regulating the collection of duties, &c., approved 3d of March, 1823, the person so offending should be prosecuted, under the provisions of the 13th section of the act entitled "an act more effectually to provide for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States," approved 3d March, 1825. W. M. MEREDITH, Secretary of the Treasury. TARIFF OF INSURANCE PREMIUMS-MINIMUM RATES. ADOPTED BY THE NEW ORLEANS BOARD OF UNDERWRITERS, JULY, 1849-RIVER RISKS BY GOOD STEAMBOATS-UPWARD. Mississippi River.-To points not above Bayou Sara............ .per cent. above Bayou Sara, and not above Natchez.... 66 Attakapas.-Bayous and other navigations in Attakapas and Parish of Terre Bayou Boeuf-Bayou Boeuf and places in Opelousas... |