The commerce of the United States with Brazil is important; nearly one third of the coffee, and a large portion of the sugar and hides of foreign importations, is from Brazil. Our exports of flour, provisions, and the various articles of domestic manufactures, amounted last year, closing with 30th Sept., to $2,094,957. To show the importance of our commerce, we subjoin the imports and exports of a few leading articles for the last five years, and under the appropriate head," Commercial Treaties and Regulations," will be found an article from a late Rio circular, which will, we think, be found useful to some of our commercial men who have a direct intercourse with the Brazilian provinces, and particularly with Rio Janeiro.

The importations into the United States from Brazil for the five preceding years, ending 30th Sept., were as follows:

Of the above, besides the value of the hides imported each year, the following shows the value of the coffee for each consecutive year, which was $2,819,038; $3,602,000; $4,623,385; $3,254,965; $2,323,205; and of the brown sugar in like manner: $356,865; $395,083; $1,579,596; $199,387; $429,853.

Exported from the United States to Brazil within the above specified time, of foreign and domestic articles, the following amount:

Of the domestic exports noticed above, the following will show how far flour and bread, cotton manufactures, and spirits from grain, contributed to make up the list, to say nothing of provisions, oil, sperm candles, household furniture, and other manufactures of the United States.

The exports from Rio Janeiro for the month of June last, compared with those in the same period of the two preceding years, were as follow:

The exports from Santos, 1838-1839, were 400,000 arrobas, against 294,000 in 1837-1838.

The stock of hides on hand at Rio Janeiro, at the close of June last, was about 20,000, nearly all heavy weights.

EXPORTS OF SILK FROM GEORGIA, from 1755 to 1773.

In Bernard Roman's History of Florida, we find a statement of the exports from Georgia for eighteen years. One of the articles is raw silk. A considerable interest is felt in the production of this article, and as some doubts have been expressed as to the ultimate success of the various projects now in operation, it may be useful to show, occasionally, what has been heretofore accomplished. With this view, the following statement is presented:

1755-6.

1757.

1758.

1759.

1760.

1761.

1762.

1763.

1764.

1765.

1766.

1767.

1768.

1769.

1770.

1771.

1772.

1773.

Being an average, in eighteen years, of 546 lbs. per annum.

COMPARATIVE PRICE OF WHEAT.

A TABLE, showing the price of Wheat, as settled at the Patroon's office, on the jurao, January, during the several years there mentioned, as published in the Troy Daily Whig, edited by James M. Stevenson, Esq.

IMPORT AND EXPORT DUTIES, PORT CHARGES, ETC., IN BRAZIL.

A direct trade with foreign countries is only permitted in such ports of the empire of Brazil, where there are custom-houses established; they are the following: Para, Maranham, Parnahiba, Fortaleza (Ceara), Aracaty (Ceara); Rio Grande North, Parahiba, Pernambuco, Maceyo (Alagoas), Larangeiras (Sergipe), Bahia, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Paranaqua, St. Catharine, Rio Grande, Sao Borja (R. G. south), Porto Alegre, (R. G. S.)

IMPORT DUTIES.-All foreign merchandise is subject to an import duty of 15 per cent., except tea, which pays 30 per cent., and gunpowder, as also wines and spirituous liquors, (the production of countries which have no commercial treaty with Brazil) paying 50 per cent., on valuations fixed by a tariff, (which is the same throughout the empire) and articles not specified in such tariff, pay duty on a value declared by the importer, the custom-house officers having the right to take the goods at such value, and 10 per cent., thereon. The countries having treaties with Brazil, and the dates when they expire, according to the intimation sent from the foreign office to the customhouse, are as follows: Prussia, 25th November, 1839; Hansetowns, do; Denmark, 7th March, 1840: United States of North America, 17th November, 1841; Holland, and Belgium, 18th April, 1841; Great Britain, 15th November, 1842. Since the 1st of July, 1839, wines, spirituous liquors, and flour, are subject to a special weekly tariff. A committee has been appointed by the Government to revise the general tariff; considerable progress has been already made in such revisions; when completed and determined to be put in force, we shall publish the particulars in our pages.

Besides the aforementioned duties, goods (excepting linen cambrics, lace of thread or silk, manufactures of gold or silver, and precious stones, which pay only 1 per cent expediente,) are subject to a charge of 5 per cent. on the like valuations for clearance charges and storage rent, (expediente and armazenagem) dry goods are, however, permitted to remain in the custom-house warehouses without any further additional charge, for a period not exceeding four months; after the expiration of which they incur a charge of per cent. per month; articles that come under the denomination of Estive-goods, are allowed to remain for the space of one month, and then pay per cent. per month storage rent.

Machinery, not previously in use at the port where imported is duty free, but subject to the charge of 5 per cent. for expediente and armazenagem.

N. B. Wines and spirituous liquors pay further 1,500 rs. per pipe of 188 medidas to the misericordia hospital, and 200 rs. per pipe of any size, town dues.

EXPORTATION. Prior to the first of July, coffee from the serra-abaixo (low country) paid 11 per cent., and from the serra-acima (upper country) 10 per cent. if of the province of Rio Janeiro; but if from any other, on presentation of the requisite certificate VOL. I.NO. VI.

69

of origin, only 7 per cent. However, by the Provincial Budget of the 10th of June, the distinction between from the serra-abaixo and serra-acima is done away with, both paying alike, namely, 11 per cent.

Tobacco pays 12 per cent. if from the province of St. Pauls; but if from that of Minas, only 7 per cent. Maize, rice, and pulse, if of the province of Rio Janeiro, pay 12 per cent, if any other, 7 per cent. Indigo, tapioca, and any articles not otherwise specified, pay 7 per cent. Sugar pays since 1st July, 2 per cent. additional provincial duty, which is likely to fall on the exporter.

The above duties are levied upon valuations fixed by a weekly tariff.

Precious metals in coin or bars, and gold dust, whether foreign or national, are subject to an export duty of 2 per cent. ad valorem.

CUSTOM-HOUSE TARES AND ALLOWANCES.-On goods imported in packages and cleared by weight, the real tares are allowed; on liquors there is allowed for leakage and breakage, in glass bottles 5 per cent., stone do. 3 per cent., and in casks or demijohns 2 per cent., and on glass and earthen-ware 5 per cent.

RE-EXPORTATION AND TRANSHIPMENT.-Goods re-exported or transhipped pay 2 per cent., and when for the coast of Africa, 13 per cent. additional.

FRANQUIA-Vessels may enter in Franquia, 1st, when bringing no cargo for the port; 2d, when bringing only part cargo for the port, and the remainder for another destination; 3d, when putting in to learn the state of the market, or for refreshments or repairs.

MANIFESTS.-Every commander of a vessel is required to bring a very exact manifest of her cargo in duplicate, signed by the Brazilian Consul, resident at the loading port. At ports where no such Consul resides, the said manifest must be signed by two Brazilian merchants, or if there be none such, then by two native merchants, the signatures in either case being certified by the competent local authority. Non-compliance with this regulation or inaccuracies in the manifests, as also irregularities in discharging or loading, subject vessels to heavy fines.

PORT CHARGES.-All foreign vessels, as also national vessels trading with foreign parts, pay 30 reis per diem anchorage, for each ton of Brazilian admeasurement, (which proves generally about the true burthen,) calculated for 50 days from the date of each entry into the port, but all vessels are exempt from this due that introduce 100 white colonists into any port of Brazil. The remaining port charges do not exceed from 30 to 40 milreas for each vessel, according to her size.

PILOTAGE-There are no pilots for the port of Rio de Janeiro, nor are any necessary for entering that noble harbor, as there are no hidden dangers of any kind.

SALE OF VESSELS.-A duty of 5 per cent. ad valorem is payable upon the sale of all vessels, whether foreign or national, and of 15 per cent. upon foreign vessels being naturalized.

FREIGHTS. QUANTITY OF GOODS TO COMPOSE A TON.

Extract from the By-laws of the New York Chamber of Commerce.

Resolved, That when vessels are freighted by the ton, and no special agreement is made between the owner of the vessel and freighter of the goods, respecting the proportion of tonnage which each particular article shall be comi uted at, the following regulations shall be the standard of computation:

That the article, the bulk of which shall compose a to: to equal a ton of heavy materials shall be in weight as follows: 1568 lbs. of coffee in casks, 1830 lbs. in bags; 1120 lbs. of cocoa in casks, 1307 lbs. in bags.

952 lbs. Pimento in casks, 1110 lbs. in bags.

Eight barrels of flour, of 196 lbs. each.

Six barrels of beef, pork, tallow, pickled fish, pitch, tar, and turpentine.

Twenty hundred weight of pig and bar iron, potashes, sugar, logwood, fustic, Nicaragua wood, and all heavy dye woods, rice, honey, copper ore, and all other heavy goods.

Sixteen hundred weight of coffee, cocoa, and dried codfish, in bulk, and twelve hundred weight of dried codfish in casks of any size.

Six hundred weight of ship bread in casks, seven hundred in bags, and eight hundred in bulk.

Two hundred gallons (wine measure) reckoning the full contents of the casks, of oil, wine, brandy, or any kind of liquors.

Twenty-two bushels of grain, peas, or beans, in casks, and thirty-six bushels, in

bulk.

Thirty-six bushels of European salt.

Thirty-one bushels of salt from the West Indies.

Twenty-nine bushels of sea-coal.

Forty feet (cubic measure) of mahogany, square timber, oak plank, pine, and other boards, beavers, furs, peltry, beeswax, cotton, wool, and bale goods of all kinds. One hogshead of tobacco, and ten hundred weight of dry hides.

Eight hundred weight of China raw silk, ten hundred weight net bohea, and eight hundred green tea.

BILLS OF EXCHANGE.

By a revised law of the state of New York, the following damages on bills drawn or negotiated in this state, and protested for nonpayment, are allowed, viz.

Bills drawn on the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, or District of Columbia, three per cent.

North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, or Tennessee, five per cent. Any other state or territory of the United States, or any other place on or adjacent to this continent, and north of the equator, or any British or other foreign possessions in the West Indies, or elsewhere on the western Atlantic ocean, or any port or place in Europe, ten per cent.

19. Such damages shall be in lieu of interest, charges of protest, and all other charges incurred previous to, and at the time of giving notice of nonpayment, but the holder of such bill shall be entitled to demand and recover lawful interest upon the aggregate amount of the principal sum specified in such bill, and of the damages thereon, from the time at which notice of protest for nonpayment shall have been given, and payment of such principal sum shall have been demanded.

$20. If the contents of such bill be expressed in the money of account of the United States, the amount due thereon and of the damages herein allowed for the nonpayment thereof, shall be ascertained and determined without any reference to the rate of exchange existing between this state and the place on which such bill shall have been drawn, at the time of the demand of payment or of notice of nonpayment.

§ 21. If the contents of such bill be expressed in the money of account or currency of any foreign country, then the amount due, exclusive of the damages payable thereof, shall be ascertained and determined by the rate of exchange or the value of such foreign currency, at the time of the demand of payment.

TO MARINERS.

Lark Rock-Bay of Honduras.-A rock with only five feet water on it, hitherto unknown, was recently discovered by H. M. Surveying vessel Lark, Lieut. Thos. Smith, in Placentia Narrows, the channel used by all merchant vessels proceeding from Belize to the Gulf of Honduras, or the Southern rivers of British Yucatan.

Its position is one mile from the reef which forms the east side of the channel, one mile and one third N. E. (by compass) from the sand bar when in one with the Eastern part of Scipio bay, and 4 miles E. S. from False-point Placentia.

Vessels with a fair wind usually pass far to the westward of it, but when beating against a head wind care should be taken to avoid it, as it is not larger than a ship, and has 10 and 11 fathoms close around it.

EAST INDIA COMPANY.

A return has been printed by order of the House of Commons of the territorial revenues and disbursements of the East India Company for the years 1835, 1836, and 1837, with an estimate of both for 1833. The results, which are all the public care about, are of a very favorable kind. In the year 1835, which was that succeeding the abrogation of their charter as a trading company, and in which the greater part of their commercial assets was realized, there existed a surplus of income over expenditure of 8,000,000l., after deducting a sum of 2,000,000l., set apart for the formation of a guaranty fund for the proprietors of East India Stock. In 1835 the surplus was 2,000,000l.; in 1837, 2,470,000l.; and for 1838 the estimate of surplus is 1,200,000l. The public debt of the East India Company, at the several presidencies, on the 1st of April, 1837, is stated at 30,400,000l.; and the interest on it at 1,440,000. The rate of interest paid for the various loans varies from 4 to 10 per cent., but the average is about 41 per cent.