COMMERCE OF SAN FRANCISCO.

Amount of gold dust and coin exported under the Collectorship of Mr.
Harrison, from September 1, 1849, to November 11, 1849

Amount exported under Colonel Collier, from November 12, 1849, to
December 18, 1850....

Total of dust and coin cleared at Custom-house....

TONNAGE ARRIVED.

From November 12, 1849, to March 31, 1850

$2,094,120

28,966,035

$31,060,155

74,561

30,029 51,349

81,378

ARRIVALS AND CLEARANCES FROM DECEMBER 1ST TO 13TH.

American Foreign

Passen

vessels.

Vessels.

gers.

627

52

19

1,435

83

43

2,162

$174,680 21

American.

Foreign.

Total.

From November 12, 1849, to March 31, 1850. $58,917 40 $1,879,447 75 $1,438,365 15

IMPORTS FROM CANADA INTO THE PORT OF BUFFALO.

The following table, from the books of the Custom-house, Buffalo, shows the total value of imports from Canada into that district, for the year ending December 31st, 1850, and also, the quantity and value of merchandise bonded, and duties paid on the

SALES OF BRITISH PRODUCE IN COVENT GARDEN MARKET.

The London Morning Chronicle furnishes the following statistics of the returns of the yearly sales at Covent Garden Market, all of British home-grown produce:—

Apples, 360,000 bushels. Pears, 230,000 bushels. Cherries, 90,000 bushels. Plums, 280,000 half-sieves, or 93,000 bushels; three half-sieves go to the bushel. Goose

berries, 140,000 bushels. Currants, red, 70,000 sieves; white, 3,800; black, 45,000, or 178,200 half-sieves; being the produce of 1,069,200 bushels, as six bushels on an average fill a sieve. Strawberries, 58,000 half-sieves, or 638,000 pottles; eleven pottles go to a half-seive. Raspberries, 30,000 sieves or 22,500 bushels. Filberts, 1,000 tons. Walnuts, 20,000 baskets, each 14 bushels, or 25,000 bushels. Cabbages, 16,000 loads, 150 to 200 dozen each, or 33,600,000 cabbages. Turnips, 10,000 loads, 150 dozen each, or 18,800.000 turnips. Carrots, 5,000 loads, 200 dozen each, or 12,000,000 carrots. Onions, 500,000 bushels. Brocoli, including cauliflowers, 1,000 loads, 150 dozen each, or 1,800,000 heads. Peas, 185,000 sacks. A sack is two bushels. Beans, 50,000 sacks. Celery, 1,500,000 rolls of 12 each, or 18,000,000 heads of celery. Asparagus, 400,000 bundles of 150 each, or 60,000,000 buds. Endive, 150.000 scores. French Beans, 140,000 bushels. Potatoes, 83,000 tons. Watercresses, 21,060 hampers, or 26,325 cwt., each hamper being 14 cwt.

COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS.

THE COMMERCE, TARIFF, ETC., OF PORTO RICO,

The New York Mirror publishes the following important letter from Mr. Preston, the United States Consul, and one of the oldest and most intelligent merchants of Porto Rico. Mr. Fuller, the editor of the Mirror, introduces it with a few pertinent remarks, and, and among other things, equally "wise and witty," takes occasion to say, in his usually complimentary or sarcastic vein, (we are at a loss to say which, in the present instance,) that "it is sufficiently sprinkled with 'facts and figures' to commend it to the attention of our astute and figurative friend of the MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE." We have no doubt as to the fidelity of the facts; but the figures, in our statistical eye, are "few and far between." That we are, however, sufficiently impressed with the importance of his suggestion, will appear from the fact of our transferring the letter entire to our pages.

HIRAM FULLER, Esq., Editor of the Mirror :

PORTO RICO, December 27th, 1850.

MY DEAR SIR-Several new and important changes having recently been made in the tariff, and other regulations of this island, of which I have observed but little notice in the journals of the United States, I have thought that some details of its present usages might be found interesting to many of your readers visiting or engaged in the trade of this fine colony.

I beg to subjoin a list of the new duties upon most of the articles introduced from the United States, as carried into effect the first of October last. A list of the articles now free will also be found.

Export duties upon the products of the island, with the exception of wood, are no longer levied.

Tonnage dues, which for many years have weighed so heavily upon American vessels, (they having been charged with one dollar per ton, while all other nations have been subjected to only sixty-eight and three-quarter cents,) have been equalized, and all foreign vessels now pay seventy-five cents per ton register, one-quarter payable in Spanish gold, the average premium upon which, as observed in the note of import duties, is 10 per cent.

The currency of the island is termed "Macuquino," in which all transactions of sales, purchases, calculation of duties, &c., are made. This currency possesses no fixed value, as compared with United States currency, or the Spanish dollar. Still, it has fluctuated but little for many years; the average value of the Patriot doubloon, say Mexican, Columbian, Peruvian, or Chilian, is seventeen dollars currency. This is the coin most in use in the island for payments, when considerable amounts are involved. The Spanish doubloon is not so generally current as the Patriot, and is worth seventeen dollars fifty cents to seventeen dollars seventy-five cents currency. American coin does not circulate readily, and can with difficulty be placed in large sums at its real value. It

is, however, becoming better known, and, no doubt, in a short time will be more favorably received.

The best mode that can now be practiced of placing funds in the island for investment in produce, is in Patriot gold, as exchange on the United States can seldom be placed at its real value, there being but little demand for this kind of paper in the country. Most of the exchange drawn in the island is sent to St. Thomas for negotiation, when an additional charge is incurred for its disposal, and its proceeds drawn against, from Porto Rico, frequently at very low rates.

During the present year paper on the United States has, with difficulty, produced par with the currency of the island; and many instances have fallen under my observation in which, when negotiated in St. Thomas, a much worse result has been produced. Sterling can usually be placed with more facility, as remittances are now being made to all parts of the continent of Europe in this kind of paper.

You will observe that the rates of import duties are only applicable when introduced from countries in which grown or manufactured. The purpose of this new feature is to encourage direct intercourse with growing or manufacturing countries, with the view to diminish imports from the neighboring island of St. Thomas, which for many years has served as an "entrepot" for all the islands in its vicinity. This system, if continued, will prove a serious blow to St. Thomas; the merchants of which feel deeply exasperated at what they term this very illiberal policy, as when the full differential duty of 15 per cent is levied, intercourse with that port will be nearly suspended, should the object of this measure be verified, and the foreign wants of the country be supplied by direct importations from growing and manufacturing countries. Considerable doubts exist as to the success of this project, as but few houses in the island feel inclined to invest so largely in the quantity of German, French, or English goods required; in fact, but few houses possess the means of entering into a business which requires so great an outlay of capital.

American manufactures of inferior domestics, such as are required for clothing for the negroes, and poorer classes of the inhabitants, are now being introduced in very favorable competition with the British and German fabrics, which have hitherto formed the only supply for these wants.

This trade, in the hands of parties conversant with this description of goods, could in a short time be rendered extremely lucrative; and some of your enterprising countrymen will doubtless soon direct their attention to this branch, the supply required being very considerable.

The population of the island is about 650,000, of which but 45,000 are slaves. No Africans have been imported for several years, nor do we suppose that this traffic will ever be resumed.

Of the population of the island, at least two-thirds require clothing of the description mentioned, and which my observation has led me to believe, can be imported from the United States to the exclusion of other countries.

For the information of passengers coming to the island I would remark that it is indispensably necessary that they should be provided with passports, if practicable, from the Spanish Consul residing nearest the point of their embarkation; and even with this requisite they are not permitted to leave the vessel until some satisfactorily written security is given by some person residing in the country, for the conduct and person of the passenger; this observation is intended for the government of parties visiting the island, in providing themselves with letters of introduction to respectable persons here. Supercargoes of vessels, who are entered in such capacity on the crew list of the vessel, do not require such a security.

Permission for passengers to remain upon the island can be readily obtained from the Captain General, through the military commandant of the town, where the passengers land, at a trifling expense. This permission can only be obtained for the term of four months, but it can be renewed at the expiration of this term.

The quantity of sugar shipped during the past season has reached about 107,000,000 pounds; and as the weather has been very favorable for the growing canes, the coming crops will probably exceed the past one by some fifteen or eighteen thousand hogs

heads.

Want of slave force will prevent any considerable increase of cane cultivation on the island, in which, even now, considerable free labor is employed.

Note of import duties in the island of Porto Rico, upon the principal articles intro

duced from the United States, with remarks upon the new tariff regulations, comprising a list of free goods, as carried into effect the 1st of Octeber, 1850:

One-quarter part of all duties is payable in Spanish gold-the average premium upon which is 10 per cent.

LIST OF FREE GOODS.

Machinery of all descriptions for agricultural, scientific, or irrigating purposes, and all parts thereof: ploughs, hoes, woodhoops, staves, not dressed, stallions, mares, seeds, and plants of all descriptions.

Captains of vessels are required to present a general manifest of cargo on board, in duplicate.

Twelve hours are allowed for making a port entry, which, however, only embraces an addition, but no diminution of articles already manifested.

The foregoing rates of import duties are only to be applied to goods coming from growing or manufacturing countries. All goods imported from non-growing or nonmanufacturing countries to April 1, 1851, incur an additional duty of per cent; from that date to October 1st, 1851, 10 per cent; beyond that date, 15 per cent. Goods imported in vessels taking away full cargoes of the produce of the island, pay 5 per cent less duty than the rates above mentioned; and if loaded solely with molasses, in addition to this benefit no tonnage dues are incurred.

Foreign vessels, laden entirely with coal, incur but fifty cents tonnage duty, and are further exempt from all local dues except those of the captain of the port.

All vessels coming to this island should be provided with bills of health, from the Spanish Consul, if from a port where one resides, otherwise from the Collector or Health Officer; the want of this frequently causes considerable annoyance and expense. The only paper connected with the cargo requiring the signature of the Spanish Consul is the general manifest; many shippers in the United States suppose that each invoice requires the consular certificate, which is not the case.

P.

INSPECTION OF FLOUR IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

The following law, regulating the inspection of flour at Charleston, South Oarolina, passed the Legislature of that State on the 20th day of December, 1850. It takes effect from and after the first of January, 1851.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE INSPECTION OF FLOUR.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, That from and after the first of January next, it shall not be lawful to sell in, or export from the city of Charleston, any barrel, half-barrel, or bag of flour, or meal of wheat, rye, or corn, unless the same shall have been first submitted to the view and examination of the inspector of the aforesaid city, and by him examined in some lot, street, or warehouse, open and accessible to all persons.

SEC. 2. That each and every cask or barrel containing flour, or meal of wheat, rye, or corn, brought into, or manufactured in the city of Charleston, for sale or exportation, shall be well made, of good seasoned materials, and sufficiently hooped and nailed, and all casks or barrels not made as aforesaid, and not in merchantable condition, but capable of being made so at a reasonable expense, the said inspector shall cause to be repaired, and put in merchantable condition, at the expense of the owner thereof.

SEO. 3. That each and every barrel submitted for inspection as aforesaid, shall contain such quantity of flour or meal as, upon inspection, shall be found to be of the net weight of one hundred and ninety-six pounds, and each and every half-barrel shall contain such quantity as shall be of the net weight of ninety-eight pounds; and all barrels or halfbarrels containing a less quantity than as aforesaid, the said inspector shall cause to be made of full weight, at the expense of the owners thereof.

SEC. 4. That every cask or bag of flour or meal, submitted to the view and examination of the inspector as aforesaid, shall by him be searched and tried, by boring on the head and piercing it through with an instrument, by him to be provided; and he shall, afterwards, plug the same with soft-seasoned wood, to prevent the entrance of water therein and, if the inspector shall judge the same to be merchantable, he shall brand every such cask or bag with the word Charleston, and shall brand the degrees of fineness, of which he shall, on inspection, determine the said flour or meal to be, in letters of half an inch in length, which degree shall be distinguished as follows, to wit:-Superfine, first middlings or second middlings, first rye, second rye, first or second corn, as the case may be; but if, on examination, it proves unsound, then he shall mark the cask or bag with the broad arrow, for which the owner or agent thereof shall pay the said inspector five cents for each and every barrel, half-barrel, or bag, by him inspected; and no barrel, half-barrel, or bag of flour or meal, not examined and inspected, as aforesaid, shall be offered for sale, or exported, under the penalty of five dollars for each and every barrel, half-barrel, or bag of flour or meal so offered for sale, or exported, to be paid by the seller or exporter thereof.

SEC. 5. That, if any person shall alter, erase, or deface the mark or brand made by the inspector on any barrel, half-barrel, or bag of flour or meal, or shall brand any barrel, half barrel, or bag of flour or meal, which hath not been inspected, with a mark or brand similar to, or in imitation of, the inspector's mark or brand, or shall repack a barrel, half-barrel, or bag of flour or meal previously inspected, without first erasing the inspector's mark thereon, the person so offending shall forfeit and pay, for each and every such offense, the sum of fifty dollars.

SEC. 6. That, if any person shall prevent, or attempt to prevent, the inspector from exercising the duties assigned to him in this Act, he shall forfeit and pay, for every such offense, the sum of twenty dollars.

SEC. 7. That the inspector of flour and meal shall not purchase, either directly or indirectly, any flour or meal, for sale or exportation, under the penalty of ten dollars for each and every barrel, half-barrel, or bag of flour or meal, by him so purchased, and sold or exported.

SEC. 8. That the Governor shall, on or before the twenty-fifth day of December next, appoint a competent person as inspector for the parishes of St. Philip's and St. Michael's, who shall hold his office for two years, and who shall give bond to the State of South Carolina, with good security, to be approved by the city council of Charleston, in the penal sum of two thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful discharge of the duties of the said office.

SEC. 9. That, in case of sickness, or temporary absence of the inspector, or, if neces