recommendation of this Office, by you to the Attorney-General, who delivered his opinion on the 11th of October last, to the effect that there are such metals and paper as will admit of being branded with a hot iron, and that therefore the requirements of the statutes as to burning into each box the prescribed formula cannot be dispensed with. Without expressing any opinion upon this issue of fact between the manufacturers and the Department of Justice, I am of opinion that Congress should be advised to so amend the law as to allow the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to prescribe other forms of marking the boxes than by burning with a hot iron where other materials for boxes are employed than wood. 4. Gauging at wholesale liquor-dealers.—I have given much consideration to the question whether the present plan of gauging of wholesale liquor-dealers' packages by United States gaugers could not be dispensed with, and am of the opinion that it is not only feasible and economical, but will be a better check upon fraud than obtains under the present system. It is estimated that the expense heretofore incurred by the Government for gauging at wholesale liquor-dealers' establishments amounts to about one-fourth the entire sum paid for gauging, or more than $250,000 per annum. It is believed that, if Congress will empower collectors to fill stamps upon application of wholesale liquor-dealers, giving full description of the packages they desire to draw from, a very simple system of checks can be adopted that will prevent the overissue of wholesale liquor-dealers' stamps to cover more spirits than was originally contained in the package drawn from. This system is based upon the fact that every package of spirits purchased by a wholesale liquor-dealer has been once gauged and stamped by a United States gauger, and that a complete record of its contents in proof and wine gallons is to be found in this Office. 5. Matches. An amendment in the law in relation to friction-matches is needed. The present remedy in case of violation of the law is only a civil one. It should be made a criminal offense punishable by fine or imprisonment. The seizure of the matches and a suit for the statutory penalty are insufficient remedies where the violator of the law is without property. 6. Revenue agents.-I recommend that internal revenue agents be clothed by law with power to make seizures of property when directed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; also to administer oaths, and, under the direction of this Office, to demand and obtain inspection of the books and papers of distillers, rectifiers, brewers, wholesale liquordealers, and manufacturers of tobacco, snuff, and cigars, which relate to their occupations. 7. I recommend that Congress invest the Commissioner with power to designate the points where collectors and supervisors shall establish and maintain their offices within their respective districts. For changes in the law suggested in relation to the collection of taxes on distilled spirits, I refer to my recommendations under the head "Whisky frauds," and for other changes, to what is said under the head" Miscellaneous." Finally, I estimate that the collections from all sources of internal revenue, during the current fiscal year, will amount to $122,000,000. Respectfully, Hon. B. H. BRISTOW, D. D. PRATT, Secretary of the Treasury. MEMORANDUM. Since the foregoing report was prepared, the number of collectiondistricts has been still further reduced by consolidation, the present number being one hundred and sixty-one, (161;) and consequently the number of collectors dismissed the service as no longer necessary is forty-eight, (48.) REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, Washington, November 29, 1875. SIR: I have the honor to submit for the consideration of Congress, in compliance with section three hundred and thirty-three of the Revised Statutes of the United States, the thirteenth annual report of the Comptroller of the Currency. During the past year one hundred and seven banks have been organized, with an authorized capital of $12,104,000, and $4,794,180 of circulation; of which number two were gold banks, with $200,000 capital and $120,000 of circulation. Five banks have failed, with an aggregate capital of $1,000,000; and thirty-eight banks, with a total capital of $3,920,000, have gone into voluntary liquidation by votes of shareholders owning two-thirds of their capital stock. The total number of national banks organized since the establishment of the national-banking system is 2,307. Of these, forty have failed, and one hundred and seventy-five have gone into voluntary liquidation, leaving 2,092 in existence on November 1 of this year. Three of these banks, located in the city of New York, have no circulation, and two hundred and forty-one have reduced their circulation and withdrawn a portion of their bonds, under the act of June 20, 1874, one hundred and seventeen of them having deposited legal-tender notes and reduced the amount of their bonds on deposit as security for circulation to the minimum amount allowed by law. California, with a capital of $4,700,000, and circulation of $2,630,000. Included in this aggregate are nine national gold banks, located in |