in specie, if the European powers should persevere in their remonstrance against the prohibition. I request you, Sir, in your conversations with Mr. SEWARD, to endeavor to persuade him to realize this intention without delay. A sentiment of reserve, easy to be understood, prevents us from peremptorily demanding the reversal of a measure of internal policy; but when you shall have shown the inconveniences and the practical inutility of it, we may well hope that our wishes will be taken into serious consideration. In any case, I shall be obliged to you to keep me informed of the new steps which you may take with a view to effect this object."

CONTRACTS IN INDIA.

The Money Market Review of London says: "We firmly believe that the future supply of cotton from India depends greatly upon the passing of a law for the due fulfilment of contracts. In India the future is always in pawn; nothing is done without being partly or wholly paid for before it is begun; and, unfortunately for Manchester, the breach of contracts for the cultivation of indigo, and the consequent want of confidence on the part of the planters as towards the ryots, were prominently under notice just at the time when the cotton famine commenced. The consequence has been the utmost distrust between capital and labor; and, with the indigo breaches of contract before their eyes, the planters and capitalists in India were exceedingly unwilling to advance the necessary funds for the sowing of cotton in the absence of a law for the due fulfilment of contracts. Hence, far less cotton has been planted than the wants of Manchester require; and this, in great measure, because Sir CHARLES WOOD vetoed the contract law which the Legislature in India had passed. We have some reason to believe, however, that the Indian Legislature are about to introduce another contract law, notwithstanding the snubbing which their former attempt experienced, and, pending its passing, it is intended to put in force in the agricultural districts the law which the government have passed for the due fulfilment of their own contracts in respect to public works. It is absolutely necessary, however, that a contract law should exist in India, even on the grounds of public morality. The objection of Sir CHARLES WOOD appears to be against making the breach of a civil contract penal in its punishment; but it seems to us that what is wanted is: 1. That all contracts should be registered and signed in duplicate. 2. The magistrates should be empowered to assess the damages caused by their non-fulfilment, and levy the amount on the land held by the defaulter. If more than one contract with different persons has been broken, the produce of the land should be seized and divided pro rata amongst those who have suffered by the default. Such a law as this, duly supported by a short, sharp, and inexpressive process, would be effectual to enforce contracts. The Hindoo is sadly deficient in moral principle, and fearfully addicted to perjury and forgery, and the only way to keep him honest is to make it more profitable for him to be so than to be otherwise-in fact, to make it abundantly clear to him that honesty is the best policy. When once he is taught to feel that he will lose every thing by a breach of contract, and that all he possesses will be liable for the due fulfilment of his engagements, he will come to the conclusion that if he enters into any contract at all he will have to fulfil it, and the consequence will either be that the system of contracts and advances will cease altogether, or they will cease to be broken.

SOUTH ENTRANCE TO MORETON BAY BY ROUS OR THE AMITY POINT CHANNel.

THE Nautical Magazine, of London, gives the following official notice. to mariners, respecting the south entrance to Moreton Bay, by Lieutenant G. P. HEATH, R. N., Portmaster and Marine Surveyor:

Two red beacons-visible from the Flat Rock-are now placed on the south extreme of Moreton Island, to enable vessels entering Rous or the Amity Point Channel, to pass between the outer banks and over the bar, in the deepest water, viz.: seventeen feet at low water spring tides.

This channel is chiefly available for coasting steamers by daylight, when there is not a heavy swell on the coast.

It is not recommended for sailing vessels, except in fine weather and a commanding breeze, when they may lay four points to the windward of their course.

The coast current runs two to three knots to the southward, close to the outer edge of the bar, and at a lesser speed over the outer portion of the banks; and vessels should be careful in northerly winds not to get to the southward of the line of beacons until well inside the north break. The tides set fair through this channel from three to four and-a-half knots, until they come within the influence of the coast current.

The sea always breaks on the north bank, but the space where it breaks on the south bank varies with the amount of swell on the coast.

Six red buoys, and six black buoys and beacons, mark the channel for crossing the bay towards Mud Island, between the inner banks.

There is not less than two fathoms, at low water spring tides, in this channel, except at a point of junction with the Cleveland Ship Channel, where the depth of water is never less than nine feet at low water spring tides.

Beacons will be erected at those points where they will prove of service as soon as, from the nature of the bottom, it is found they can be made permanent.

Directions.-Vessels from the southward for Moreton Bay by the south, or Amity Point Entrance, or Rous Channel, after passing either inside or outside of the Flat Rock, must keep the northernmost sand patch on Moreton Island on the port bow until the two red beacons on the south extreme of Moreton Island (the innermost of which is the higher of the two) are in one; then keep them so until inside the north break, when haul up to the southward gradually, keeping at about a cable's length from the edge of the north bank, which is steep to and always shows. When near the dry detached sandbank haul up for the N. W extreme of Stradbroke Island, and round the red buoy off the shoal extending to the S. W. of the detached sand bank. On passing this, keep away west, and pass at two cable's length from the S. W. extreme of Moreton Island, which is steep to. Leave the first black buoy on the port hand at a dis

tance of about half a cable, and haul up W. by S. for the S. E. end of the high land on St. Helena.

After passing the second black buoy, haul up S. S. W. for Mount Cotton, passing the fourth red buoy on the extremity of a sand spit on the starboard hand, and continuing the same course until abreast the fifth red buoy, when keep away W. by S. S. and pass the sixth red buoy. From thence keep away for, and pass on the port hand, the second black beacon at not more than half a cable, and steer out W. by N. N. in midchannel between the inner black and red buoys.

When the buoys are passed, a vessel is in the Ship Channel to Cleveland; across which a course must be steered for the middle of the opening between Mud and St. Helena islands; a mid-channel course must be kept between these islands, and a vessel may from thence steer for the anchorage off the bar.

Vessels outward-bound through the south entrance, should, after passing Mud Island, steer for the north extreme of high land on Stradbroke Island, until a small smooth-topped cone near the north end of Stradbroke Island bears E. by S. S., when they should haul up and steer for it, passing between the inner red and black buoys, and passing the inner black beacon as previously directed.

VINYARDS IN CALIFORNIA.

We learn from the report of a committee appointed by the Assembly of California on the petition of the wine growers of that State, that the number of grape-vines set in vinyards in the State, according to the reports of the County Assessors, as complied in the Surveyor-General's report for 1862, is 10,592,688. The following principal wine counties have the number of vines set down against them respectively:

Los

The rate of increase in the number and size of vinyards is large. All the vines of the State did not number 1,000,000 seven years ago. Angeles, which has three times as many vines surviving from the time of the Mexican domain as all the other counties together, had 592,000 bearing vines, and 134,000 young vines in 1856, according to the County Assessor's report for that year. The annual increase in the State has been about 1,500,000 since then; and though less hereafter, it will still be large. The amount of wine made in 1861 is reported, very incorrectly, by the County Assessors as amounting to 343,000 gallons. The amount made in 1862 was about 700,000 gallons. The total amount made in all the other States of the Union in 1859, according to the United States census, was 1,350,000 gallons.

COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS.

DECISIONS BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.

THE following decisions have been made by the Secretary of the Treasury, of questions arising upon appeals by importers from the decisions of collectors, relating to the proper classification, under the tariff acts of March 2, 1861, August 5, 1861, and July 14, 1862, of certain articles of foreign manufacture and production entered at the ports of Boston, New York, &c.

BENZOLE, OR BENZONE.

Treasury Department, February 9, 1863. SIR: I have had under consideration the appeal of S. M. HOLMES, from your decision assessing duty, at the rate of 20 cents per gallon, on certain Benzole," or "Benzone," contained in an entry made by him. January 27, 1863.

66

The appellant claims "that it is only liable to a duty of twenty per centum ad valorem, as an unenumerated article, and subject to the provisions of the last clause of section 24 of the act of March 2, 1861." "Benzole," or Benzone," is the first run of the stills in the distillation of Petroleum-much lighter and more ethereal than the oil which follows, and very similar in character to spirits of turpentine. It is used as a substitute for that article in painting, burning fluid, &c., &c., and for most purposes it is said to be equally useful; nor is it used for any purpose where spirits of turpentine may not be.

66

Benzole," or "Benzone," is not specifically provided for in the existing tariff acts, but must be considered as falling within the provisions of section 20 of the act approved August 30, 1842, viz:

"That there shall be levied, collected, and paid, on each and every non-enumerated article which bears a similitude, either in material, quality, texture, or the use to which it may be applied, to any enumerated article chargeable with duty, the same rate of duty which is levied and charged on the enumerated article which it most resembles in any of the particulars before mention, &c., &c."

"Benzole," or "Benzone," most closely resembles spirits of turpentine, and is, in my opinion, subject to the same rate of duty, viz., fifteen cents per gallon, and I hereby direct it to be so classified.

I am, very respectfully,

S. P. CHASE, Sec. of the Treasury.

To N. G. ISBELL, Esq., Collector, Detroit, Mich.

ENTRY OF GOODS, INITIATED JULY 31, 1862.

Treasury Department, February 19, 1863. SIR: I have received your report on the appeals of Messrs. CHAPMAN, LYON & NOYES, and others, from your decision subjecting to duty, under the tariff act of July 14, 1862, certain merchandise imported and entered by them prior to the 1st day of August-the day when said act went into effect-but the duties on which were not paid until that day.

The entry in this case was initiated on the 31st of July, but not completed, nor the goods formally delivered from the importing vessel, until on and after the 1st day of August.

Inc onformity with my decision of November 13, 1862, on an application from Messrs. FAIRCHILD & FANSHAWE, for withdrawal for consumption of certain blankets, I am of the opinion, the importers having made entry before the new act went into effect, but were unable to complete it, by causes beyond their control, that the goods must be considered subject to the rate of duty existing on the 31st of July last.

I am, very respecfully,

S. P. CHASE, Secretary of the Treasury.

TO HIRAM BARNEY, Esq., Collector, New York.

66 OLD BOILERS" OF A BRITISH STEAMER.

Treasury Department, March 16, 1863. SIR: Your letter transmitting an affidavit and appeal of Captain THOS. LEACH, of the steamer "Arabian," of Niagara, C. W., from your decision exacting duty, at the rate of $6 per ton, on certain old iron boilers, has been considered.

It appears the steamer "Arabian" cleared from Portland, Maine, for St. John via New York, and the captain finding the flues of the boilers defective, put into Boston in distress; had them replaced with new boilers, and sold the defective boilers as old iron.

The numerous acts of Congress laying duties on merchandise, as well as those regulating the collection of the same, uniformly contemplate the cargo; they refer to articles having the quality of merchandise in the ordinary and popular sense of the word. They refer also to goods intended to be introduced into the country for sale and consumption, or for the general purposes of commeree. It has been uniformly held that, to constitute an importation within the true meaning of the law, the arrival must be voluntary, with the intent to import.

Your decision exacting a duty at the rate of six dollars per ton on the old iron boilers, as above stated, is overruled.

I am, very respectfully,

GEO. HARRINGTON, Acting Secretary of the Treasury.

To J. Z. GOODRICH, Esq., Collector, Boston, Mass.

DISCRIMINATING DUTY-SPANISH BOTTOMS.

Treasury Department, March 16, 1863.

SIR: The appeal of Messrs. WEBSTER & CRAIG, on behalf of Messrs. M. ECHEVERRIA & Co., from your decision exacting 10 per cent discriminating duty on sundry merchandise imported by them, per Spanish bark "Teresta," from Matamoras, in September last, is before me.

The appellants allege the cargo of the "Teresta" was made up in chief part of wool, cotton, goat skins, and lead in bars; and the collector has no authority to assess duty on those articles, except in pursuance of some act of Congress fixing the rate and amount.

The said discriminating duty was charged in pursuance of the 3d section of the act of August 5, 1861; particularly of the following clause: "And on all other articles, goods, wares, and merchandise, not imported direct from the place of their growth or production, or in foreign vessels, entitled by reciprocal treaties to be exempt from discriminating du