drawbacks, bounties, or allowances granted upon goods, wares, or merchandize, when imported into or exported from such Foreign Country in British Vessels, than are levied or granted upon similar goods, wares, or merchandize, when imported or exported in Vessels of such Country, provided always that such additional or countervailing duties so to be imposed, and drawbacks, bounties, or allowances so to be withheld as aforesaid, shall not be of greater amount than may be deemed fairly to countervail the difference of duty, drawback, bounty, or allowance paid or granted on goods, wares, or merchandize, imported into or exported from such Foreign Country in British Vessels, more or less than the duties, drawbacks, bounties, or allowances there charged or granted upon similar goods, wares, or merchandize, imported into or exported from such Foreign Country in Vessels of such Country; and whereas British Vessels entering the Ports of The United States, from the Ports of His Majesty's Possessions in America, or the West Indies, with Cargoes consisting of articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture of the said Possessions, are charged with a duty of one Dollar per ton for tonnage duties and light money, and a discriminating duty of 10 per cent. is charged on the cargoes of such Vessels, to which Vessels of The United States, and cargoes of the same description, entering the Ports of those States from the Ports of the said dominions are not subject; His Majesty, by virtue of the power vested in him by the said last recited Act, and with the advice of His Privy Council, is pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered, that from and after the date of this Order, there shall be charged on all Vessels of The United States which shall enter any of the Ports of His Majesty's Possessions in America, or the West Indies, with articles of the growth, production, or manufacture of the said States, a duty of 4s. 3d. sterling for each and every ton burthen of such Vessels, equal (as nearly as may be) to 94 cents of the money of The United States, and being the difference between the tonnage duty payable by Vessels of The United States, and British Vessels entering any of the Ports of the said United States, from any Ports of His Majesty's dominions in America or the West Indies above enumerated, and further an addition of 10 per cent. upon the duties set forth in Table C, above referred to, on any of the articles therein enumerated, which may be imported in any such Vessel of the said States; such duties to be levied, collected, and applied in the same manner, and to the same purposes, as the duties levied under the authority of the said Act of the 3d Year of His Majesty's Reign.

And the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury are to give the necessary directions herein accordingly. JAS. BULLER.

ACT of the British Parliament "to indemnify all Persons concerned in advising, issuing, or acting under a certain Order in Council;" and to amend an Act "for authorizing His Majesty, under certain circumstances, to regulate the Duties and Drawbacks on Goods imported or exported in any Foreign Vessels."

[5 Geo. 4. cap. 1.]

[5th March, 1824.]

WHEREAS by an Act passed in the last Session of Parliament, intituled "An Act to authorize His Majesty, under certain circumstances, to regulate the duties and drawbacks on goods imported or exported in Foreign Vessels, and to exempt certain Vessels from Pilotage," His Majesty is authorized, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, or by His Majesty's Order or Orders in Council, whenever it shall be deemed expedient, and under the provisions in the said Act contained, to levy and charge any additional duty or duties of customs upon any goods, wares, or merchandize, imported into the United Kingdom, or into any of His Majesty's Dominions, in Vessels belonging to any Foreign Country, in which higher duties shall have been levied upon goods, wares, or merchandize, when imported into such Foreign Country in British Vessels, than are levied or granted upon similar goods, wares, or merchandize, when imported in Vessels of such Country; provided that such additional duties shall not be of greater amount than may be deemed fairly to countervail the difference of duty paid or granted on goods, wares, or merchandize, imported into or exported from such Foreign Country in British Vessels, more than the duties there charged upon similar goods, wares, or merchandize, imported into or exported from such Foreign Country in Vessels of such Country: And whereas His Majesty, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, since the passing of the said recited Act, has been pleased to order*, that there should be charged on all Vessels of The United States of America, which should enter any of the Ports of His Majesty's Possessions in America or the West Indies, with articles of the growth, production, or manufacture of the said States, a tonnage duty equal (as nearly as may be) to the difference between the tonnage duty payable by Vessels of The United States, and the higher tonnage duty payable by British Vessels entering any of the Ports of the said United States from any Ports of His Majesty's Dominions in America or the West Indies; and by the said Order in Council, the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland were required to give the necessary directions accordingly: And whereas such tonnage duty hath been, and may be levied

* Sec Order in Council, 21st July, 1823, Page 781.

.

and paid upon and in respect of such Vessels accordingly: And whereas doubts have arisen how far the provisions of the said recited Act extend to the levying, by the authority of the said Order in Council, additional tonnage duties upon the Vessels aforesaid; and it is expedient that all proceedings under the said Order in Council should be sanctioned by Parliament; and that all persons concerned in advising, issuing, or carrying the same into execution, should be respectively indemnified: Be it therefore enacted by the King's Most Excellent 1 Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that such Order in Council, and any direc tions or warrants of the said Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury accordingly, shall be deemed and taken to be good and valid în Law, to all intents and purposes whatever, as if the same had been specifically authorized by the said recited Act; and that all persons concerned in advising, issuing, or carrying into exccution such Order in Council, or in issuing, giving, or advising any such directions or warrants, and also all persons having acted, or who may act under, or în purstrance of, or in obedience to, any such order, direction, or warrant, shall be, and they are hereby respectively indemnified for and on account of the same, and of any act or thing done in pursuance of, or in obedience to, or in conformity with, any such order, direction, or warrant as aforesaid, 'as fully and effectually, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, as if any such order, direction, or warrant had been given, and such acts, matters, and things had been done, in pursuance of any Act or Acts of Paritament; any thing in the said recited Act, or in any other Aet or Acts of Parliament to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

III. And be it further enacted, that from and after the passing of this Act, it shall and may be lawful to and for His Majesty, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, or by His Majesty's Order or Orders in Council, to be published from time to time in the London Gazette, (whenever it shall be deemed expedient) to levy and charge any additional or countervailing duty or duties of tonnage, upon or in respect of any Vessels which shall enter any of the Ports in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and heland, or in any of His Majesty's Dominions, and which shall belong to any Foreign Country in which any duties of tonnage shall have been or shall be levied upon or in respect of British Vessels, entering the Ports of such Country, higher or greater than are levied or granted upon or in respect of the Vessels of such Country: Provided always that such additional or countervailing tonnage duties, so to be levied and charged as aforesaid, shall not be of greater amount than may be deemed fairly to countervail the difference of duty paid in such Foreign Country upon or in respect of the tonnage of British Vessels, more than the duty there charged or granted upon or in respect of the Vessels of such Country.

IV. And be it further enacted, that from and after the passing of this Act, it shall and may be lawful to and for His Majesty, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, or by His Majesty's Order or Orders in Council, to be published from time to time in the London Gazette, to permit and authorize the entry in any Port or Ports of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or of any other of His Majesty's Dominions, of any Foreign Vessels, upon payment of such and the like duties of tonnage only as are or may be charged or granted upon or in respect of similar British Vessels: Provided always, that before any such Order or Orders shall be issued, satisfactory proof shall have been laid before His Majesty and His Privy Council, that Vessels of the Foreign Country, in whose favour such permission shall be granted, are charged with no other or higher tonnage duties on their entrance into the Ports of such Foreign Country, than are levied on the entry into such Ports upon the Vessels of such Country.

VI. And be it further enacted, that His Majesty, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, or by any Order or Orders in Council, as aforesaid, is hereby empowered to remove, or again to impose any such additional or countervailing tonnage duties, whenever it shall be deemed expedient so to do.

DOCUMENTS accompanying the Message of the President of The United States to Congress.—December 3, 1822.

SIR,

THE ARMY.

Department of War, November 27, 1822. In compliance with your directions, I herewith transmit statements from the Major General of the Army, and the several subordinate branches of this Department, which give in detail the information requested.

In order to render the Military Organization more complete, the Major General, after the late reduction of the Army, under the Act of 2d March, 1821, was stationed at the seat of Government, thus bringing the Military Administration of the Army, as well as its pecuniary, through the several subordinate branches, under the immediate inspection and control of the Government. There is reason to believe that the arrangement will be highly useful.

The Report of the Major General, herewith transmitted, marked (1.) exhibits the present organization, strength, and distribution of the Army. In the distribution, both in relation to the positions occupied, and the number at each post, regard has been had to the protection of important points, and the discipline of the Troops. The Artillery, with the exception of 4 Companies on the Lakes, and the one at West Point, has been assigned to the garrisoning of the various Fortresses along the Line of the Sea Coast, and the important Ordnance Depots

in the interior; while the Infantry, with the exception of a Regiment at Pensacola, has been stationed at the important points in the interior, principally on the Upper Lakes, and the Western Frontier.

No change has been made in the course of the Year in the distribution of Troops, with the exception of transferring one Company of Artillery from Fernandina to Charlestown Harbour, one Battalion of the 2d Regiment of Infantry from Sackett's Harbour to the Sault of St. Marie, at the outlet of Lake Superior, and the whole of the 7th Regiment from Fort Scott and Bay of St. Louis to the Arkansaw and Red Rivers, to each of which one Battalion has been assigned."

The Inspector Generals (one of whom has been assigned to the Artillery and the other to the Infantry) have, in the performance of their duty, visited all of the posts and Military Dépots in the course of the Year, with the exception of the posts on the Arkansaw and Red Rivers, the inspection of which was prevented by the Inspector being severely attacked by a fever while on his Tour of inspection. In addition to the inspection by the Inspector Generals, the Generals com-" manding the Departments have inspected, or are in the course of inspection, of the whole of their respective commands.

The various articles which constitute the supplies of the Army, have been, during the Year, regularly issued, and of a good quality. The Report of the Chief of Engineers, marked (2.) exhibits the progress which has been made in the course of the Year in the erection of Fortifications, also the operation of the Board of Engineers, and the Corps of Topographical Engineers, and the present condition of the Military Academy; by reference to which it will appear that the important duties assigned to that Department have been performed in a very satisfactory manner.

The Report of the Colonel of Ordnance, marked (3.) contains an exhibit of the operations in that branch of service 'during the last Year, comprising the operations of the Armories, the Ordnance Depots, and the measures which have been taken in relation to the Lead Mines, the superintendence of which has recently been annexed to the Ordnance Department. The Report satisfactorily shows, that this important Department is gradually attaining a state of high perfection. The rigid inspection of the various Ordnance Depots, which has lately been made the Duty of the Inspector of Artillery, will, it is believed, greatly contribute to improve this important branch of service.

F

The Reports of the Quartermaster General, Paymaster General, Surgeon General, and the Commissary Generals of Provision and of Purchases, herewith transmitted, marked D, E, F, G, aud H, exhibit a very satisfactory view of the condition of their respective Departments. On the 4th of March, 1817, there remained unsettled on the books of the 2d and 3d Auditors, of the Sums disbursed through this Department previous to that date, 45,111,123, 01 dollars, which, on the 30th of