Clearance. No ship or boat belonging wholly or in part to Her Majesty's subjects shall sail from the Channel Islands without a clearance, whether in ballast or having a cargo; and if with cargo, the master shall give bond to Her Majesty in double the value of such cargo for the due landing thereof at the port for which such ship or boat clears; and every such ship or boat not having such clearance, or which, having a clearance for her cargo, shall be found light, or to have discharged any part of cargo before arrival at the port or place of discharge specified in the clearance, shall be forfeited. § 205. The Russian empire, vast as is its territorial extent, great as is the aggregate of its population, is not only proportionately the poorest and least populous in the world, but even the elements of which it is composed are not amalgamated into one body. Russia is not a nation as France is a nation, or England is a nation. Every child knows that the real glory of the great PETER consisted less in his victories than in his vast and successful labours to found Russian commerce. He was greater as a shipwright, working in the dockyard of Smarden, than as a victor at the head of his army after the battle of Pultowa. It is as the founder of the Russian marine, as the actual constructor of the first Russian vessel, that he has won and that he has deserved the homage paid to his memory. In truth, the power of Russia and her influence in Europe are mainly attributable to the rapid growth of her trade. Shut up within her own territory, spacious as it is, she will be excluded from those civilising influences which have made her what she is, and be in danger of falling back into that barbarism from which the enlightened policy of her rulers for the last 150 years has rescued her. Is it likely that Russia with ruined merchants, impoverished nobles, pressed on externally by the narrowing line of fire and steel that day by day grows closer and thicker on her frontiers by land and sea, can preserve internally that appearance of unity which she now presents? The Press, April 22, 1854. TRADE WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM. An Account of the Quantities of certain enumerated Articles Imported into the United Kingdom from Russia in the Years 1852 and 1853. It thus appears that for the supply of foreign tallow, linseed, flax, hemp, and bristles, we are mainly indebted to Russia. Of grain, wool, and timber, the proportions are not so important. With regard to our export trade to Russia, little is required to be said. At best it is not very important; but a considerable portion of the British goods now used in Russia are sent by the systems of railways through Hamburg to Cracow and Warsaw.-Economist. WAR WITH ENGLAND AND FRANCE. See p. 177. As to OTHER PLACES, see under the several kingdoms, PRUSSIA, AUSTRIA, &c. CONSULS. Paris May 8, 1854. The Russian government has thought proper to withdraw the exequatur to the consuls of France and England at St. Petersburgh. In communicating this resolution to the consul of Her Britannic Majesty, Count Nesselrode offered to that agent his passport, while he announced to M. de Castillon that the Emperor Nicholas authorized him to continue to reside at St. Petersburgh. The French government refused to accept the benefit of the difference of treatment which the Russian Cabinet wished to establish between the consuls of the two allied powers, and has directed M. de Castillon to withdraw from his post. -Cor. EMBARGO ON TURKISH VESSELS. Notification of the Russian Minister of Finance respecting the embargo on Turkish vessels, dated November 5, 1853. In consequence of war having been declared against Russia by the Ottoman Porte, the Minister of Finance considers it fit to make the following communications to the trade. The warlike operations which Turkey has already begun against Russia put a stop to all direct intercourse between their respective subjects; nevertheless the Porte has laid no embargo on Russian vessels lying in her ports, and in her proclamation promised to grant them a limited period for their free departure for whatever port they may please; at the same time the Porte promised not to hinder the free passage of merchant ships of friendly powers through the Straits leading to the Black Sea. Prompted by feelings of justice, the Russian government, on its part, offers a free exit to the Turkish vessels that happen to be in her ports up to the 10th (22d) of November of this year; furthermore, if even after the expiration of this date, our cruisers should fall in with Turkish vessels loaded with goods belonging to the subjects of those powers with whom Russia is in friendly intercourse, they will be permitted to proceed to their destination unmolested, and their cargoes recognized as inviolable, if the ships' documents prove that they were loaded by the above-mentioned date. Further, as the Porte has not exempted the mercantile navy of Russia from the rigorous measures which are justified by the rules of war, so our cruisers also will chase Turkish merchant ships on the sea, and in the event of capture the vessels themselves, as well as their cargoes, will be considered as rightful sea prizes, although the cargoes seized under Turkish flags may not have been Turkish property, but belong to a subject of a friendly power. To the navigation of merchant ships of neutral nations, even during warlike operations on the part of Russia, full freedom will be allowed. Commercial craft under neutral flags will, as heretofore, be permitted to enter and leave our ports at will. Besides this, in consequence of the rupture of that general intercourse between Odessa and Constantinople which was carried on by Russian steamers, our government, appreciating the importance of this intercourse to trade in general, has empowered the Company (Lloyd's) during the war to keep up this regular communication between Odessa and Constantinople by means of steamers, in which they are at liberty to transport not only passengers and goods, but also correspondence. NEUTRALS. The Journal de St. Petersbourg contains a notice by which the Minister of Finance allows English and French vessels six weeks from April 19, 1854, to clear out of Russian ports in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azoff, and six weeks from May 17, 1854, to clear out of Russian ports in the Baltic. Enemies' property in neutral bottoms will be regarded as inviolable, and may be imported into Russia. The subjects of neutral powers on board enemies' ships will be unmolested. ENGLISH AND FRENCH PROPERTY-NEUTRAL VESSELS. DECLARATION FROM THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE. Translation. In consequence of the information received of the declaration of war against Russia by England and France, the Ministry of Finance considers it its duty to make universally known the measures which will be adopted by the Imperial government, with respect to the English and French subjects, their mercantile vessels and property. In conformity with the declarations of the English and French Governments the Imperial Government has, in its sincere desire to remove as much as possible from private individuals the ruinous consequences of war, established the following rules. A term of six weeks shall be allowed to English and French merchant vessels, at present in our harbours to load and sail, without hindrance, to foreign ports. This term will count from April 25, in the ports of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azoff and the Baltic, but in the White Sea from the day on which the navigation opens. As an exception to this rule, for military considerations, two English vessels, the Ann McAlister and the William Broderick, of which the former is lying at Cronstadt and the latter at Revel, will be detained for a certain period; these vessels will not, under any circumstances, be liable to confiscation, and will eventually be released, as soon as circumstances render it practicable. English and French merchant vessels which may, after leaving our ports, be met at sea by our cruisers after the expiration of the term appointed, will be free to continue their voyage, if, on examination their ship's papers, it should appear that the cargo on board of these vessels had been taken in before the expiration of the six weeks. The property of British and French subjects on board neutral vessels will be regarded as inviolable by our cruizers. English and French goods, even should they belong to subjects of Great Britain or France, will be allowed to be imported under neutral flags into our ports, in accordance with the usual Custom-house tariff regulations, without any hindrance on our part. Moreover the property of neutrals, found on board of the enemy's vessels, will not be subject to confiscation. But it is self-evident that a neutral flag will not cover such cargoes or articles as by international law are considered articles of contraband; in consequence of which, the vessels, on which such contraband may be found, will be stopped by our cruizers, and declared lawful prizes of war, in conformity with the declaration, issued from the Ministry of Finance, November 27, of the foregoing year. The government of His Imperial Majesty, whilst leaving all its mercantile harbours open to the merchant vessels of neutral countries, can, nevertheless, not take upon itself any responsibility for injuries and losses which these vessels may sustain from the operations of war. The Minister of Finance, as far back as the month of October last year, when rumours of war became prevalent, declared in the name of His Majesty the Emperor, to the English merchants trading in St. Petersburgh, that, even in case of war, they need have no apprehension either for themselves or their property, and they might depend upon the same protection which they had hitherto enjoyed, such protection and freedom from danger, as far as their persons and property are concerned, will continue to be extended to all British and French subjects, without exception (to whatever trade or profession they may belong), who, quietly attending to their own business, observe the established laws of the country, and refrain from all acts forbidden by them. Issued with the Commercial Gazette, 7th April, 1854. TARIFF.* Of duties imposed by the Russian government on the following articles which came into operation 1st January, 1851. [Translated specially for "POPE'S YEARLY JOURNAL OF TRADE."] BEER.The duty on Bottled Ale, Beer, or Porter imported into Russia is 18. 2d. per bottle, except that at the Transcaucasian ports of the Black Sea, Porter is admitted at 10d. In casks, the import duty is 67. per hogshead at the Transcaucasian ports of the Black Sea. In Russia and Poland the import of Ale and Beer in casks is prohibited, and Porter pays a duty of 71. 108. per hogshead.-Economist, May 13, 1854. BRIMSTONE, raw, pood in sticks, &c., and Flour of Sulphur, pood. *As English and French goods are still allowed to be imported under neutral flags, this Tariff remains not only useful but important.-Ed. WINES, in cask, hhd. Champagne and other sparkling, bottle other than sparkling, in bottle, bottle 40 70 2 0 80 50 0 10 0 80 1 85 3 20 45 0 35 60 0 40 NOTE. All articles are charged 2 per cent. on the amount of duties. The custom houses of Petersburg, Archangel, and Riga, allow foreign goods imported by privileged merchants to remain in bond without paying duty, or to be re-exported during twelve months, if imported by others, six months. See also articles in next page. ISINGLASS, Bolonga, Osetras, Stertayz, in book or otherwise (other sorts, free), pood SKINS and HIDES, Sheep, Lamb, Ox, Cow, Wild Goat, Buffalo, |