are to be stationed. The red tuns, situated on entering on the starboard side, will retain the buoy form as hitherto, whereas the white tuns, situated on the larboard side will have the form of the usual Weser tuns.

(a). The first red tun of the new Weser mouth will then lie in the same direction as the present black Key tun, from Wangeroog, but nearer the island, in nine fathoms water, and be distinguishable by a golden key.

(b). The round red tun marked A., will bear S.W. by W. of the Wangeroog Tower, and bear a golden pear as mark of distinction.

(c). The third red tun, marked B, will bear W.S. W. W. of the Wangeroog Tower, and bear a round basket as mark of distinction.

(d). The fourth red tun, marked C., comes in the place of the present red tun No. I., but will be distinguishable by a golden cross, instead of the present round basket

(e). The fifth and sixth red tuns, marked severally D. and E., will be stationed where the present red tuns marked severally No. II. and No. III. lie, and be likewise distinguishable by a round basket.

II. The number of the white tuns will be then increased by three additional ones, two of which will be stationed seawards of the present tun No. O., and the other above the present tun No. I.

(a). The first white tun marked No. 1. will be stationed on the extreme point of the Red Sand, in 7 fathoms water, and bear S.W. by W. of the Wangeroog Tower.

(b)_The second white tun marked No. 2, will be W.S.W. W. of the Wangeroog Tower.

(c). The third and fourth white tuns, marked severally No. 3 and No. 4, will be stationed in the place of the tuns No. O and No. 1, at present lying on the Middle Plate, but in a different form; and besides this, the tun No. 3 will be distinguishable by a wing.

(d). The fifth white tun marked No. 5 will be stationed near the Mellum Plate, and bear E. S of the sixth red tun E.

III. As soon as the new Channel or Fairway is provided with buoys and beacons as above specified, the station of the lightship No. 1. will be removed higher up, and in such a manner that, from the first white outward lying tun, a direct passage may be steered up to it in a S. E. course. The present black G. or eighth tun will then likewise be removed higher up.

IV. The consequence of this alteration in the several positions of the buoys and beacons, the four black tuns at present lying in the old Weser Channel, riz.-Key, A. B. and C., as also the two white tuns No. 1 and 2, will be taken up at the above-mentioned time, but the other tuns lying below the lightship No. 1, will remain in their present position till further notice.

When the alterations above specified are finally effected, further particulars will be made known to mariners; but even at the present date, the Chamber of Commerce considers it its duty to direct the attention of those concerned to the proposed alterations.

Bremen, October 1, 1853.

THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

CATTLE AND MEAT.

By Imperial decree, Sep. 14, 1853, until it be otherwise ordered, the duty on the importation of cattle and of fresh and salt meats are provisionally fixed as follows:

COAL AND IRON.

By Imperial Decree, Nov. 22, 1853, the duties on the importation of foreign coal and iron are fixed as follows:

COAL PER 100 KILOGRAMMES.

Coal, by sea. From Sables d'Olonne, exclusively, to Dunkirk, inclusively, in French vessels, 30c.; in foreign vessels, 80c.; by all other ports, in French vessels, 15c.; in foreign vessels, 65c.

Coal, by land --From the sea to Halluin, exclusively, 30c.; by all other ports, the existing duties.

Coke. One-half above the duties on coal.

Coal ashes.-The existing duties.

IRON PER 100 KILOGRAMMES.

Pig iron, weighing 15 kilogrammes or more, by sea, in French vessels, 5f; in foreign vessels, 5f. 50c.; ditto, by land, from Blanc Misseron inclusively to Montgenevre exclusively, from the adjacent countries, 4f.; from all other places, 5f.

In bars (etire), without regard to the mode of fabrication, in French vessels and by land, flat bars of 458 millimetres and more, the length multiplied by the thickness, 12f.; 218 millimetres inclusive to 458 millimetres exclusive, 14f; less than 213 millimetres, same thickness, ditto, 16f. In square bars of 22 millimetres and more on each side, 12f.; 15 millimetres inclusive to 22 millimetres exclusive, ditto, 14f.; less than 15 millimetres, ditto, 16f.; in round bars of 15 millimetres and more in diameter, 14f.; less than 15 millimetres, ditto, 16f. By foreign vessels, the above duties and one-tenth more. In rails. Same duties as those on bar iron, according to their dimensions. In plates, or laminé-noir-tole.—In French vessels, 25f.; in foreign vessels and by land, 27f. 50c.

Steel in bars, cast or wrought.-In French vessels, 40f.; in foreign vessels and by land, 44f.

Art. 2.—From Jan. 1, 1855, the duty on iron shall be levied according to the following table:

Raw pigs, weighing 15 kilogrammes and more, per 100 kilogrammes, by sea, in French vessels, 4f.; in foreign vessels, 4f. 40c.; ditto, by land, 4f.

Bars, without regard to the mode of fabrication, in French vessels, and by land, in flat bars of 458 millimetres and more, the length multiplied by the thickness, 10f.; 213 millimetres inclusively to 458 exclusively, 12f.; less than 213 millimetres, ditto, 14f. In square bars of 22 millimetres and more on each side, 10f.; 15 millimetres inclusively to 22 millimetres exclusively, 12f.; less than 15 millimetres, ditto, 14f. In round bars of 15 millimetres and more in diameter, 12f.; less than 15 millimetres, ditto, 14f.

The same by foreign vessels-the above duties and one-tenth more. Iron in rails-the same duties as on bar iron, according to their dimensions. Iron plates. In French vessels, 20f.; in foreign vessels and by land, 22f. Steel in bars, cast or wrought.-In French vessels, 30f.; in foreign vessels and by land, 33f.

Art. 3.-The laws, decrees, and ordinances which are not opposed to the present decree remain in full force.

QUANTITIES IMPORTED.

The import of coal from England into France amounted in 1852 to 664,633 tons of 1,000 kilogrammes, and that of coke to 2,733 tons. In the same year France received 1,792,155 tons of coal and 169,398 tons of coke from Belgium. Coal was also obtained in considerable quantities from Rhenish Prussia. As regards pig iron, the total amount imported into France in 1852 was 46,244 tons, of which 15,002 tons were from England, and 26,416 from Belgium. She

also received 1,841 tons of iron in bars, and 270 tons of steel from England.-Published by the French Government.

CORN, &c.

By the returns of the corn trade in the different markets of France, it appears that during the last week of April and the first fortnight of May, 1854, the average price of the hectolitre of wheat was 29f 20c. at Toulouse, Gray, Lyons, and Marseilles; 28f. 9c. at Marans and Bordeaux; 30f. 40c. at St. Laurent and Le Grand Lemps; 31f. 92c. at Mulhouse and Strasburg; 29f. 43c. at Bergues, Arras, Roye, Soissons, Paris, and Rouen; 29f. 43c. at Saumur and Nantes; 29f. 21c. at Metz, Verdun, and Charleville; and 30f. 59c. at St. Lo, Paimpol, Quimper, and Hennebon.

According to the above returns, the general average price of the hectolitre of wheat during the three weeks was 29f. 78c. Comparatively with the general average price of last month, the diminution does not exceed 4c. At the corresponding period of 1847, the general average price was 39f. 74c. There is consequently a difference in favour of 1854 of 9f. 96c. To-day, as in 1847, the first section of the third class (Strasburg and Mulhouse) exhibits the highest prices, with this difference-that in 1847 the average price of the hectolitre in that section was 46f. 85c., while this year it is but 31f. 92c., or 14f. 93c. less.-Moniteur, May 26, 1854.

October, 1853.

A decree by the French government authorising foreign vessels to carry on, till July 31, 1854, the coasting trade between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean upon the same conditions as French vessels, as far as regards the transport of grain and flour, rice, dry vegetables, and potatoes.

By Imperial decree, October, 1853, the period named in the decree of the 3rd of August last, removing temporarily the differential duties payable on corn and flour imported into France in foreign vessels, is extended until July 31, 1854.

A further decree forbids the export of potatoes and dried vegetables from France until July 31 1854.

By Imperial decree, December, 1853, the period to which vessels laden with grain, flour, rice, potatoes, and dried vegetables are exempted by a previous decree from the payment of navigation dues, was extended from December 31, to July 31, 1854, and has been since still further extended to December 31, 1854. See ADDENDA.

By Imperial decree, December, 1853, the period for the reduction of railway tolls on corn, flour, rice, potatoes, and dried vegetables is extended from December 31 to July 31, 1854.

By decree, January 16, 1854, the privilege granted by decree of October 12, 1853, to foreign vessels to carry from one sea to another, coastwise, grain and other provisions loaded in a French port, is extended to the carriage, coastwise, of the same articles, from one port to another in the same sea.

The above privilege, which is to extend to July 31, 1854, shall only be applicable to vessels laden exclusively with grain and the other provisions specified in the decree of October 12, 1853.

Vessels thus laden shall be admitted at their port of destination at whatever date they may arrive, if their clearance papers shall prove that they sailed previous to July, 1854.

COTTON.

By Imperial decree, December, 1853, the restrictions imposed by the rescript of February 8, 1826, on raw cotton imported into France from Great Britain and the British possessions in Europe, were, according to the said rescript, that the produce of Asia, Africa, and America, sent from England and her European possessions into French ports were to be admitted for re-exportation only.

HEMP.

The French government have prohibited the exportation from France of all hemp, the growth of France or on which the French import duty has been paid. Many British merchants and manufacturers had made purchases of hemp at Havre and Nantes, and have been much annoyed to find the removal of their property to this country prohibited, especially as it was so much needed here for manufacturing purposes. The application of our Ambassador at Paris to the government has been fruitless, and our merchants have been obliged to sell again in France, and at a loss. So far as we understand, there is no prohibition on the exportation from foreign hemp lying there in bonded warehouses, being considered as only in transitu. It is well for traders to know that by the provisions of a customs Act of 1814 the French government may prohibt the exportation of goods of French origin, growth, or manufacture, and those considered such by payment of import duty, whether they have become the property of British merchants or not, and that purchases are made in France subject to the risk of such a prohibition, which has been actually applied to hemp.-Cor., May 25, 1854.

CHINESE CRAPES.

By B. T. N., March 29, 1854, there has been received a copy of a French Imperial Decree from Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris, to the effect that "the ports of Boulogne and Calais are added to the list of ports into which the importation of Chinese crape shawls in the piece, of foreign origin, destined to be embroidered in France," is permitted.

SILK.

By Imperial Decree, October 12, 1853, the customs duties on floss-silk are regulated as follows:- plain raw floss-silk is exempt from duty, if carried in French vessels; if carried in foreign vessels the duty is 1f. per 100 kilos.; dyed floss, 10c. the kilogramme; waste, and all other descriptions, 10c. the kilog.; ferret (fleuret), if raw, 1 f.; if dyed, 3f. the kilogramme.

SILK MARKET.

According to the monthly circular, June, 1854, of M. Arles Dufour, of Lyons, the silk-market has not improved, the American as well as the European demand being unsatisfactory. Meanwhile it is said, with the exception of Naples and Spain, the silk crop is making excellent progress. Until August, however, stocks will be very short, and any speedy resumption of activity would, therefore, be likely to produce an immediate advance.

SHAWLS.

By Imperial Decree, December 14, 1853, plain China crape shawls (Unis) of foreign origin, intended to be embroidered in France, may be temporarily admitted, free of duty, on condition of being re-exported within six months, under the bonds and formalities prescribed by the 5th Art. of the law of July 5, 1836, and upon the particular conditions hereinafter indicated.

2. The shawls shall be declared to the customs, under legal penalty, by number, dimensions, and net weight. Every declaration shall comprehend the number of shawls which it is intended to include in each transaction.

3. The customs will place on each shawl a flying seal in wax, the expenses of which shall be reimbursed by those interested at the rate of 10 centimes per seal.

4. Chinese crapes, admitted temporarily by virtue of the present decree, can only be imported at the ports of Marseilles, Bordeaux, Nantes, Havre, Rouen, and Dunkirk, and by the custom houses of Lille, Fourbach, Strasbourg, Saint Louis, and Pont-de-Beauvoisin. They can also be withdrawn from the

entrepôts of Paris and Lyons, where they may have arrived by way of transit. The re-exportation must take place through the same ports and custom

houses.

5. Every substitution, deficiency, or subtraction, proved by the customs authorities, will involve the application of the penalties and interdictions prescribed by Article 5 of the law of July 5, 1836.

PRICES OF WINES AND BRANDIES.

Paris, April 4, 1854.

The wines of 1851 fetch large prices at Bordeaux. The St. Emilion is very scarce and dear, the price varying from 950f. to 1,050f. per hogshead. Medoc lately sold as high as 3,000f. and 3,800f. Brandies have fallen in Bordeaux to 162f., and even 160f.-Cor.

SIRE,

WOOL.

REPORT TO THE EMPEROR.

Paris, May 12, 1854.

The development of the commercial and maritime relations of France with the countries situated beyond Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, especially with Australia, has always been the object of your Majesty's solicitude. With this view a decree, issued on March 5, 1852, reduced from 20 to 15 per cent. the duty levied upon raw wools imported under the French flag from the countries situated in the zone above indicated.

But this measure, as I have reported to your Majesty has not produced all the effects that might have been expected from it. The difference between the general duty on wools and the special duty established on Australian wools had not sufficed to induce shipments, which are always very expensive, and the results of which are long in developing themselves. On the other hand the system of ad valorem duties was not well suited to transactions with Australia.

Your Majesty had ordered me to devise a combination which, without prejudicing the interests of our agriculture, might be more adapted to operations which it is so important to encourage.

It appears to me that I should fulfil these conditions by proposing to you, Sire, to substitute for the Tariff specified in the decree of the 5th of March, 1852, a duty according to weight, calculated at the rate of 10 per cent. on the value of Australian wools in French ports. Thus classified, the Tariff will be of easy and simple perception, while the difficulties which arise between the custom house and the trade on the subject of the correctness of the values declared at the period of importation of the merchandize would disappear.

It appears to me, moreover, that the benefit of the measure should be extended to Cape Town, which is the seat of a considerable trade in wool. Such, Sire, is the object of the decree which I have the honour of submitting for the approbation of your Majesty.

I am &c.,

P. MAGNE,

Minister Secretary of State to the Department of Agriculture,
Commerce, and Public Works.

DECREE.

NAPOLEON, by the grace of God and the national will, Emperor of the French, to all whom it may concern, greeting :

On the report of our minister, secretary of state to the department of agriculture, commerce, and public works, referring to article 34 of the law of December 17, 1814, referring to our decree of March 5, 1852, we have decreed and decree as follows:

Art. 1. The import tariff for raw wool is modified as follows: