The New York Herald Newspaper, January 21, 1853, Page 6

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NATIONAL FINANCES. Annual Report of the Secretary of the ‘Treasury. ‘Teascny Derartanevr, Jan. 15, 1853, ‘The Secretary of the Treasury reports :— RECEIPTS AND EXPRNMITU KES. ‘The receipts for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1852, were = From public lands. noes sos 3088,289 58 From miscellaneous sources. . 46, 4, (hn «+» $14,682, 136 07 ‘appears in detail by accompanying statement A.) ESTIMATES. The estimated receipts and expenditure for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1854, are: Receipts from customs, Ist quarter, by ac ‘tual returns Receipts from custo a, and 4th quarte estimamated, Receipts from public lands.. Leaving @ balance in the Treasury July 1862. Receipts from miscellaneous sources. Total receipts............ $51,200,000 00 Add balance in the Treasury July 1, 1842... 14,682,136 37 Total means, as estimated..........,..$65,032,136 37 EXPENDITURES, VU ‘The actual expenditures for the quarter ending Septem- 4 ay 30th, 1, were. ... .$13,440,587 69 ‘appears by accompany- _ing statement B.) The tae ex] edtitares @uring the other three- boy from October 1, , to June 30. ‘53, are: —Civil list, foreign inter- course, and miseellancous Expenses of collecting the Fevenue from austen. Expenses of collecting t revenue from lands Fortibeatlons, ordaaee,ar- 18,214,330 11 1,575,000 00 192,646 28 8,089,530 21 | The estimated receipts for the current fiscal year sufficient bulk to furnish full for four times as submitted in December, 1851, were $51,800,000, the of all the American el ‘The actual receipts eo far as returns have beemre- | in commerce, and ceived for the five months ending the 30th Novem- | of live! to a greater number of persons than the ber, being 220,299 20, indicate the then esti- | latter. mates of receipts to have been nearly correct. { _ The coastwise trade to and from the American J ‘The then estimated expenditures, as Laer to | pee in es ne Maxien es a peobably, ‘ongress, for the current fiseal , were S02, | om . in value, entire exp! 299-19, and the unappropriated. nce in the trea- of "Awe rodubtions to foreign nations. sury on the Ist July, 1863, provided no additional ap- propriations beyond the estimates then submitted | | should be made by Congress, was estimated at = 43. Conon however, in its appropri- | ations exceeded the estimates submitted 4 this provision for any deficiency | Department, Castoding. in the income of the Post Office in consequence of | the reduction in the rates of postage,) about ten mil- lions of dollars; The actual expenditures for the current fiscal year, , | as appropriated and authorized by Congress, (exclu- ve of the sum to be applied to the redemption of ublic debt,) therefore amount to $53,360,579 09, in ioe of $42,892,209 19, as estimated by the De- partment; and the balance in the treasury # the | end of the current fiscal year is estimated at $5,372,- 079 51, after allowing the sum of $7,199,479 7 | applicable to the redemption of the public debt. Phis, however, it must be observed, is the onaree priated and not the actual balance which will be in | the treasury at the date specified. The actual ba- | | lance undrawn at that date, provided Congress | | creates no unexpected demands upon the treasury to be liquidated prior to July next, may be estimated at about $10,000,600, after having redeemed during the | | year more than $7,000,000 of the debt. “For the fiscal year ending on the 30th of June, 1854, the total receipts are estimated at $51,200,000, which, with the estimated balance in the treasury on | the Ist of July next, will give as the estimated total | means for the year the sum of $56,572,079 51. The estimated total expenditures for that period are $46,208,753 60, leaving an estimated unappro- priated balance in the treasury on the lst of July, 864, of $10,368,325 91, without other deduction from the available means of the year towards the re- duction offthe public debt, except the sum of $586,631 forthe purchase from the land fund of the loan of , 1847. PUBLIC DEBT. The public debt on the 20th November, 1851, was $6256 26, exclusive of the stock authorized to be delivered to Texas. by act of Congress of 9th September, 1850, amounting to $10,000,000; ef which 35,000,000 of certificates were ready and awaiting | the demand of that State at the date of my last an- | the ming militia, &c. | nual report; that amount has since been delivered to Internal improveme: | the authorized agents fof the State of Texas; thus Indian department. | increasing the aggregate registered debt to $67,560,- Pensions... 396 25. The following reductions have been made Naval es Be dry docks and ocean since the last annual exhibit of the public debt, up steam mail contracts...... 7,464,300 66 | to the 1st of January:— . | Interest on the public debt. 3,725,600 10 | On account of the debt of the District cities. $60,000 00 | Redemption of stock of the | On account of the old funded and unfunded | loan of 1843........... . 5,922,981 35 2,143 39 Purebase of stock of the loan On account of the loan of 1843. 1,711,400 00 COME 5. ies hsecee , | On aceount of the loan of 1846, 974 Lo. do. 1847 650,100 00 i | _ Do. do. 1848, 5,000 00 Leaving an estimated unappropriated ‘Treasury notes paid in specie. balance in the treasury, July 1, 1853, of $5,372,079 51 | such... 50 00 This balance, it will be observed, exists after the application of $7,199,477 77 to the redemption of the public debt. The estimated receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year, commencing July 1, ‘1863, and ending June 30, 1854, are:— Receipts from customs. « $49,000,000 00 200,000 00 $51,200,000 00 5,972,079 St Total estimated receipts... Add estimated balance in July 1, 1863 Total means as estimated.......... $56,572,079 51 | ‘The expenditures for the same period, as estima- tedby the several departments—of State, Treasury, Interior, War, and Navy, and Postmaster General, are:. Balances of former appropriations which will be required tobe expended this year s+. $6,879,883 28 3 4 tt the following particulars. vit. :— Civil list, foreign intercourse, and mis- cellaneous Expenses of collecting “revenue from cus- Arm: : Foptatations, ordinance, arming docks and ocean steam mail contracts. Intenest on publicdebt . ‘urchase of stock on the loan of 1347. ;’an’ ‘estimated ‘balance in’ the ‘Treasury, July 1, 1854, of ., $10,398,325 91 It will be seen, by reference to the foregoing state- ment, that the total cash receipts and means in the treasury for the year ending on the 20th June, 1852, were $60,640,032 57. Of which there were received from customs, $47,339. 62; from lands and mis- cellaneous, $2,389,060 and a balance in the trea sury at the commencement of the year of $10,911,- 645 68. ‘The expenditures for the same period were $46,- 007,896 20, which includes the following paymeuts on account of the public debt, vi For interest, including that on of five per cent stock issued to Te: .. $4,000,297 80 For the redemption of che principal of various loans . 1,986,160 66 Reimbursement of revolutionary debt..... 1,400 31 Reimbursement of outstanding treasury MIND. 5 eee cere cccoescees one ene 300 00 Reimbursement of steck for th arth and fifth instalment of the Mexican in. Gemmity. esis ececeseeseceess 287,596 76 Total $6,275,815 53 Besides which there was paid the instal ment of the debt of the cities of the district A 60,000 00 The last instalment due to Mexico under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo........ 3,180,000 00 Award to rican citizens under the same treaty... Making a total of. included in the expenditures of t! on account of the principal and interest of the funded and unfunded public debt, which, deducted from the above sum, reduces the expenditure to $35,962,099 89. From this latter sum, however, may be still farther deducted the following items, which form no portion of the expenses of the government, viz :— Repayment to importers of the excess of deposits on un aacertained duties... 0.0.0.0... 6.6 .cs ees $346,918 86 ment of drawbacks, allowances for om imported merchandise, fish- ing bounties, Ac...... . 0... cece nese eens Refunding duties under the act of Sth of 544,452 38 August, 1846. ia 138,086 41 Refunding duties under the decisions of the Supreme Court, aequiesced in by the De ice tevese, 221,985 87 113,307 73 | A still further reduction co be made for the ocean mal ores os whieh my pro- ly belongs to the Post Office Depart nil the revenue and expenditures of whieh are entirely distinet rom the gen eral expenses of the government, and eSich de nt collects all the revenue from this ocean mail service The expenses attending the seventh censu: is an expenditure accruing only once every ten years, and the amount under this head, in the expenditures of the last year, is $65,555 55 If to this ix added the expen: 7 the revenue from customs, and lands which, alah to the year 1849, were de- ducted from the'groxs receipts, and the net revenue only pail into the Treasury, but which form items of expenditure during the last year, to the extent of........,.. 2,249,715 38 Making altogether Which, deducted from the preceding sum of #35,962,- 0099 89, would leave $30,434,692 69 as the regular and ordinary, inch considerable items of ex- traordinary of the government for the Inet fiscal Tt will be observed that the whole amount of the last instalment to Mexico is included in the expendi- ture of tite 7 but the sum of $66,467 42 has since been ‘into the treasury, and will appear in the miscellaneous for the current fiscal year, being the profits to the United States from gain in exchange in Gomereence of the said instal- aang Been: paid in city of Mexico. balance remaining in the treasury on the Ist July, 1852, it will be seen, was $14,632,136 37. the last annual report from this Department, the ‘estimated total receipts and means from all ee ae ee Year ending 30th June, 1852, were 1,645.68. The estimated total expenditures for the same period were $50,1)32, 9; leaving an es timated ery ee balance in the treasury on the lst of July last of $11,458,743 09. balance in the treasury at that date was... Ay #14,632,196 37 From which deduct the balance of jations already mace for the a er ig? mations. bat sub- is , 4 ject to on the lst July last, exes - seivinncevaexeo, 606,015 48 the which the actual | tn te Treasury on that date, of $14,632,136 37, was liable, and the actual unappropriated ba- ance in the Treasury on the Ist of s last WAH ies seeerevesene 8y020,920 90 2 | ae the rates ruling The actual | | Making a total of. | The pablic debt on the Ist January, 1853, was # 892 13, (as per statement,) exclusive of the remaining $5,000,000 deliverable to Texas under the act of 9th September, 1550, when the provisions of that law are fully complied with. Since the above date an additional amount of the public debt has been redeemed to the extent of about $250,000. The de tment possesses no authority to purchase at a mate above par value portion of the six per | cent loan of 1547, and which is only redeemable in except to the extent of what balance may re- moain in the treasury from the receipts from the sale of public lands, efter the interest on that loan has first been paid frewe «ach teeeipts As the amount of that stock forme ee ® portion of the public debt, it would be destimateie 4 Comores should remove that restriction | coltheritigg its purchase at the Current maret =~“ ging & more ex- tended scope & «say surples fands ot the lie debt, it pete to procure it in the tremsary & would proudly OD were rom a — Some dowtt; howe exivted ae to the direct and positive autherity of the department to Po aon some of the other sfocke at rates above their par value, and in order te remove all aneertainty on the subject, | would recommend that express authori Expenses of collecting revenue from lands '204'520 00 | should be vested im the to purchase, at its proper, &e . 9,311,808 64 | discretion, at the current market value, any portion of the existing public debt, to the extent of an; surplus means on hand, provided the available | balance in the treasury should never be reduced be- | | low five millions of dollars. | WAYS AND MEANS, The receipts from duties on foreign merchandise for the last fiscal year, exhibit a decrease, as com- pared with the pre g year, of $1,675,241 30. ‘bis is deemed but a tempor decline of the re- can from that source, whilst it shows how unstable is the reliance placed upon the large amounts, which, in times of hich prosperity, are expected from that branch of the revenue. ‘The slightest disturbing canses felt in the chan- nels of trade at once unfavorably affect the treasury; y favorable impetus given to commerce, from causes often accidental, tends for the time toa sud- den expansion of its revenues. This is observable to some extent in the receipts from duties on foreign goods for the periods above mentioned. The acqui- sition of our new territories on the Pacific, followed by the developement of their immense mineral re- sources, gave a corresponding extended basis for | commercial! operations. The sudden drain of foreign | merchandise trom the Atlantic ports to the Pacific, | left a vacuum to be filled by fresh and larger impor- tations of foreign dutiable goods, which, of course, was followed by a corresponding increase of receipts | into the national treasury. | The repeated and diastrous conflagrations at | the principal port of the Pacific, destroying mil- | | lions of property, in foreign goods, tended ‘to a still | further increase of foreign importations. The channels of trade, however, having once more | accommodated themselves to these new circum- | stances, we finda gradual diminution in the year | of nearly $2,000,000. A new discovery of mineral | wealth, though not within the boundaries of our | own country, yet within the reach of its enterprise, is | followed by increased buoyancy in trade, and a cor- responding increase in the revenues arising from it. By referring to my former annual reports, the views of this department may be found somewhat in detail , of the results which, in my opinion, may be expected | to flow, sooner or later, from a legislation which tends so injuriously to affect, if not to a great extent to de- | stroy, some of the prominent manufacturing interests of the country, by giving to the foreign producer the control of the supplies of ourhome market. The iron interest was cited, to show the effect of permitting the surplus foreign productions, in all their vgyjous stages of manufacture, to be thrown n our markets at almost nominal prices, and eonse quently upon the payment of comparatively nominal duties: Importations of bar, pig, and other iron, | for the year ending 30th June, 1845, were ' tons, producing duties amounting to ¢ / 4; and for the year ending 30th June, , the imports were 435,149 tons, ro- ducing duties amounting to 2 hus | it is seen that while the quantity imported has in- | creased four and a quarter times over that of 1845, the aggregate daties received is less than double the amount received from that source in 1445, and that, | too, under a heavier rate of duty at the latter period. ‘This enormous increase in the importations of iron, | at prices so far below the fuir or usual cost of pro- duction, both here and abroad, whilst it produced no | corresponding benefit to the treasury, destroyed, in a good degree, the competition of our own producer | and manufacturer. The result then foretold is now | partially realized. The foreign producer, by a reduc- tion of prices on his part, and of duties on our part, | having possessed himself of the control of our mar- | ket, raises the prices of iron, it is believed, he- yond the remunerating point, and certainly far be- loring the period of the late opeless struggle of our own manufacturer to sus- tain himself. | The effects of this state of things are felt in the very large increase of duties consequent upon the suddenly enhanced prices of iron, which must be paid by our consumers, and with the most unfavor- | | able influences upon our numerous railroad enter- | prises now in progress, whilst it is attended with no | | corresponding benefit to those whose capital,embark- | ed in this branch of manufacture, has been totally lost. | On the other hand, by this rise in the prices of iron, it may be expected that a new stimulus will be given | to that branch of American labor, which may again he met by similar consequences, when it shall have become a formidable competitor with the foreign pro- | ducer, ending in a destructive reduction in price, and a redundant supply. Whilst the foreign commerce of the country and the foreign market for its productions are undoubted- ly of great importance, yet they both probably re- | ceive an undue share of consideration, for they re- spectively sink into relative insignificance when com- pared with our internal and coastwise commerce, and with the home market. There are no records which will enable the depart- ment to give the correct amount of our internal and coastwise trade, but some idea may be formed of its yast extent when it is recollected that the annual va. lue of the agricultural, mineral, and manufacte productions of the country is not less than three thou sand millions of dollars (#3,000,000,000,)as shown by the statistical returns of the late census, a large por- tion of which is transported by river, canal, or coast- ing vessels, or on railroads, and which, in the course of trade, changes hands several times before reaching the domestic consumer, making in the aggregate an | amount of traffic counting by thousands of millions; while the whole amonnt shipped to foreign countries is but £140,000,000, being only one-thirticth part of the entire he country which thus finds , an outlet in foreign markets. | ‘Ble 'e article of coal aunually transported \ COmphY id Gaul oats, og om railroads, is yf | ei + amounted to. | ‘The exports for the same ‘period were—of do- | Gold, 6,094,7€5 pieces, of the value of | Congress has restricted the expenditu | be the object of Congress. | from ¢ | twenty per cent below their nomin A striking difference between the magnitude and importance of the home market‘and the foreign one, is to be found in the statistics of exports of what is familiarly called the famine year of 1847, There was some difficulty at that time in procuring sulficient shipping, including both American and foreign, to convey our breadstuffs to the famishing nations of Europe; and yet our entire ex; dui that year of the two principal articles of fod, Indian corn (maize) and flour, were only about three per cent of the former, and about ten per cent of the latter, esti- | mated on the whole crop produced in the United | States, leaving ninety-seven per cent of the Indian corn, and ninety per cent of the wheat crop, for the supply of the home market, where it was actually consumed. Our exports of breadstuffs at present are only about one-third of what they were during the above year of unusual demand, exhibiting in a still | more striking contrast the immense difference be- tween, the home and foreign markets in favor of the former. The mcre tolls collected by the canals and railroads | on the transportation of merchandise for the internal | trade of the country exceeds in amount the total value of a the breadstufts purchased from us by for- nations. e annual value of the crop of Indian corn, of wheat, and of hay, each respectively, is fully equal to the entire value of our productions exported to foreign countries. The annual amount of the manu- ; factures in the States of New York or Pennsylvania, | in either of those States, oy exceeds the value of | such ex) ; and even those of the comparatively | small State of Massachusetts is fully equal to all the ce a of the country consumed by foreign nations. . The latter State probably consumes breadstuffs | that are pardued in the Middle and Western States | to a greater amount than is shipped to Europe, with the great additional advantage of this being a regular and uniform demand, not depending on European | crops or the caprices of foreign governments in the regulation of their commerce, and the assessment of arbitrary and ever varying duties, according to their | own actual wants and circumstances. Yet all these immense agricultural, mineral, and manufacturing interests, which are almost exclusively connected | with the internal trade of the country and the home | market, receive greatly less attention and conside- | | ration from the community than the comparatively small amount of our foreign commerce. My views of the beneficial results which would follow a tariff with fixed and reliable, rather than with sliding, and consequently uncertain rates cf duties, have undergone no change. I now recur to them as a duty imposed upon me by the acts es- tablishing the Treasury Department. The importations of foreign merchandise, (table —.) for the fiscal year ending 30th June last, $207,109,758 mestic merchandise $14,030,447 Foreign merchandise re-exported 12,037,043 Total exports . $166,967,490 ‘The imports of specie, during ‘the same’ pe- riod, were..........4+ . And the exports of the sam ‘ In tobacco (table 2 the exports show an increase in quantity of 41,152 hogsheads, and of value of | $812,032, ing been in 1851, 95,945 hogsheads, valued at $9,219,251; 1852, 137,097 hogsheads, valued | at $10,031,283. | The exports of rice were 119,733 tierces, valued | at $2,470,029—being an increase in quantity of | 14,143 tierces, and of value $299,102, as compared with the previous year. | The exports of breadstuffs and provisions amount- | ed to $25,856,337, being an increase of $3,07,686. The aggregate exports of domestic merchandise | show a decrease,as compared with the previous year, of $24,349,585. | The exports of specie show an increase of $13,201, | 383, and_an excess of exportation over importation of $37,170,591. (See table.) MINT. The operations of the mint, particularly at Phila- delphia, at which point the greatest portion of all gold dust and bullion concentrates for assay and coinage, have been conducted with a remarkable de- gree of promptness and despatch, such as to remove all cause of complaint on the part of depositors, not- pater peel rape enormous amounts of gold dust , which have been, and still continue to be, received at | that institution. The coinage at the mint, for the year ending 31st December, 1852, was as follows:— + $51,595,638 50 Silver, 27,549,505 pieces 847,310 00 Copper, 8,162,094 piece 51,620 04 2,404,569 44 The full returns for the last quarter of the year have not been received from the branch mints, but the probable amount of their coinage will be about | $4,700,000, of which the haya at the branch mint at New Orleans will be $3,807900, and the | remainder about equally divided between the iia at Charlotte, North Carolina, and Dahlonega, ieorgia. In accordance with the act of last session, pro- il have been invited by public advertisement, oth here and in California, for the erection of a mint at San Francisco, in accordance with plans prepared with great care under the direction of this department. I, however, have great doubts whether any proposals will or can be made for the erection of a suitable building, and the supply of the needful machinery, for the sum of $300,000, to which amoun , including both of these objects. Eyen, however, should proposals be made which would be satisfactory, and could be accepted by the department, no progress could be made with the work until Congress authorizes the purchase of a | site, and makes the needful appropriation there- for, as, from the best information now in possession of the department, none of the public reserves in te Ane afford proper and eligible locations for this uilding. By the act of the 30th September, 1850, making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of government for the year ending the 30th of June, 1851, Congress authorised the appointment of an United States assayer for California, and directed a contract to be made by this department with the pro- prietors of some well established assaying works for assaying gold and forming it into bars and ingots, under the supervision of theassayer. A comtract was concluded, and ample security required for its faith- ful performance; and the contractors were limited in their charges for the services rendered by them to the rate fixed by the Legislature of Culifornia in es- tablishing a State assay office. The department was induced, with a view to fur- nish, so far as it had the power, a safe and convenient currency to the people of California, to authorise the | receipt of the issues of the assay office thus estab- lished for public dues, especially as they have all the essential requisites of coin, and this was believed to | The general pie act of the last session | contained a provision ich the farther receipt | of these issues was prohibited, and in obedience | thereto the instructions under which they had been | received were revoked. The department has reason to believe, from peti- tions addressed to it by a public meeting of the mer- chants from San Francisco, and from information re- ceived through other reliable sources, that much in- convenience and embarrassment has resulted from this legislation. It remains with Congress, however, to say what relief shall be extended, and the subject is submitted to their consideration. The inconvenience arising from the scarcity of sil- ver coinage still continues, and to such an extent as calls loudly for some legislative action to remedy the evil. Whetherthe present premium which silver bears in comparison wita gold, arises from the con- inued heavy influx of the latter and its consequent depreciated value, or from a special and unusual de- | mand in Europe for silver, or from both causes com- bined, is not very material to discuss at present; for | if it arises from either or both of these causes, there | is no reason for believing that there is any present rospect of either being removed 90 as to create any reduction in the value of silver. | Tf, a8 I believe is the fact, this difference in the relative value of the two metals arises from the im toense and increased supply of gold which has been furnished from California and Australia, there can be bet little doubt such difference will continue to in- crease, as there is no present indication that there will be a reduced supply from those sources, but, on the contrary, every prospect of a still further iner¢ This state of things has banished almost lation all silver coin of full weight what Ji emaing inthe bands of the comr consist principally of the worn I pastes of Spanisl coinage of the fractional parts of a dollar, all of which are of light weight, and man; Cs them ten to ‘alu | I see no remedy for this great existing evil but the adoption of the principle embraced in the bill whi ite the Senate during the last session, moking a of silver coinage, of such reduced weight mnlate with the gold coinage of | ight and finenes | ineipal objection w has been urged | » proposed new silver coinage, is, that it could not, without a violation of contracts, be made | a legal tender for the payment of debts, and that | gold would therefore herealter be the only legal ten- it is true that heretofore the laws of the United @ recognived the coin of either m ¥, and if it wae at the option of t) fi- | tor to seiect whieh he would receive, there would be | a very serions objection to changing either the weight | or stands eas of any portion of the coin. Bat this is ais it rests with the debtor to say | with which deseriptic and the natural and i yreminm whieh silver now bears Elias, pract gold as the only | commenced. juanti for ven suin, a8 i the time he have Ped Iii contact Nor does the present, me eat ture increased de; in the value of gold, form any just reason its being continued as a legal against tender, at its present weight and fineness, for such depreciation in its actual value, if not in its relative one,as regards silver, has been progressing gradually for some centuries, and all that can be said is, that the depreciation is more rapid at this time than for- merly, and it is Bas ® natural result of the uncer- tainty and want of stability in human affairs. In'the present state of things, a3 connected with this subject, not only the public service, but also the wants and convenience of the entire community re- quire that some measure should be adopted to furnish asilver currency, and the subject is, therefore, re- spectfully but earnestly recommended to the prompt attention of Congress. I would again call the attention of Congress to the subject of making mint certificates receivable in all dues to the government, and dispensing with the present bullion fund, which is maintained at an an- nual expense of from $350,000 to $400,000, which might be saved in interest by the application of that fund to the redemption of the public debt, besides the great advantages to the business community and the general trade of the country, by throwing the amount of that fund into circulation, ‘instead of keeping it constantly as dead capital in the vaults of the mint. The amount of the bullion fund during the last year has been nearly $7,000,000, and it has been ip plied to the immediate redemption of mint certifi- cates, 80 soon as the deposits of gold dust were as- sayed and their value ascertained, which has gene- ally been in from twenty-four to forty-eight hours after such deposits were made, and the bullion found was then le good so soon as such assa’ gold could be worked into coin, to be again employed in the redemption of other certificates, ‘The plan which the department would recommend, would be to issue certificates under the authority of Congress, to be duly registered and signed at the treasury, millions of dollars, in sums of $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000, or $10,000 each, payable to the order of the treasurer of the mint, to distributed in due pro- portions to the mint and its respective branches; and so soon as any deposit of gold bullion was assayed and its value ascertained, to pay the amount to the depositor in the above certificates, except the tional part of one hundred dollars, which would always be paid in coin. These certificates being receivable in payment of dues to the United States, would at all times command their full par value, and wonld promptly and eheerioy, be received on deposit as cash by the banks, an 4 capital, until their customers required them for the payment of duties or lands. They’ would accumulate principally atthe great marts of commerce in the Jnion, and could transmitted by mail by the different receiving offers to such points as the trea- sury might direct, avoiding all the risk and expense which now attends the transfer of public funds tn specie from points where it is collected and not re- | quired for public expenditures, ‘As these certificates were paid in, at the large | commercial seaports, the gold, so soon as coined, could be sent to such points from the mint or the branch which may have issued the certificates, and the latter would then be returned to the mint or its branch forthe purpose of being again issued to new Cenalines, ‘The expense of transmitting gold coin to the deem the certificates which had been received by the public officers, would, of course, be paid by the United States, and would ire but a small sum, probably not the twentiet! rt of the amount which would be annually saved in interest by apply- lebt. ire resent bullion fund to the redemption of the | ublic z No objection could be urged to this plan on the | ground that it would be a paper currency, for it is merely a certificate for an amount of gold already actually in ion of the government. These cer- tificates would not be intended .for circulation, nor | would they circulate from hand to hand, but would remain with banks, bankers, or individuals, until re- quired for a payment to the government; and the receiving officer should not be permitted to re-issue, but only tohold them until they are replaced with the gold in legal coin, from the bullion for which they were originally issued. T certificates should likewise always be re- deemable at the mint after|a reasonable time bein; allowed for the coinage of the gold bullion, whic! might be fixed at not exceeding twenty days after the bullion had been assayed. It is not proposed that the certificates thus issued by the mint and its different branches shonld be in- discriminately and generally received at all points of the Union, as in such case the fluctuations and the great difference in the rates of exchange between different places would cause them to he used as re- | mittances, and throw a heavy expense upon the treasury for the transportation between different points of large amounts in specie, sufficient to equal- ize exchanges, at least to the extent of the issue of such certificates. exchange on the Atlantic States is scan! at about four per cent premium; and, tae age ly, issue of mint certificates there would be immediately forwarded to New York, to be used at this latter point in payment of duties, and the United States would be obliged to transfer, at a heavy expense, all the coinageof the branch mint at San Francisco, in order to redeem its certificates in New York. The remedy for this would be, to make the issnes of the mint, and its existing or soy new branches in the Atlantic States, to be receivable only at the At- lantic seaports; those issued by the branch mint at New Orleans to be receivable only at the ports on _ the gulf of Mexico; and all the above at any of the | land offices in the Atlantic and Western State whilst the issues of the branch mint at San Fra cisco, so soon as it is put into operation, shall be re- ceivable at all the custom houses and land offices on the Pacific. ‘ If the present system is to be continued, and a bullion fund of seven millions is to be maintained, the balance in the treasury cannot conveniently be re- duced below twelve millions of dollars, as the system of an Independent Treasury cannot be conducted with a Jeas available balance than five millions, so as to have the needful amount at all times at the aeperae points where the public expenditure is made. SURVEY OF THE COAST. It gives me great pleasure to refer to the progress of this important work during the four last years. The whole coast is diyided into eleven sections, and in ten active operations have been carried on during this whole lod. With only one link of twenty-six miles south of the Chesapeake to be filled up, an unbroken triangulation now extends from the mouth of the Kennebec river, in Maine, to the harbor of Beaufort in North Carolina. The topography and hydrography have made corresponding progress. ‘The harbors of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, New- barney, Ipswich, Gloucester, Salem, Wellfleet, Mas- sachusetts, and others, have been surveyed. shoals have been discovered and sounded out in the Vic! the seacoast of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, Hatteras shoals and Frying-Pan shoals, have been made known to the navigator in excellent Jess inary charts. The survey of the Chesapeake bay is now nearly completed, and that of the rivers flowing into it has been commenced. Some of the most important harbors on the Southern coast, as Hatteras inlet, Ocracoke inlet, Beaufort harbor, Cape Fear entrance, Roman Shoals, Charleston har- bor, North Edisto river, Tybee entrance, and the Savannah river, have bean surveyed, and the charts are, or soon will be published. The rey of Georgetown harbor, in South Carolina, and of the entrance of St. John river, Florida, have been The triangulatign and reconnoissance of the vicinities of Cape Fear entrance, Georgetown harbor, Cape Roman, Charleston, North Edisto, Sa- yannah, and entrance to the St. John are gradually and steadily advancing. In a few years an unbroken series, with points well and other observations, will cover the coast from the Ponobscot river in Maine, to the St. Mary’sin Florida. The Ms pe of the survey on Florida reef and the shores of the Peninsula is entirely satisfactory, in view of the limited appropriations, compared with the vast extent and variety of the whole work. The entire reef and western shore has been exam- | ined in a preliminary way, and nearly one-half of the survey of the reef has been made. The im- fey harbor of Cedar Keys, on the western shore, has been examined. A reconnoissance has been made of about one-half of the distance between St. Mark’s and Mobile bay, and an examination of St. Mark's river. The triangulation and topogra- phy now extend from Mobile bay to Lake Pon- chartrain, and nearly all the Spe Be hy has | been completed, and an examination made of the delta of the Mississippi, Galveston bay has been surveyed excepting a small portion of the hydro- graphy, and the triangulation now extends to the v of Matagorda bay, Preliminary charts have been published of Galveston and Mobile bays, of the Mississippi delta, St. Mark's, Cedar Keys, Key West, Cape Canaveral, Mosquito inlet, and St. An- drew’s shoals, and these will soon be followed by othe On the western coast, in consequence of the extraor ry difficulties in securing hands and means, owing to the discoveries of gold, the survey did not fairly get under way till about three years since. <A very good preliminary reconnoisance bas been made of the whole coast, from San Diego to the Straits’ of San Juan de Fuca, and of nearly every important harbor, embracing San Diego, San Simeon, Santa Barbara, San Pedro, Point Con- cepeion, Point 1 = Cuyler’s harbor, Prisonew*s harbor, San Clemente, Mare Island Str rinidad, and Humboldt Bays, and entrance of t columbia. river. Charts of all hors have heen ferniched and distributed, | excepting the harbor of Santa Barbara, which is now in the hands of the engraver. Charts of the co from Monterey to the mouth of the Columbia ri and that from San D prblished two , to the needful amount, say six or seven | frac- | held by them as specie | points where it might be required in order to re- In California, for instance, the | all the | New | ity of Nantucket. The dangerous shofls along | determined by astronomical | harbor of Coxo, San Louis Obispo, | nd the harbor of Monterey, Santa | Cruz, Catalina Island, including both anchorages, | | triangulation embraces the waters and Suisun bays, extending from Mare Island Straits to the entrance, and for several miles up and down the const. The topography has been completed for a chart of San Francisco bay, and the hydrography will be executed the coming winter. ‘The triangula- tion of the Columbia river has been extended thirty- three miles from its mouth. ss A commencement has also heen made in the sur. vey of the Santa Barbara islands, including the land surveys, by the Godetic method. In connection with this rapid progress of the survey on this coast, obser- vations have been made for latitude and longitude, and the magnetic variation. The geographical po- sition of the coast, from the Straits of San Juan de Fuca to San Diego, has been established; the lati- tude and longitude of the most important headlands having been determined by sufficiently numerous and reliable preliminary observations. The latitude of seventeen stations, and the longitude of nineteen sta- | tions, and the magnetic variations of seven stations have been thus determined. On the Atlantic and | Gulf coast the usual attention has been given to the same subject. Magnetic observations have been made at thirty-three sfations. Sixteen longitude and seventeen latitude stations have been occupied, and ten base lines measured. A greatextension has been given to the method of determining the longitudes of cardinal points by ane He electric magnetic tele- graph—a method of admitting of a degree of preci- sion not hitherto attainable by other means. The exploration of the Gulf stream has been continued. Great A th has been made in publishing the re- | sults of the survey, Forty-two charts, elaborate and highly finished, and forty- already been published, and twenty-seven sheets are in varlous stages of engraving. The feostaphical positions determined by the survey, from its com- mencement to July, 1851, have been published. The | latitude and longitude of over 8,200 points have thus heen given to the public, and furnishing information | of great value for general and local purposes. Many special examinations have been made to determine the proper sites for lights, lightboats, beacons, and buoys, along the whole coast, from Maine to Texas; and, as regards the Western coast, the entire duty of | selecting sites, has devolved upon and been performed by the Coast Survey. It gives me great pleasure to | acknowledge the piomptitude with which this duty has been perio, and my confidence in the results | | thus reached. It has been an arduous and responsible duty, rée- quiring in each case a personal examination, and in many cases accurate surveys of the localities. Much | valuable information has also been furnished in con- | nection with the river and harbor improvements, | greatly expediting the plans for prosecuting these works, and making available the resnits of the sur- veys and the personal examination of the superin- , tendents to this branch of the public service. | In view of the very extensive correspondence | which necessary appertains to such extended and yaried operations, it is respectfully recommended that the same authority as to receiving or sending official communications connected with the survey, now ex- ercised by the several bureaus of this department, may be extended to the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, and to the Assistant in charge of the Survey Office, the Superintendent being necessarily absent | in the field much of his time. The duties of franking, | now thrown upon this department, are extremel onerous, while it produces delay incompatible with | that brempe MISCELLANEOUS. always to In pursuance of the act of 3lst August last, au- thorizing the formation of a Lighthouse Board, one officer of engineers of the army, and one of the topo- | graphical engineers, two naval officers of high rank, and two civilians of distinguished scientific acquire- ments, have been designated by the President to form this Board, and one officer of the navy and one of the | engineers as secretaries. The Board so constituted immediately eryenined and entered upon the duties assigned them by law. The clerks employed upon | the lighthouse business being one temporary clerk from the office of the Secretary of the Treasury, and | four from the Fifth Auditor's Bureau, were, as re- | quired by law, transferred to the office of the Light- | house Board. | The Board has beén assidnous!: \ | ‘0 ronary chartshave | | despatch of the business of the survey desired. s engaged in the | pacret duties assigned it. From the practical know- | ledge and high professional and scientific attainments | combined in the eminent gentlemen comprising it, | there is no reason to doubt that all the benefits con- | templated by this new organization of that branch of | | the public service will be fully realized. | A detailed renee of the operations of the Board, | comprising such changes‘and improvements in the | | present system as in its paceman have bécome ne- | com is submitted with the J hey report. | Under the act of the 31st August » providing for the construction of not less than six revenue out- | ters, the department advertised for proposals for the | building of six vessels of desi, rated size and finish. | Proposals have accordingly been received, and the | contract for the whole number has been awarded to | the lowest bidder, under ample security for its faith- ful execution. The appropriation made will be suffi- | cient for the constructon of said vessels, and their | perfect equipment for service. | Of the several custom houses authorized, or in cor rse of construction, that at New Orleans has pro- gre as far as circumstances would permit; that | at Savannah has been completed and occupied ; at Charleston the foundation is progressing with all pos- sible despatch. Sites have been purchased, and pro- coals publicly invited for the erection of custom honse buildingsat Mobile, Norfolk, Bangor, Louisville, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. Sites have been selected at Bath and Waldoboro’, Maine,’and Wilmington, in Delaware ; and their purchase will be completed when the cession of jurisdiction shall have been obtained | from the States in which they are respectively situ- ated, in accordance with the requirements of tl ates | | resolution of September, 1441. A_ site has been | telected for tue building authorized at Richmond, | Virginia. So much of the appropriation, however, | will be absorbed by its purchase that it has been deemed advisable to delay for the present any steps towards the erection of the building, with the view of requesting from Congress an additional appro- | priation, and the removal of the existing restriction as to the amount of expenditure. Contracts have | been made for the erection of the custom house buildings at San Francisco, in California, and Pittsburg, in Pennsylvania ; .and the buildings will be prosecuted to completion with the utmost possible despatch. The restrictions imposed upon the department by limited appropriations in the various acts authorizing the erection of custom | houses and post offices, forbid in many the erection of fire-proof buildings, or the adoption of plans embracing a style of material comparable with many of the local public or private buildings in the kame places. Within these limited appropriations,in many cases, | sccommodations must be provided for the custom honse, post office, United States courts, offices for ) United States Marshal, and Clerk of the United States courts. The great value of the papers which must necessarily collect within the buildings embrac- | | ing the above mentioned offices, demand that every precaution should be taken on the part of the govern- | ment to prevent their destruction by fire. Some of the appropriations at the control of the department | | have been reduced by the purchase of the necessa: | site, or were originally so limited as to render it doubtful if the contemplated buildings, with proper | accommodations, can be erected without additional | appropriations being made. Special communications | | in relation to some of these will be made to Congress | as soon as specific information can be obtained. | |. The contract for the extension and re-organiza- tion of the Baltimore custom house building, has been concluded, in conformity with the act of the | | hast session. | _ The great distance and consequent difficulty and | delay in communicating with Oregon has prevented | any definite progress being made in the erection of | the proposed building at Astoria. | _ The operations of the Caleta arising out of the provisions made for sick and disabled seamen, are becoming daily more onerous and extended. In consequence of the rapid expansion of our com- | merce, both foreign and domestic, the funds arising | from the monthly contributions of twenty cents from | the parties for whose benefit this truly beneficent system has been established, are insufficient for their relief, without the addition of direct appropriations by_Congress. The puree appropriations from the treasury for the relief of sick seamen have amounted to $969,069 34, besides $928,319 20 for the purchase of sites, | the erection of hospital buildings, furniture, re- pairs, &c. | The department recommends a continuance of the | appropriations for the relief of sick seamen and boat- | men, the needful extent for supplying the defi- | ciency in the amount received from the hospital fund; but it is not at present prepared to advise the erection of more marine hospitals. ‘The experience of the department induces me to believe that it is in | every way preferable to make an arrangement for the | care of sick seamen with local hospitals of high | | standing, which are under the immediate and vigi- lant supervision of citizens of the highest respecta- bility, at the respective places. Such arrangements exist at New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and at some other points, at a fixed weekly rate for cach | seaman, the cost of which is greatly less than it would be in a public hospital, and e the care and attention which the patients receive are fully equal to what they could ests obtain in a govern- ment institution, and their medical treatment is also | under the direction of the most eminent professional , | talents and experience, In all places where a similar | arrangement can be made, 1 am of opinion itshould | | he preferred, rather than erect other marine hospitals in addition to those already authorized, as t believe both the comfort of the sick, and econ of expen- iture, woud be promoted by the addption of the | rmer plas | | ally, from 1521 to marine hospital fund under its present While the benefit of this fund is extended to all the collection districts of the United States, pitals are completed and in full operation at Chelsea near Boston, Massachusetts; Norfolk, vigee 3 Ocracoke, North Carolina; Cleveland, Ohio; Chiea- go, Mlinois; Pittsburg, Pennsylvania ; Louisville and Paducah, Kentucky; Natchez, Mississippi; New Orleans, Louisiana; Mobile, Alabama; and Key West, Florida. Appropriations have been made and buildings authorized to be erected at Napoleon, Arkansas; St. Louis, Missouri; San Francisco, Cali- fornia; Evansville, Indiana; Portland, Maine; and Vicksburg, Mississippi. Estimates of Sppropatations for the completion of the buildings at Louis, and for the fencing and heating the buildings and work ne for their parler at Chicago, in Mlinois, Cleveland, in Ohio, Pittsburg, in Pennsylvania, Louisville, in Kentucky, Fates, Napoleon, and Natchez, have been mitted. ‘These estimates are based upon a careful caloula- tion of the amount and cupien of work to be done, and are deemed indispensably necessary for the buildings and grounds referred to. ‘A contract has been made for the buildi: at San Francisco, and those at Napoleon and St. is are nearly com, eed that at Sr Doe has been delayed, awaiting a further appropriation. ’ A site has been puechused at Evansville, but the balance of the appropriation is not sufficient to erect a suitable building, and an additional appropriation of $20,000 is respectfully submitted. A site has been selected for a hospital at Portland, Maine, but the department has not yet taken final action on the report of the commissioners appointed to select it. The following statements connected with the sub- ject accompany the present report, viz. :— Statement T exhibits the whole amount received from the monthly contributions of seamen under the act of 19th July, 1798, up to Ist July, 1852. Statement U, exhibiting the amount srproneiated by Congress for the purchase of sites, erection of ma- rine hospitals, furniture, &c., designating the respect- a points and the amount of appropriations for each place. l Statement V, exhibiting the present state of the hospital fund, arising from the monthly contributions of the seamen, and the, appropriations by Congress for their relief. The Supreme Court, in the case of Lawrence vs. Caswells, decided that no return of duties could be claimed by the parties who had not, at the time of making the entry, entered a written protest declaring specially the grounds on which they objected to pay the duties, and the department has felt itself bound by that decision, and has since declined to refund any duties alleged to be illegally assessed, except in cases where such written protest was made at the | time, or where it evidently arose from a clerical error. This course involves great hardship in many cakes where evel the game parties, having, in certain entries, made a regular pro‘sst; haye received back the duties erroneously assessed, agreedh!t Lo legat decisions, whilst in other cases, precisely similar it every respect, but where the formality of a protest ‘Was not observed, no return can be made under the above decision of the Supreme Court. I would_re- commend these cases to the favorable action of Con- gress, by investing in the Treasury Department the power to return duties in all cases which may be similar to those on which the Supreme Court may have made decisions in favor of the claimants, even if no protest has been made at the time by the par- es. The attention of Congress was called atthe last session to the necessity of a law—and one was framed for the purpose but not acted on—to check the mul- tiplicity of suits against the collectors of the customs for duties alleged to be improperly collected, by obliging the same parties to consolidate all thei suits of a similar kind in one action ; and also where one party has already entered a suit that no others involving the same principle should be instituted, on the Treasury Department agreeing, upon notice from other claimants, that the decision of the suit which may have been already entered, should govern in the settlement of others. “As it now is, the same ies, vexatiously, and with the view toincrease their costa, will enter separate and numerous suits, all precisely similar in the facts and circumstances. It is also essential that in all suits against colleo- tors there should be the Haute appeal to the Su- preme Court without regard to the amount, as are numerous decisions made in the lower courts, in- volving important principles which would probably be reversed, was an appeal granted, but which the amount involved does not admit of An appeal under existing laws. Congress at its last session having a priated’ the sum of ten thousand dollars for locating surf boats on the coast of the United States, the department called tpon the Superintendent of the Coast Survey for a report showing the point swhere they could be most advantageously employed for the pw of saving life and property from shipwreck. This re- port has lately been received, giving twelve points on the coast of Maine and Massachusetts as suitable lo- cations; and orders will immediately issue for the supplying the same with the requisite boats and their appurtenances; and as soon as other suitable loca- tions along the coast are furnished this department from the office of:the Coast Survey, measures will be immediately taken for furnishing them likewise. Numerous reports have been made to the depart- ment of the great saving of life and property on our coast by means of these boats; and I would respect- fully suggest that a further aj Wig dat ie of t ten thousand dollars be made for this laudable object, and that power be granted this department to ex- pend from time to time such portions of it as may be roduiaed £0 keep ihe boats an porte in repairs for immediate use, and compensa rsons for taking care of them. ; Las The subject of the fisheries being one of high im- portance, and having recently attracted at and general attention, I transmit herewith a highly inter- esting and valuable report prepared for this depart- ment by Lorenzo Sabine, Esq., embracing :— 1, A report on the fisheries in the American seag of France, Spain, and Portugal. 2. A report on the fisheries of Newfoundland, Nw® Scotia, Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, M; lene Islands, Bay of Chaleurs, Labrador, and New a ti Re Gat 3. Report on the fisheries of the United Stwea. 4. Review of the controversy between t}¢ United States and Great Britain, as to the intentand mean- lng ot the first article of the convention 0/1818. = following statements accompany the present report, viz. A. Statement of duties, revenues, a1d public ex- ponsaitures, during the fiscal year mding June 30, *52, agreeably to warrants issued €xclusive of trust. funds and treasury notes funded. B. Statement of duties, reyexties, and public ex- penaitares, for the first quarter of the fiscal year, rom July 1 to September 30, 1852, agreeably to war- | rants issued, exclusive of dust funds and treasury notes funded. C. Statement of advasces from the treasury on ac- count of the expenses of each custom house in the United States during the year ending on the 30th June, 1852. D. Statement of the number of persons cere in each district of the United States, for the collec- tion of customs, during the fiscal year ending June 380, 1852, with their occupation and compensation, per act of 3d March, 1849. aay Statement of the public debt on the 1st January, F. Statement of the redemption of treasury notes during the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1952. G, Statement exhibiting the total value of imports, and the imports consumed in the United States, ex- clusive of specie, during each fiscal year from 1821 to pes adit eG No CH ie cele and forcign exports, exclusive of specie, ant tonnage employed during the same periods H. Statement exhibiting the valne of imports an- nually, from 1821 to 1852, designating separately the pare of species free and dutiable goods, respect- ively. I. Statement exhibiting the value of certain arti- cles imported during the ycars ending on the 30th of June, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851 and 1852, (after deducting the re-exportations,) and the amount of duty which accrued on each during the same eae respectively. K. Statement exhibiting the amount of coin and bullion imported and ba aba annually, from 1821 to 1852, inclusive, and the amount of impdrta- tion over exportation, and of exportation over impor- tation during the same years. L. Statement exhibiting the quantity and value of wines, spirits, &c., imported annually, from 1843 to 1852, inclusive; and also showing the foreign cost per gallon under specific and ad valorem duties. __M, Statement showing the value of goods remain- ing in warehoures at the close of cach quarter, from the 30th of September, 1447, to the 30th of June, 1852, a8 exhibited by the quarterly returns of the | collectors of the customs, under the provisions of the act of the 6th of August, 1846; and also the amount of duties payable thereon. N. Statement exhibiting the value of dutiable mer- chandise re-exported annually, from 1821 to 1862, inclusive; and showing also’ the value re-exported from warehouses under the act of August 6, 1846. O. Statement exh ng the value of foreign mer- chandise imported, ported and consumed, annu- inclusive; and also the esti- Tas, | mated popwation and rate of consumption, per capita, Aching the same periods. P. Statement exhibiting the value of merchandise and domestic produce, &c., exported annually, from 1821 to 1862. Q. Statement exhibiting the quantity and value of cotton exported annually, from 1821 to 1852, inclu- sive, and the av ¢ price per pound. R. Statement exhibiting the aggregate value of breadstuffs and provisions exported annually, from 1s21 to 1852, §. Statement exhibiting the quantity and value of

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