of the parties; they have likewise agreed that when such ships have a cargo they shall also be provided, besides the said sea letters or passports, with certificates containing the several particulars of the cargo, and the place whence the ship sailed, so that it may be known whether any forbidden or contraband goods are on board the same; which certificates shall be made out by the officers of the place whence the ship sailed, in the accustomed form; without which requisites said vessel may be detained, to be adjudged by the competent tribunal, and may be declared lawful prize, unless the said defect shall be proved to be owing to accident, and shall be satisfied or supplied by testimony entirely equivalent. ART. 23. It is further agreed, that the stipulations above expressed relative to the visiting and examination of vessels shall apply only to those which sail without convoy; and when said vessels shall be under convoy, the verbal declaration of the commander of the convoy, on his word of honor, that the vessels under his protection belong to the nation whose flag he carries, and when they may be bound to an enemy's port, that they have no contraband goods on board, shall be sufficient.

ART. 24. It is further agreed, that in all cases the established courts for prize causes, in the country to which the prizes may be conducted, shall alone take cognizance of them. And whenever such tribunals of either party shall pronounce judgment against any vessel, or goods, or property, claimed by the citizens of the other party, the sentence or decree shall mention the reasons or motives upon which the same shall have been founded, and an authenticated copy of the sentence or decree, and of all the proceedings in the case, shall, if demanded, be delivered to the commander or agent of said vessel, without any delay, he paying the legal fees for the same.

ART. 25. For the purpose of lessening the evils of war, the two high contracting parties further agree that in case a war should unfortunately take place between them, hostilities shall only be carried on by persons duly commissioned by the government, and by those under their orders except in repelling an attack or invasion, and in the defence of property.

ART. 26. Whenever one of the contracting parties shall be engaged in war with another state, no citizen of the other contracting party shall accept a commission or letter of marque for the purpose of assisting or co-operating hostilely with the said enemy against the said parties so at war, under the pain of being treated as a pirate.

ART. 27. If by any fatality-which cannot be expected, and God forbid--the two contracting parties should be engaged in a war with each other, they have agreed, and do agree now for then, that there shall be allowed the term of six months to the merchants residing on the coasts and in the ports of each other, and the term of one year to those who dwell in the interior, to arrange their business and transport their effects wherever they please, giving to them the safe conduct necessary for it, which may serve as a ufficient protection until they arrive at the designated port. The citizens, of all other occupations, who may be established in the territories or dominions of the United States or of New Granada, shall be respected and maintained in the full enjoyment of their personal liberty and property, unless their particular conduct shall cause them to forfeit this protection, which, in consideration of humanity, the contracting parties engage to give then. ART. 28. Neither the debts due from individuals of the one nation to individuals of the other, nor shares, nor money which they may have in public funds, nor in public or private banks, shall ever, in any event of war or of national difference, be sequestered or confiscated.

ART. 29. Both the contracting parties being desirous of avoiding all inequality in relation to their public communications and official intercourse, have agreed, and do agree, to grant to the envoys, ministers, and other public agents, the same favors, immunities, and exemptions which those of the most favored nations do or shall enjoy; it being understood that whatever favors, immunities, or privileges the United States of America or the republic of New Granada may find it proper to give to the ministers and public agents of any other power, shall, by the same act, be extended to those of each of the contracting parties.

ART. 30. To make more effectual the protection which the United States and the republic of New Granada shall afford in future to the navigation and commerce of the citizens of each other, they agree to receive and admit consuls and vice consuls in all the ports open to foreign commerce, who shall enjoy in them all the rights, prerogatives, and immunities of the consuls and vice consuls of the most favored nation; each contracting party, however, remaining at liberty to except those ports and places in which the admission and residence of such consuls may not seem convenient.

ART. 31. In order that the consuls and vice consuls of the two contracting parties may enjoy the rights, prerogatives, and immunities which belong to them by their public character, they shall, before entering on the exercise of their functions, exhibit their commission or patent, in due form, to the government to which they are accredited; and, having obtained VOL. XIX.-NO. II. 14

their exequatur, they shall be held and considered as such by all the authorities, magistrates, and inhabitants in the consular district in which they reside.

ART. 32. It is likewise agreed, that the consuls, their secretaries, officers, and persons attached to the service of consuls, they not being citizens of the country in which the consul resides, shall be exempt from all public service; and also from all kind of taxes, imposts, and contributions, except those which they shall be obliged to pay on account of commerce or their property, to which the citizens and inhabitants, native and foreign, of the country in which they reside are subject, being in everything besides subject to the laws of the respective States. The archives and papers of the consulates shall be respected inviolably, and under no pretext whatever shall any magistrate seize, or in any way interfere with them.

ART. 33. The said consuls shall have power to require the assistance of the authorities of the country for the arrest, detention, and custody of deserters from the public and private vessels of their country; and for that purpose they shall address themselves to the courts, judges, and officers competent, and shall demand in writing the said deserters, proving by an exhibition of the registers of the vessels, or ship's roll, or other public documents, that those men were part of the said crews; and on this demand so proved, (saving, however, where the contrary is proved by other testimonies,) the delivery shall not be refused. Such deserters when arrested shall be put at the disposal of the said consuls, and may be put in the public prisons, at the request and expense of those who reclaim them, to be sent to the ships to which they belonged, or to others of the same nation. But if they be not sent back within two months, to be counted from the day of their arrest, they shall be set at liberty, and shall be no more arrested for the same cause.

ART. 34. For the purpose of more effectually protecting their commerce and navigation, the two contracting parties do hereby agree to form, as soon hereafter as circumstances will permit, a consular convention, which shall declare specially the powers and immunities of the consuls and vice consuls of the respective parties.

ART. 35. The United States of America and the republic of New Granada desiring to make as durable as possible the relations which are to be established between the two parties by virtue of this treaty, have declared solemnly, and do agree to the following points:

1st. For the better understanding of the preceding articles, it is and has been stipulated between the high contracting parties that the citizens, vessels, and merchandise of the United States shall enjoy in the ports of New Granada, including those of the part of the Granadian territory generally denominated isthmus of Panama, from its southernmost extremity until the boundary of Costa Rica, all the exemptions, privileges, and immunities concerning commerce and navigation, which are now or may hereafter be enjoyed by Granadian citizens, their vessels, and merchandise; and that this equality of favors shall be made to extend to the passengers, correspondence, and merchandise of the United States, in their transit across the said territory, from one sea to the other. The government of New Granada guarantees to the government of the United States that the right of way or transit across the isthmus of Panama upon any modes of communication that now exist, or that may be hereafter constructed, shall be open and free to the government and citizens of the United States, and for the transportation of any articles of produce, manufactures, or merchandise, of lawful commerce, belonging to the citizens of the United States; that no other tolls or charges shall be levied or collected upon the citizens of the United States, or their said merchandise thus passing over any road or canal that may be made by the government of New Granada, or by the authority of the same, than is, under like circumstances, levied upon and collected from the Granadian citizens; that any lawful produce, manufactures or merchandise belonging to citizens of the United States thus passing from one sea to the other, in either direction, for the purpose of exportation to any other foreign country, shall not be liable to any import duties whatever; or, having paid such duties, they shall be entitled to drawback upon their exportation; nor shall the citizens of the United States be liable to any duties, tolls, or charges of any kind to which native citizens are not subjected for thus passing the said isthmus. And, in order to secure to themselves the tranquil and constant enjoyment of these advantages, and as an especial compensation for the said advantages, and for the favors they have acquired by the 4th, 5th, and 6th articles of this treaty, the United States guaranty positively and efficaciously to New Granada, by the present stipulation, the perfect neutrality of the beforementioned isthmus, with the view that the free transit from one to the other sea may not be interrupted or embarrassed in any future time while this treaty exists; and in consequence the United States also guaranty, in the same manner, the rights of sovereignty and property which New Granada has and possesses over the said territory.

2d. The present treaty shall remain in full force and vigor for the term of twenty years

from the day of the exchange of the ratifications; and from the same day the treaty that was concluded between the United States and Colombia, on the 13th of October, 1824, shall cease to have effect, notwithstanding what was disposed in the first point of its 31st article.

3d. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if neither party notifies to the other its intention of reforming any of or all the articles of this treaty twelve months before the expiration of the twenty years stipulated above, the said treaty shall continue binding on both parties beyond the said twenty years, until twelve months from the time that one of the parties notifies its intention of proceeding to a reform.

4th. If any one or more of the citizens of either party shall infringe any of the articles of this treaty, such citizens shall be held personally responsible for the same, and the harmony and good correspondence between the two nations shall not be interrupted thereby ;、 each party engaging in no way to protect the offender, or sanction such violation.

5th. If unfortunately any of the articles contained in this treaty should be violated or infringed in any way whatever, it is expressly stipulated that neither of the two contracting parties shall ordain or authorize any acts of reprisal, nor shall declare war against the other on complaints of injuries or damages, until the said party considering itself offended shall have laid before the other a statement of such injuries or damages, verified by competent proofs, demanding justice and satisfaction, and the same shall have been denied, in violation of the laws and of international right.

6th. Any special or remarkable advantage that one or the other power may enjoy from the foregoing stipulations, are, and ought to be, always understood in virtue and as in compensation of the obligations they have just contracted, and which have been specified in the first number of this article.

ART. 36. The present treaty of peace, amity, commerce, and navigation shall be approved and ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof; and by the President of the republic of New Granada, with the consent and approbation of the Congress of the same; and the ratifications shall be exchanged in the city of Washington, within eighteen months from the date of the signature thereof, or sooner if possible.

In faith whereof, we, the plenipotentiaries of the United States of America, and of the republic of New Granada, have signed and sealed these presents in the city of Bogota, on the twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLE.

The republics of the United States and of New Granada will hold and admit as national ships of one or the other, all those that shall be provided by the respective governments with a patent issued according to its laws.

The present additional article shall have the same force and validity as if it were inserted, word for word, in the treaty signed this day. It shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at the same time.

In witness whereof, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done in the city of Bogota, the twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six.

FOREIGN POSTAL REGULATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES.

We give below the instructions of the Postmaster General of the United States, to Postmasters and other agents of the department relating to postage on letters, newspapers, and other mailable matter.

All letters or other mailable matter coming into the United States from foreign countries, or going out of the United States to other countries, are required to be sent through the post office at the place of departure or arrival. The postages to be charged on all letters going out of the United States to or through the kingdom of Great Britain or its colonies into the United States, by any foreign packet ship or other vessel, will be as followsthe postages on the out-going letters or other mailable matter to be pre-paid:

On each letter, not exceeding half an ounce in weight, conveyed between the two countries by a foreign packet, 24 cents; and for each additional half ounce or fraction under, an additional postage of 24 cents; and if conveyed between the two countries by any foreign private ship or vessel, when weighing half an ounce or under, the postage will be 16 cents; and for each additional half ounce or fraction under, an additional postage of 16 cents. Newspapers will be chargeable with a postage of 4 cents each. Each sheet of other printed matter will be rated as a newspaper.

BLOCKADE OF THE GULF OF MARACAIBO.

J. Milligan, the Consul of Venezuela, residing in London, has addressed a letter to Capt. G. A. Halsted, R. N., Secretary, Lloyd's, in which he states "that by a decree dated Caraccas, 11th May, 1848, the government of Venezuela has declared an effective blockade, with the exception of ships of war of friendly and neutral nations, of the Gulf of Maracaibo, in consequence of that city not having yet given in its submission after the late revolt of General Paez."

The time allowed by the decree for the notification to vessels arriving from Curacoa and its dependencies is eight days, the other Antilles fifteen days, and the United States and Europe forty days; but these terms have been modified by an explanatory resolution of the Minister of War and Marine, dated 17th May, of which the following is a translation:

CARACCAS, 17th May, 1848.

To avoid the difficulties and misunderstandings which might give rise to unfounded reclamations, with reference to the decree of 11th instant, declaring the blockade of the port of Maracaibo, and its adjacent coasts, it is resolved :-

1. By the adjacent coasts of Maracaibo are understood all those properly bordering the Gulf of Maracaibo, between Cape St. Roman in the Peninsula of Paraguana, and the point of La Espada in the Peninsula of the Goagira.

2. For the penal effects of the blockade, the term of the notification for vessels proceeding from Europe is extended to seventy days, and to thirty days for those proceeding from Demerara and the Antilles, with the exception of Curacoa, and its dependencies, St. Thomas' and Santa Cruz; and until the expiration of that time the blockading squadron will confine itself to informing the vessels proceeding from either of these points of the ex. istence of the blockade, for which purpose a note of the fact shall be made upon the register or document, which certifies the nationality and owners of the vessel so visited, and also a memorandum of such notice having been duly given; and only in case of her attempting after such notification to enter the limits comprehended in the terms of the blockade, shall such vessels be subject to detention and adjudication in conformity with the law and practice of nations. (Signed) MEJIA.

REDUCTION OF DUTIES IN MEXICAN PORTS.

A late number of the Gazeta contains a decree of the President of Mexico concerning Mexican duties. By this decree it appears that on the cessation of the war, the Mexican tariff of the 4th of October, 1845, will go into operation, and as the duties thereby imposed on imported goods are much higher than those collected during the time the ports were in possession of the American forces, some modification is necessary, in order that what may hereafter come in may be enabled to compete with foreign merchandise now in the market.

He therefore orders that a reduction of thirty per cent be made on all duties collected under the above mentioned tariff. From this rule will be excepted the duties of one per cent established by the law of the 31st of March, 1838, and that of two per cent on damaged goods, which must be paid in full.

REGULATIONS AT RIO GRANDE DU SUL, BRAZIL.

The Department of State, under date of Washington, June 28th, 1848, publishes the following extract of a letter, dated April 20, 1848, from Thomas M'Guire, Esq., United States Consul at Rio Grande du Sul, Brazil, for the information of our merchants interested in the trade, particularly those who freight vessels with lumber to that port:

According to the regulations of the custom-house, vessels having on board a greater quantity of merchandise than is specified in the manifest, the excess is forfeited, and they are moreover subject to a fine equal in amount to half the value of the excess, and the payment of the duty. If the quantity of merchandise on board is less than is specified in the manifest, and the declarations which may be annexed to it by the master before entering the vessel at the custom-house, the deficiency will be considered as having been smuggled, and the master forfeits one and a half times the value of the missing goods, with the exception of articles which are despatched by weight or measure, on which five per cent is

allowed for decrease or increase, according to their nature. Several American vessels have recently been fined, under the first mentioned regulation, in consequence of having on board a greater number of feet of lumber than was specified in the manifest; and it has happened so frequently, that I am induced to believe that there is a radical difference in the measurement in the United States and this port. I therefore recommend those who may freight vessels with lumber destined for this market to specify in the manifest the number of boards, spars, &c., without regard to the number of feet, in order to avoid being fined; and in every case where a part of the cargo is thrown overboard or lost during the voyage, the master of the vessel should make it known to the visiting officer inside of the bar, and state the particulars on the manifest.

NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

NAVIGATION OF THE EAST RIVER BY STEAMBOATS.

THE following act of the "people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly," was passed April 12th, 1848:

AN ACT IN RELATION TO THE NAVIGATION OF THE EAST RIVER BY STEAMBOATS.

SEC. 1. All the steamboats passing up and down the East River, between the Battery at the southern extremity of the city of New York, and Blackwell's Island, shall be navigated as near as possible in the centre of the river, except in going into or out of the usua! berth or landing place of such steamboat, and shall not be propelled at a greater rate of speed than ten miles an hour.

SEC. 2. The master, pilot, or engineer of any steamboat violating either of the provisions of the foregoing section, shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and in addition thereto, the master, pilot, and engineer of such steamboat shall respectively be liable to the penalty prescribed in section nine, title ten, chapter twenty of the first part of the Revised Statutes, to be sued for and applied as therein directed.

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR MOBILE BAY.

The following sailing directions for Mobile bay, by Lieutenant Commanding C. P. Patterson, are derived from the appendix to the report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey:

The recent survey of the entrance to Mobile bay, by Lieutenant Commanding C. P. Patterson, U. S. N., assistant in the coast survey, shows that the best water in crossing the bar is now to be found by bringing Sand island light-house to bear north 19 degrees west, (true,) north 26 degrees west, (by compass,) about a ship's length to the westward of the east end of Dauphin Island woods, and running for it. This course carries 201 feet over the bar at mean low water. The bar deepens gradually on the inside, and rapidly to eight fathoms on the side towards the sea. A. D. BACHE,

CARDIFF GROUNDS, BRISTOL CHANNEL.

The western end of the Sand in the Bristol channel, called the Cardiff Grounds, having grown up in a S. S. E. direction, notice is hereby given that the West Cardiff Buoy has been moved about one-quarter of a mile to the southward of its former position, and now lies in four and a half fathoms at low water spring tides, with the following marks and compass bearings:

Monkstone Beacon, in line with the New Church at Clevedon, E. by S.

The eastern side of the Steep Holms Island, just open westward of the High Water Mark at the Flat Holms; the Light-house thereon, bearing S. by E.

Penarth Church, N.

REGULATIONS OF THE PORT OF ALGESIRAS.

All masters of vessels are strongly recommended to respect the rules and regulations of the port of Algesiras, particularly as regards quarantine; two British vessels having been recently fined very heavy sums by the authorities for infraction of, and resistance to, their sanitary laws.