mayor or alderman shall, thereupon, inquire into the facts and circumstances of such alleged violation and seizure, for which purpose he may summon any person or persons to testify before him, and he shall have power, in his discretion, to order any gunpowder so seized to be restored.

Sec. 8. Whenever any inhabitant of said city shall make oath before the mayor or any alderman, or any special justice thereof, of any fact or circumstance, which, in the opinion of the said mayor, alderman, or special justice, shall afford a reasonable cause of suspicion that any gunpowder has been brought or is kept within the said city, or in the harbor thereof, contrary to any provision contained in this act, it shall be lawful for the said mayor, alderman, or special justice, to issue his warrant or warrants, under his hand and seal, to any sheriff, marshal, constable, or other fit person or persons, commanding him or them to search for such gunpowder in the day-time, wheresoever the same may be in violation of this act, and to seize and take possession of the same, if found; but no person having or acting under any such search-warrant, shall take advantage thereof to serve any civil process whatever.

Sec. 9. It shall be lawful for any person or persons, who, by virtue of any such warrant, shall have seized any gunpowder, to cause the same, within twelve hours, in the day-time, after such seizure, to be conveyed to any magazine used for storing gunpowder; and unless the said mayor or any alderman of the said city, should, in the manner directed by the seventh section of this act, order the same to be restored, such gunpowder shall be detained in such magazine, until it shall be determined, by due course of law, whether the same may have become forfeited by virtue of this act.

Sec. 10. All actions or suits for the recovery of any gunpowder which may have been seized and stored in any magazine by virtue of this act, or for the value thereof, or for damages sustained by the seizure or detention thereof, shall be brought against the fire department of the city of New York, and shall be commenced within three calendar months next after such seizure shall have been actually made; and in case no such action or suit shall have been commenced within such period, such gunpowder shall be deemed absolutely forfeited to the said fire department, and may be immediately delivered to the proper officers thereof for its use. No penal damages shall be received in any such action or suit; and such gunpowder may, at any time during the pendency of any such action or suit, by consent of the parties thereto, be removed from any magazine where the same may have been stored; or may be sold, and the money arising from such sale may be paid into the court where such suit or action may be pending, to abide the event thereof.

Sec. 11. Nothing contained in this act, shall be construed to apply to any ship or vesselof-war in the service of the United States, or of any foreign government, while lying distant three hundred yards or upwards from the wharves, piers, or slips, of the said city.

Sec. 12. If any gunpowder exceeding the quantity mentioned in the second section of this act, shall be found in the possession or custody of any person, by any fireman of the said city, during any fire or alarm of fire therein, it shall be lawful for such fireman to seize the same without any warrant, and to report such seizure without delay to the mayor or any alderman of the said city; and it shall be determined by the said mayor or alderman of the said city, in the manner directed by the seventh section of this act, whether such gunpowder shall be restored, or the same shall be conveyed to a magazine for storing gunpowder, and there detained, until it shall be decided by due course of law, whether such gunpowder be forfeited by virtue of this act.

Sec. 13. No quantity of sulphur more than ten hundred weight, or of hemp or flax than twenty hundred weight, or of pitch, tar, turpentine, rosin, spirits of turpentine, varnish, linseed oil, oil of vitriol, aqua-fortis, ether, or shingles, than shall be allowed by the common council of the city of New York, shall be put, kept or stored in any one place in the said city, to the southward of a line drawn through the centre of Fourteenthstreet, unless with the permission of the said common council.

Sec. 14. Every person who shall violate either of the provisions of the last section, shall, for every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of twenty-five dollars; and in case any person or persons shall neglect or refuse to remove any of the articles prohibited by the said section, within such time as may be allowed for that purpose by the mayor or recorder, or any alderman of the said city, he, she, or they shall, for every such neglect or refusal, pay an additional sum of twenty-five dollars.

Sec. 15. Nothing herein before contained, shall be construed to prohibit any ship chandler from keeping at any time, in any enclosure in the said city, any quantity of pitch, tar, rosin or turpentine, not exceeding twenty barrels in the whole.

Sec. 16. It shall not be lawful for any person or persons, to have or keep any quantity of saltpetre exceeding five hundred pounds, offered for sale by any dealer, having the

same in any house, store, building or other place in the city of New York to the southward of the line mentioned in the first section of this act; and all provisions of this act in relation to the having or keeping of gunpowder, shall apply to the having or keeping of saltpetre within the limits aforesaid, except as to the provisions of the seventeenth section of this act.

Sec. 17. Notwithstanding the preceding section, saltpetre may be had or kept by any dealer, in any quantity, within any fire-proof building in the city of New York, provided it be the only merchandise stored or kept within such building.

Sec. 18. Any violation of the provisions of this act, except where otherwise expressly provided, shall subject the offender to a fine of five hundred dollars for each offence, to be recovered by and for the use of the fire department of the city of New York; and such offender, on conviction before the general sessions of the peace for the city and county of New York, of any violations of the provisions aforesaid, or either of them, may be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not exceeding one year. All gunpowder or saltpetre, found within the limits specified in the first section of this act, shall be forfeited to the use of the said fire department.

Sec. 19. If any person or persons shall hereafter be injured at any fire occurring with. in the limits mentioned in the last section, by means of any explosion resulting from the violation by any other person or persons of any of the provisions of this act relating to saltpetre or gunpowder, the person or persons guilty of such violations, shall, on conviction before the general sessions aforesaid, be punished by imprisonment in the State Prison for a term not exceeding two years. If such violation occasions the death of any person or persons, the offender shall, on conviction, be deemed guilty of man. slaughter in the third degree, and punished as now provided by law in relation to the crime last named.

Sec. 20. The penalties and provisions of this act shall not extend to any vessel receiving gunpowder on freight, provided such vessel do not remain at any wharf of the said city, or within three hundred yards thereof, after sunset, or on any other day whilst having gunpowder on board.

Sec. 21. All pecuniary penalties imposed by this act, may be sued for and recovered with costs of suit, in any court having cognizance thereof, by the proper officers of the fire department of the said city, for the use of the said fire department.

Sec. 22. All actions for any forfeiture or penalty incurred under this act, shall be commenced within one year next after incurring such forfeiture or penalty.

Sec. 23. All laws or parts of laws heretofore passed, inconsistent with the provisions of this act, are hereby declared to be repealed; but such repeal shall not affect any suit or prosecution already commenced, or any penalty, forfeiture or offence already incurred or committed under any such law or part of a law.

COMMERCIAL TREATY BETWEEN FRANCE AND BELGIUM.

The Journal de Bruxelles contains a condensed statement of the commercial treaty concluded between France and Belgium. It consists of thirteen articles, and certain stipulations of some importance, referring to dyed linens, and an alteration of the duties in flaxen cloths.

The stipulations in favor of Belgium are first with reference to the duties on yarn and muslins, which, from the 10th of August, 1846, are to be imported into France on these

terms:

1st. For yarns, the first 2,000,000 kilogrammes at the duties anterior to the royal ordonnance of 26th June, 1842; beyond 2,000,000, and up to 3,000,000 of kilogrammes, increased by the difference agreed in favor of Belgium between its own tariff and the general tariff; beyond 3,000,000 kilogrammes, the duties anterior to the ordonnance of 26th June, 1842.

For muslins, up to 3,000,000 of kilogrammes, the duties anterior to the ordonnance of 26th June, 1842; above that quantity, the duties of the general tariff.

The rule for the importation of flax and hemp from Belgium into France, is to be established reciprocally with the importation of the same produce of France into Belgium, and the duties on either side are not to be augmented until the expiration of the present treaty.

The Belgium government agrees also to require on all the other frontiers, except the French frontier, the same duties, with the exception of 25,000 kilos of yarns from Germany and Russia, which Belgium continues to receive at reduced duties.

In this first list of stipulations are also those which, on the one hand, relieve the machinery of France from the surcharge levied by the law of 1816, and on the other hand, regulate that the slates of Belgium shall only be admitted into France on the minimum duty of the law of June 5, 1845.

There is also an article regulating the arrangements for packet-boats conveying letters and passengers into the ports of France.

The concessions made by France are

1. The arrangements with respect to wines and silk tissues continue the stipulation of the 16th July, 1842.

2. A decrease of 12 per cent on the salts of France sent to Belgum, instead of 7 per cent, as at present.

3. The annulling of the supplementary taxes established in Belgium, in 1843, on woollen yarns, new clothes, and fashionable manufactures from France. Woollen yarns are to pay three-fourths of the former duty, and the other articles the duties levied before 1843.

4. Annulling the supplementary duties of 9 and 6 per cent on cassimeres, and similar manufactures.

5. The continuance of the decrees of 1844 and 1845, which took from cotton tissues, of French production, the extra duties which before existed.

There are some reciprocal agreements as to the navigation of mutual rivers; and a special clause declares, "If increase of the present Octroi duties, or other duties of the Belgian communes, shall injure the profit of France in these stipulations, the simple declaration of the French government, after one month's notice, shall be sufficient to render this treaty null and void."

NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

KNOLL NEAR THE WEST END OF THE PAN SAND.

A KNOLL having grown up about three cables length to the southward and eastward of the West Pan Sand Buoy, its position has been temporarily marked by a green buoy, which will be replaced in a few days by a buoy colored red and white in chequers, and marked Pan Sand Knoll.

The depth of the water upon this knoll, does not, in one spot, exceed nine feet, at low water, spring tides; and the said green buoy lies in ten feet, and with the following marks and compass bearings, viz:

Margate Wind Mills, their apparent width open south of Margate New Church S. E. S.

Moncton Beacon, in line with the low west end of Upper Hale Grove, S. by E.

West Pan Sand Buoy, N. N. W.

Pan Sand Beacon E. S.

South Knoll Buoy S. E. ↓ S.

NOTE.-Masters of vessels, pilots, and others, should be careful not to navigate between the above-mentioned Knoll Buoy, and the West Pan Sand Buoy.

BUOYAGE ON THE EAST COAST.

The Trinity Board have published their alterations of the colors and characters of the undermentioned buoys:

The Inner Shoal,

The S. W. Scroby,
The Scroby Elbow,

The Holm Hook,

The S. W. Corton,
The Middle Corton,

The West Corton,

The West Scroby,

The Middle Scroby,
The North Scroby.

All which buoys are at present colored white-will be taken away and replaced by buoys colored black and white in chequers; and a beacon buoy colored black, will be placed at the north end of the St. Nicholas Sand instead of the white beacon buoy now at that station; the staff and ball will also be taken away from the South St. Nicholas Buoy, (red,) and the buoy chequered black and white, now upon the Barber, will be replaced by one colored wholly black.

It is hereby further notified, that the N. E. Barnard Buoy, (now white,) will be replaced by a buoy chequered black and white, and surmounted by a staff and ball; and the black buoy on Sizewell Bank will thenceforth be colored black and white in circles.

LIGHT-HOUSE ON THE SOUTHERN PART OF BERMUDA.

A Light-House has been erected on the southern part of Bermuda, in latitude 32° 14" N., and longitude, 64° 50" West of Greenwich, on which a revolving light was exhibited the 1st of this month, and it will be exhibited every night from sunset to sunrise.

It is elevated 365 feet above the level of the sea, and in clear weather may be seen from the deck of a frigate seven or eight leagues. It is higher than the adjoining land, and in day-time will appear like a sail. It is visible all round the island, with the exception of an area of 10 degrees between S. 64° W., and S. 74 West by compass, and within this area it will be intercepted by high land.

Bermuda is always approached with more safety from the southward, and in running for it at night, or in thick weather, care should be taken not to get to the northward of 32° 8" latitude before seeing the light or the land.

In coming from the S. E., the light should not be brought to the southward of W. by S., or approached nearer than six or seven miles during the night. Coming from the westward, it should not be approached nearer than ten or twelve miles, until it bears to the northward of N. E. by E.

With the light between N. E. and W. the coast is free from danger, and may be safely approached within three miles.

Any vessel getting sight of the light from the northward had better haul off immediately, as the reefs extend all round from the S. W. to the north, and N. E., from fifteen to sixteen miles.

The light will show a bright flash, continuing for six or eight seconds, and repeated once every minute. Between the flashes, the light will be seen about ten miles distant.

By order of the Commissioner of Light-Houses.

Hamilton, Bermuda, May 5, 1846.

STOWE W. SEON, Clerk.

THE BRITISH MARINE SOCIETY.

It is not perhaps generally known in this country that there is in England a national institution for the equipment, maintenance, and instruction of distressed boys for the Royal Navy, the Indian Navy, and the merchant service, and the fisheries. By the English papers, we notice that this society held their annual meeting on the 6th of May, 1846. This society, it appears, since its formation in June, 1756, to December 1845, had fitted out and provided for 47,263 boys; from 1756 to 1814 had given a bounty of sea-clothing to 39,360 landsmen. In 1845 they had sent to sea in the Royal navy 163 boys, in the Indian navy 40, in the merchant service 652, and they had remaining on board the Iphigenia, on the 31st of December, 1845, 74.

POINTE-A-PETRE, GUADALOUPE.

The following copy of a letter dated Pointe-a-Petre, Guadaloupe, April 25th, 1846, is copied from the Portland, (Me.) Argus:-

"Dear Sir-The object of this is to acquaint you with a new decision of our government--by which, on the 12th of June next, duties shall be put on building materials, and of course port charges on vessels as formerly."

BUOYAGE OF THE GULL STREAM.

The Trinity House Board have published a notice to the effect, that on or about the 1st June, 1845, the Elbow Buoy in the Gull Stream, now colored white, will be replaced by a black and white chequered buoy, surmounted by a staff and ball.

PORT OF WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

The Commissioners of Navigation have rescinded the order requiring all vessels from Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York to be visited by the Port Physician before coming to town, and they may now pass up unrestricted.

RAILROAD AND STEAMBOAT STATISTICS.

ACCIDENTS ON RAILWAYS IN ENGLAND.

THE usual annual report from the Railway Department of the Board of Trade has just been presented to Parliament for the years 1844 and 1845; from which it appears that in 1844 ten persons were killed, four of whom were passengers, and one hundred and one, eighty-two of whom were passengers, injured in a greater or less degree, the causes of the accident being beyond the control of passengers; that nine passengers were killed, and ten injured, owing to their own neglect or ill conduct; that thirty-six servants of the companies were killed, and twenty-four injured, under circumstances not attended with danger to other portions of the public; and that forty-five persons other than servants of the companies were killed, and nine injured, under circumstances not involving danger to passengers. The report says that the actual number of accidents in the years 1844 and 1845 are greater than they were in previous years; but the real danger arising from railway travelling can only be appreciated when the number of accidents shall be considered in connection with the additional amount of miles of new railway which have been opened, and the enormous augmentation of railway travellers. For this purpose, the following table has been made. It includes the years 1841, '42, '43, '44, and the first half of '45. The last half of '45 is not included, in consequence of the statistical returns for that period not having yet been received from the railway companies by the Board of Trade. The table is entitled-" Statement of the number of 'accidents attended with personal injury or danger to the public, arising from causes beyond the control of passengers,' distinguishing the number of persons killed and injured in the last five months of the year 1840; in each year, from 1841 to 1844, and in the first six months of the year 1845; showing also the number of miles of railway open, the number of passengers conveyed, and the proportion of those injured to the total number carried in each of the above periods."

RECEIPTS OF ENGLISH RAILWAYS.

The London Economist furnishes the following table, showing by the amounts received the increase which has taken place in railway travelling, and in the transport of goods by railway, during the three years preceding June 30th, 1845:

The increase of traffic thus shown, is still progressing; a fact in favor of the system of low fares, which is becoming quite popular in England.