menced. What it may be, at the end of six months, unless the proper remedy is applied, can easily be conjectured. The end is not yet we have but the beginning.

If

Those who may be curious to take a glance at the business prosperity of San Francisco, would do well to single out some particular section, embracing say, half a dozen blocks, and compare the relative number of buildings occupied and unoccupied. they do so, they will find that our animadversions are not groundless. Curiosity led us yesterday to a comparison of this kind, the area of our research being bounded by Montgomery street on the west, East street on the east, Market street on the south, and Pacific street on the north. It will be conceded that this is a pretty fair slice of the business portion of the city. We submit the results, premising that the buildings counted were erected for business purposes only, dwellings not being enumerated:

Occup'd. Vacant.

Market st.......... 39

Occup'd.

Vacant.

9

Jackson st........ 92

25

Here we find that within the boundery named, we have more than one fourth of all the houses erected for business, vacant, and yet scarcely a hole large enough for a cobblers' stall, throughout the district, could be rented for much less than one hundred dollars per month. The effect is, that they cannot be occupied. The money cannot be gathered together, these dull times, to pay the rent, so that the landlord, by demanding excessive rates, derives no revenue at all.

We have alluded to this state of affairs as but a beginning. Either rents must come down, or signs must come down more rapidly, and that shortly.-[Placer Times and Transcript.

We find the following prices of flour &c., in the Placer Times and Transcript of the 1st Aug. 1854:

FLOUR-Callego and Haxall inspected, per bbl. $10. @ 10.50; Chili sacks, 200 b $8.25 @ 9.; Domestic, "a hashed article," composed either entirely of Chili, or Chili and American $8.25 @ $9.25 per 200 lb.

WHEAT-good domestic 2 ct. per lb.

CORN-Eastern inferior 14 ct. per b; and good, jobbing sale at 23 ct. per b.

BARLEY-1@ 1 ct. per b,.

From the "Placer Times and Transcript" of July 15th, 1854. EXPORTS OF GOLD FROM CALIFORNIA, FOR THE FIRST

SIX MONTHS OF 1853 AND 1854.

From the mining districts, the intelligence is of the same flattering complexion, as at the date of our last reference. The miners continue to do well. The exports of gold for June fell short of those of the preceding month, but they exceeded those of June1853, by more than $85,000. A month ago, in giving a comparative statement of the exports of gold for the first five months of the respective years, 1853 and 1854, we offered some argument to show that our exports of treasure afford no just criterion of the productiveness of the mines. The low prices of merchandise which have ruled for many months, would themselves afford an explanation of the fact that all the gold produced from the mines, is no longer, as formerly, sent out of the country in exchange for the means of living. We need not repeat the arguments then adduced. The rapidly advancing prosperity of the country bears evidence that much of the wealth of the mines is retained within our borders.

From the following tabular view it will be perceived that the exports of treasure for the first six months of the present year, fall short of those of a corresponding period of last year nearly three millions of dollars:

Excess of exports of 1853 over 1854..... $2,917,727,

COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS.

JAPAN TREATY.

The following is a copy of the Japan treaty, communicated in the Senate, July 12th :

TREATY.

Between the United States of America and the empire of Japan, done at Kanagawa, the 21st of March, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1854, and of Kayie the seventh year, third month and third day.

The United States of America and the empire of Japan, desiring to establish firm, lasting and sincere friendship between the two nations, have resolved to fix, in a manner clear and positive, by means of a treaty or general convention of peace and amity, the rules which shall in future be mutually observed in the intercourse in their respective countries, for which most desirable object the President of the United States has conferred full powers on his Commissioner, Mathew Calbraith Perry, special embassador of the United States to Japan, and the august Sovereign of Japan has given similar full power to his Commissioners, Hayashi-daigarkuno-kani, Ido, Prince of Tsus; Sima Izawa, Prince of MimaSaki, and Adano, member of the Board of Revenue-and the said Commissioners, after having exchanged their said full powers, and duly considered the premises, have agreed to the following articles:

ARTICLE 1. There shall be a perfect, permanent and universal peace, and a sincere, cordial amity between the United States of America on the one part and the Emperor of Japan on the other part, and between their people respectively, without exception of persons or places.

ART. 2. The port of Simoda, in the principality of Idzu, and the port of Hakodade, in the principality of Matsmai, are granted by the Japanese as ports for the reception of American ships, where they can be supplied with wood, water, provisions and coal, and other articles their necessities may require, as far as the Japanese have them. The time for opening the first named port is immediately on signing this treaty; the last named port is to be opened immediately after the same day in the ensuing Japanese year. [NOTE.-A tariff of prices shall be given by the Japanese officers of the things which they can furnish, payment for which shall be made in gold or silver coin.]

ART. 3. Whenever ships of the United States are thrown or wrecked on the coast of Japan, the Japanese vessels will assist them and carry their crews to Simoda or Hakodade, and hand them over to their countrymen, appointed to receive them; and whatever articles the shipwrecked may have preserved, shall likewise be restored, and the expenses incurred in the rescue and sup

port of Americans and Japanes who may thus be thrown upon the shores of either nation, are not to be refunded.

ART. 4 Those shipwrecked persons and other citizens of the United States shall be free as in other countries, and not be subjected to confinement, but shall be amenable to just laws.

ART. 5. Shipwrecked mariners and other citizens of the United States, temporarily living at Simoda or Hakodade, shall not be subject to such restrictions and confinement as the Dutch and Chinese are at Nagasaki, but shall be free at Simoda to go where they please within the limits of seven Japanese miles [or ri] from a small island in the harbor ef Simoda, marked on the accompanying chart hereto appended, and shall in like manner be free to go where they please at Hakodade, within limits to be defined after the visit of the United States squadron to that place.

ART. 6. If there be any other sort of goods wanted or any business which shall require to be arranged, there shall be careful deliberation between the parties, in order to settle such matters.

ART. 7. It is agreed that the ships of the United States resorting to the ports open to them, shall be permitted to exchange gold and silver coin and articles of goods for other articles of goods, under such regulations as shall be temporarily established by the Japanese government for that purpose. It is stipulated, however, that the ships of the United States shall be permitted to earry away whatever articles they are unwilling to exchange.

ART. 8. Wood, paper, provisions, coal and goods required, shall only be procured through the agency of Japanese officers appointed for that purpose, and in no other manner.

ART. 9. It is agreed that if at any future day the government of Japan shall grant to any other nation or nations, privileges and advantages which are not herein guaranteed to the United States and the citizens thereof, that these same privileges and advantages shall be granted likewise to the United States and the persons thereof, without any consultation or delay.

ART. 10. Ships of the United States shall be permitted to resort to no other port of Japan but Simoda and Hakodade, unless in distress or forced by stress of weather.

ART 11. There shall be appointed by the government of the United States consuls or agents, to reside in Simoda, at any time after the expiration of eighteen months from the date of the signing of this treaty, provided that either of the two governments deem such arrangement necessary.

ART. 12. The present convention having been concluded and duly signed, shall be obligatory and faithfully observed by the United States of America and Japan, and by the citizens and subjects of each respective Power; and it is to be ratified and approved by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by the august Sovereign of Japan; and the ratification shall be exchanged within

eighteen months from the date of the signature thereof, or sooner if practicable. In faith whereof, we, the respective plenipotentiaries of the United States of America and the empire of Japan, aforesaid, have signed and sealed these presents.

Done at Kanagawa, this thirty first day of March, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand eight hundred and fiftyfour, and of Kayei the seventh year, third month and third day. M. C. PERRY.

JOURNAL OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT.

HELENA, ARK.-ITS RAILROAD AND COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS.

We have received a printed sheet, in the form of a circular, setting forth the claims of Helena, as the centre of an important Railroad and commercial system; and having been the first to advocate the project of a Railroad connection between St. Louis and New Orleans in which Helena was indicated as the point of crossing the Mississippi, we are pleased to find that the friends of that place are able to make out so good a case in its favor.

We are not disposed to advocate the commencement of any new Railroad at the present time; but there is nevertheless great propriety in projecting and deciding upon a system, that the public mind may be fixed, and ready to carry it out as soon as a more favorable season for operation arrives.

A Railroad from St. Louis to Helena will not conflict in any considerable degree with the road proposed as a connection between this place and Memphis. Both lines are needed to develope the rich resources of eastern Arkansas, and, as connecting links between the system of public improvement on the eastern and western sides of the Mississippi. The following is a copy of the paper above alluded to:

THE CASE OF HELENA STATED.

For the State Gazette & Democrat. MR. EDITOR-Under the invitation given in the Gazette and Democrat of the 14th inst., let me request a place in your intelligent paper for a few communications on the subject of the commercial facilities and Railroad adaptation of Helena.