Exports in American ships have amounted to $107,750, declared value, being principally gold and coals. Cargoes have been exported to China, Batavia, Siam, and San Francisco. In foreign ships have been imported, from New York, San Francisco, and Oregon, about $600,000 market value here, estimated from manifests.

In the export value of merchandise no account is taken of whalers' cargoes, being generally as inward.

The tariff remains unchanged; but a bill has been introduced, which will probably become a law during the next sittings of houses of Parliament, here affecting most if not every article comprised in that of which the department is informed. Port charges remain the same as during the last year. Shipping regulations and laws adopted and carried out here have become a source of extreme annoyance, delay, and expense to every American shipmaster requiring

Unfortunately the staple commodities that comprised the bulk of our imports of American manufactures and produce for years past have almost become a dead letter. Timber, tobacco, flour, wheat, agricultural implements, and manufactured goods generally, always in demand, and commanding remunerative rates, can easily be obtained, and even when obtained only from monopolists.

*

*

*

*

*

*

Lumber has advanced from $75 to $100, and supply limited. The market is nearly bare of American-manufactured goods. All are in demand, but no supply.

As will be perceived by "return of vessels," the exports in American ships consist principally of coals and gold. The colony, aside from gold, abounds with coal, silver, copper, and iron ore; all rich in quality, but wanting capital, manual labor, machinery, and energy to develop. Manufactories we have none, but entirely dependent upon imports to supply demand, which demand has been hitherto, to a great extent, supplied by the United States. Naval stores, cordage, canvas, beef and pork, and provisions generally, agricultural implements, coaches, wagons, buggies, timber sawn, machinery, and almost every description of our manufactures, would command very remunerative rates.

The difficulty which has produced this state of stagnation is attributable, directly and indirectly, to the rebellion. Merchants of the colony who have for years been large importers of our goods have withdrawn from the trade, for fear of cruisers, in the first place, and the impossibility of obtaining insurance on goods in American ships. They are also indisposed to remit to old-established houses in the United States funds to effect purchases, considering the present financial condition of the country generally such as to establish a probable and reasonable doubt as to the solvency of individuals or mercantile firms. Insurance companies object to take risks upon cargoes by American ships from here or to here from almost every port, letters of marque being the chief cause. All confidence is lost in our merchants and ship-owners; and a ship compelled to enter this port in distress to effect repairs would find the owner's credit of no avail to procure funds, and bottomry upon the ship not considered a collateral security. Negotiations of drafts upon individuals or firms cannot be made, unless as a matter of speculation, and then at an enormous rate of exchange and an indorser here. Even with drafts upon the government, but one firm will receive or discount them, and then only at a value placed upon the dollar as compared with the pound sterling here, viz: $4 80 to the pound, and ninety cents to the dollar. *

VICTORIA, (VANCOUVER'S ISLAND)-ALLEN FRANCIS, Consul.
DECEMBER 31, 1862.

I have the honor to enclose herewith a table of the gross amount of imports into Victoria, Vancouver's island, for the years 1861 and 1862; also, a table

of the number of vessels, tonnage, crews, and nationality, entering and clearing at this port for the year 1862.

It is impossible to ascertain the value of exports from Victoria for the past year. The value of imports is arrived at by the "landing permits" taken out at the custom-house.

The imports from California, Oregon, and Washington Territory, for the year 1861, amounted to $1,833,411; for 1862 the amount is $2,645,229, an increase of $811,818. The increase in the value of imports from all countries in 1862 over the previous year is $1,200,179.

The imports from California, Oregon, and Washington Territory, during the previous quarter, amounted to $610,803; and for the last quarter, ending December 31, 1862, they amounted to $627,998, an excess over last quarter of $17,195.

The amount of gold shipped by express to San Francisco, and that taken by private hands, in 1861, is estimated at $2,455,304; for the year 1862 the amount is estimated at $3,250,744, an increase in 1862 of $795,499.

A statement showing the number, tonnage, crews, and nationality of vessels entered and cleared at the port of Victoria during the year 1862.

Comparative statement showing the gross amount of imports into Victoria, for the years 1861 and 1862.

Comparative statement showing the amount of gold shipped from Victoria, during the years 1861 and 1862.

I have the honor to make my twenty-eighth annual report. The number of American arrivals during the year have been 20, and of the following descriptions: Ships, 8; barks, 7; brigs, 3; schooners, 3-all being of 8,776 tons burden. One ship still remains in port, the Zenobia, which is undergoing repairs, having a cargo of barley for England.

It is remarkable that during the year we have not had a single arrival direct from the United States. Still, as regards the whole number of vessels which have entered the port, they will amount nearly to the usual average.

APRIL 4, 1863.

I have the honor to inform you that the number of American arrivals during the quarter ended March 31, 1863, was five, with an average tonnage of 1,416

tons.

It will be remarked that the arrivals direct from America are increasing in number; and I would also add that the old staple of tobacco is again reaching this port in considerable quantities.

ST. HELENA G. GERARD, Consul.

SEPTEMBER 30, 1863.

I have the honor to transmit to the department my annual report of commercial information, for Congress, for the year ended September 30, 1863, in which will be seen that scarcely any changes have taken place in this island in anything affecting the interests of the United States, commercially or otherwise, since my annual report of last year.

Important changes in a place like this, where scarcely anything is produced and nothing manufactured, and where every article for domestic consumption is imported, cannot well be expected.

The productions of the island, which are indeed very limited, are chiefly wheat, oats, and barley; coffee and cotton are also cultivated, but neither to any extent.

The articles of import consist of every description of food and marine stores, mostly from England via Cape of Good Hope, and which are sold here at truly exorbitant prices. Productions of the United States, such as flour, salt, provisions, tobacco, timber, and agricultural implements, are brought here indirectly, as seldom American vessels come direct from the United States, from

the fact of the island producing nothing available for export holds but little inducement for direct trade in return freights. The total value of imports in St. Helena during the past year amounted to $791,000, in which but $16,060 came direct from the United States.

The custom-house tariff is as follows. No duties are imposed upon any articles except spirits, viz:

But upon all other articles of import the following rate only, exacted as wharfage:

For a barrel of flour

s. d. 10

For a cask of salt provisions, jar and can of whatever description of size and measure less than 10 gallons..

2 0

For every case, box, chest, bale, trunk, basket, or other package, measuring 60 cubic feet and upwards..

For 30 cubic feet and under 60....

For 10 cubic feet and under 30.

Under 5 cubic feet

For every bag of whatever description, except rice..

For every bag of rice.

For guano, anchors, coals, per ton measurement.

For bricks, slates, shingles, laths, per 1,000.

For sheep, pigs, calves, each...

For horned cattle and horses, each..

For condemned vessels for demolition, per ton

For vessels discharging for repairs, one-half of the above rates.

If spirits, wines, or beer are deposited at the public warehouse to be bonded, bond must be given with sureties to three times the amount of duties in event of the same being used in the island. If exported for use at sea, no duties except wharfage is to be paid.

QUEEN'S WAREHOUSE RENT.

s. d.

For any pipe, puncheon, butt, or cask of any kind, equal in size or larger than a pipe, per month.....

1 0

For every half pipe, hogshead, or any other description of cask or keg, equal in size to or larger than ten-gallon cask, and every keg, cask, case, box, chest, trunk, crate, bale, or other package whatsoever, measuring in size equal to or larger than a six-dozen wine-chest, per month...

0 4

PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTION.

Base or counterfeit coin, Cape brandy, arrack, Bengal rum, and aqua-ardente, and books, such as are prohibited to be imported in any part of England: No difference exists in the amount of wharfage or duties chargeable on goods in whatever vessels the same may be imported, the vessels of the United States enjoying all the rights, privileges, and immunities with respect to the colonial

tariff as those of the United Kingdom, and the local laws are by far more liberal to American whalers than to vessels of any other nation.

TONNAGE DUTY.

Upon all merchant vessels entering this port a duty of one penny per ton is to be paid to the collector of customs, in aid of the funds for erecting and defraying the expenses of providing and maintaining a new hospital for the accommodation of the inhabitants, merchant seamen, foreigners, and others, and also for erecting and defraying the expenses of building and maintaining a new prison. Beside this tonnage duty, an entrance and clearance fee of $2 50 constitute the total port charges.

COLONIAL revenue.

The total revenue of the island raised from various sources is estimated for the present year at $145,900, and of this amount $75,000 was collected at the custom-house.

ARRIVALS AT THIS PORT.

The number of arrivals of all nations at this port during the year ended this day has been 1,201, of the aggregate tonnage of 716,912; of these 91 were American, measuring 46,825 tons, most of which were laden with cargoes on British account and bound to Europe. Comparing the number of American arrivals of this year with that of last year, it will be seen that the amount of American tonnage at this port has very much decreased, owing to the fact that many American vessels have been sold to English owners; whether these sales were of a bona fide nature I am not at present prepared to say, but I strongly suspect that in very many cases the change of colors was only effected in order to protect the rightful owners from the many southern pirates visiting these waters for the diabolical purpose of destroying American property in transit from India and China. Many of our whalers, likewise, having become greatly alarmed, have either changed their course of cruising or gone home. Among the number of arrivals are also comprised 18 men-of-war, of which but 2 were United States ships, and also 5 slavers captured on the African coast, and having on arrival here 663 slaves on board; these Africans are eventually sent to the British West Indies.

QUARANTINE REGULATIONS.

shore or other vessels in the port until first visited by the health officer. No vessel on arrival is allowed to have any intercourse whatever with the Any ship or vessel having a yellow flag hoisted at the fore-top-gallant mast

head is declared to be under quarantine.

Every person being on board, or having been on board, any ship or vessel wherein disease or sickness shall prevail, to remain on board the ship or vessel,

or to go to such place as may be appointed by the governor until such disease

or sickness has ceased.

AMERICAN CITIZENS.

this port either in industrial, agricultural, scientific, or commercial pursuits. There are no American citizens, to the best of my knowledge, employed at The resources of the island, being limited, offer no field for the enterprise of our merchants. at least to any extent.