During the time in which the exports were made to the United States the rate of exchange rated extraordinarily high. The computation of the value in the United States currency is made to include the average rate of exchange at the time the exports were made. There would be no other fair comparison with the prices for the goods as they netted for the same articles to the con

sumers.

This high rate of exchange has had the tendency to discourage importations at home, as will be seen by the falling off in the aggregate, on the second quarter, of more than one-fourth from the first. This decline is more apparent in the latter months, and still continues. There has been more than an equal decline in American products received at this port during the same period.

PLYMOUTH-T. W. Fox, Consul.

OCTOBER 10, 1863.

I have the honor to transmit you herewith a return of navigation and commerce at this port by United States vessels during the three months ended the 30th September last, taken from the consular returns, and which you will perceive is limited to one cargo of wheat.

I have to report that commercial affairs remain, as of late, very quiet. Sales of most articles are limited to present wants of consumers. There is no disposition to speculate. This year's harvest of wheat in this country has proved more bountiful in quantity and of finer quality than for many years past. Prices are on the decline, and will, I expect, be still lower. The finest white wheat is worth 44s. a 45s., and red, 40s. a 42s. per 480 pounds.

Manufactured copper is worth £100 per ton; yellow metal, 9d. per pound.

FALMOUTH-ALFRED FOX, Consul.

Herewith I beg to remit statement of the sales of copper and lead ores and of block tin for the last quarter of 1862. These statistics have been reported from the "Mining Journal," and may, no doubt, be relied on as correct.

FEBRUARY 2, 1863.

I forward the enclosure in the belief that such information on matters connected with the trade and produce in my consular district will not be unacceptable. The return of sales of block tin does not include large quantities sold by pri

vate contract.

Statement showing the total quantities and amount of sales of copper ores at the Cornwall and Swansea ticketings during the quarter ended December 31, 1862.

Summary statement of total number of tons and amount of copper ores and sundry mines sold January 22, 1863.

Summary statement of the quantities and amount of lead ores sold for the ter ended December 31, 1862.

8,216 tons..

4

quar

Summary statement of the quantity and amount of sales of block tin during the quarter ended December 31, 1862.

I have the honor to enclose two copies of a new regulation which goes into effect the first day of June, this year, and which will affect American shipping navigating British or French waters in case of a collision.

REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS.

BOARD OF TRADE, January 12, 1863.

By virtue of the "merchant's shipping act, amendment act, 1862," and of an order in council, dated 9th January, 1863, the following regulations, containing certain verbal amendments, are substituted for the regulations contained in the schedule to the act.

2. The following regulations come into operation on the 1st of June, 1863. 3. The following regulations apply to all ships, whatever their nationality, within the limits of British jurisdiction, and to British and French ships whether within British jurisdiction or not.

4. The order in council containing these regulations is published in the London Gazette of the 13th January, 1863.

5. The French copy of the regulations is reprinted from the French version, as published in France under the authority of the French government.

T. H. FARRER, Assis. Sec'y Marine Department.

Preliminary.

ARTICLE 1. In the following rules every steamship which is under sail and not under steam is to be considered a sailing ship; and every steamship which is under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a ship under

steam.

Rules concerning lights.

ART. 2. The lights mentioned in the following articles, numbered 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, and no others, shall be carried in all weathers from sunset to sunrise.

ART. 3. Sea-going steamships when under way shall carry:

(a) At the foremast head, a bright white light so fixed as to show an uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass; so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side of the ship, viz., from right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on either side; and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere at a distance of at least five miles.

(b) On the starboard side, a green light so constructed as to throw an uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass; so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the starboard side; and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere at a distance of at least two miles.

(c) On the port side, a red light, so constructed as to show an uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass; so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side; and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere at a distance of at least two miles.

(d) The said green and red side-lights shall he fitted with inboard screens projecting at least three feet forward from the light, so as to prevent these light from being seen across the bow.

ART. 4. Steamships when towing other ships shall carry two bright white mast-head lights vertically, in addition to their side lights, so as to distinguish them from other steamships. Each of these mast-head lights shall be of the same construction and character as the mast-head lights which other steamships are required to carry.

ART. 5. Sailing ships under way or being towed shall carry the same lights as steamships under way, with the exception of the white mast-head lights, which they shall never carry.

ART. 6. Whenever, as in the case of small vessels during bad weather, the green and red lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be kept on deck on their respective sides of the vessel ready for instant exhibition; and shall, on the approach of or to other vessels, be exhibited on their respective sides in sufficient time to prevent collision, in such manner as to make them most visible, and so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side, nor the red light on the starboard side.

To make the use of these portable lights more certain and easy, the lanterns. containing them shall each be painted outside with the color of the light they respectively contain, and shall be provided with suitable screens.

ART. 7. Ships, whether steamships or sailing ships, when at anchor in roadsteads or fairways, shall exhibit, where it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding twenty feet above the hull, a white light in a globular lantern of eight inches in diameter, and so constructed as to show a clear uniform and unbroken light visible all round the horizon, and at a distance of at least one mile.

ART. S. Sailing pilot vessels shall not carry the lights required for other sailing vessels, but shall carry a white light at the mast-head visible all round the horizon, and shall also exhibit a flare-up light every fifteen minutes.

ART. 9. Open fishing boats and other open boats shall not be required to carry the side lights required for other vessels; but shall, if they do not carry such lights, carry a lantern having a green slide on the one side and a red slide on the other side; and on the approach of or to other vessels such lantern shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision, so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side, nor the red light on the starboard side.

Fishing vessels and open boats when at anchor, or attached to their nets and stationary, shall exhibit a bright white light.

Fishing vessels and open boats shall, however, not be prevented from using a flare-up in addition, if considered expedient.

Rules concerning fog-signals.

ART. 10. Whenever there is fog, whether by day or night, the for-signals described below shall be carried and used, and shall be sounded at least every five minutes, viz:

(a) Steamships under way shall use a steam whistle placed before the funnel not less than eight feet from the deck.

(b) Sailing ships under way shall use a fog horn.

(c) Steamships and sailing ships, when not under way, shall use a bell.

Steering and sailing rules.

ART. 11. If two sailing ships are meeting end on, or nearly end on, so as to involve risk of collison. the helms of both shall be put to port, so that each may pass on the port side of the other.

ART. 12. When two sailing ships are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, then, if they have the wind on different sides, the ship with the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the ship with the wind on the starboard side, except in the case in which the ship with the wind on the port side is close-hauled and the other ship free, in which case the latter ship shall keep out of the way; but if they have the wind on the same side, or if one of them has the wind aft, the ship which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the ship which is to leeward.

ART. 13. If two ships under steam are meeting end on, or nearly end on, so as to involve risk of collision, the helms of both shall be put to port so that each may pass on the port side of the other.

ART. 14. If two ships under steam are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the ship which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way of the other.

ART. 15. If two ships, one of which is a sailing ship and the other a steamship, are proceeding in such directions as to involve risk of collision, the steamship shall keep out of the way of the sailing ship.

ART. 16. Every steamship, when approaching another ship so as to involve

risk of collision, shall slacken her speed, or, if necessary, stop and reverse; and every steamship shall, when in a fog, go at a moderate speed.

ART. 17. Every vessel overtaking any other vessel shall keep out of the way of the said last mentioned vessel.

ART. 18. Where by the above rules one of two ships is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course, subject to the qualifications contained in the following article.

ART. 19. In obeying and construing these rules, due regard must be had to all dangers of navigation; and due regard must also be had to any special circumstances which may exist in any particular case rendering a departure from the above rules necessary in order to avoid immediate danger.

ART. 20. Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any ship, or the owner or master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to carry lights or signals, or of any neglect to keep a proper lookout, or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.

OCTOBER 15, 1863.

In compliance with sections 153 and 154 of the consular regulations, I have the honor herewith to enclose such commercial information as a short residence here has enabled me to obtain.

The harbor of Cork is one of the largest and best in the United Kingdom; it is easy of access; of sufficient depth of water for the largest ship; and is capable of holding a thousand sail perfectly sheltered from every wind that blows. It is used principally as "a port of call" and "refuge," and no less than four hundred and eighty-four steamers called at this port in their voyage to and from the United States, to land and embark passengers and mails, for the year ending September 30, 1863.

Ships from all parts of the world call here to communicate with the owners of the cargoes, who then order the ship to proceed to the port of discharge which affords the best market at the time. It is here, also, that the ships which become disabled by the boisterous winds they encounter in their passage across the Atlantic, and are obliged to bear up, can find a port of refuge; where there are excellent facilities to effect repairs necessary to enable them to proceed on their voyage in safety. Such are some of the advantages of Cork harbor.

This year has witnessed, in spite of our national troubles, a large amount of emigration from this country, which has been attributed to three successive years of bad harvests; but the one now being gathered is one of the largest and best produced in Ireland for many years; but instead of checking emigration, it only affords the means for a greater increase, showing that some other reason than bad harvests must be assigned as the cause.

Societies have been organized in this part of the country, and large inducements held out in the shape of premiums for the cultivation of flax, but with very indifferent success in the way of checking emigration. The Galway line of steamers connecting Ireland with America is now in operation, the subsidy required having been granted by the last Parliament. The establishment of this line of steamers has become a question of national and political importance, and, by some people, the future welfare and even the regeneration of Ireland were supposed to depend upon its success; but I must say that I think undue importance has been attached to that enterprise, and I fear its friends will find themselves sadly disappointed.

A line of telegraph has been built the past year, and is now in operation, connecting this port with Cape Clear, off which it is intended to station a boat to intercept the mail steamers, similar to arrangement at Cape Race, thereby placing us about six hours nearer America.