1 The number, nationality, and tonnage of vessels entered at the port of Barcelona during the quarter ended September 30, 1863, are as follows: From the 1st of October, 1862, to the 30th of September, 1863, the following is the number, &c., of vessels entered, viz: The amount of cotton entered at the port of Barcelona during the quarter ended September 30, 1863, is, viz: From October 1, 1862, to September 30, 1863, 81,045 bales. Prices of cotton at Barcelona vary in accordance with quotations of the same in the Liverpool and Havre markets. The above amount of cotton received at this port during the year ended September 30 is about 20,000 bales short of the former average annual receipts. However, many of the cotton manufactories that had ceased work during the winter of 1861-'62 are now employing the same number of hands and working the same length of time as before the scarcity and increase of prices of the raw material. Of the 36,000 workmen occupied in the cotton industry of the province of Catalonia, few are at present suffering from the want of employment. The following are the imports and exports from and to the United States at the ports of Barcelona and Tarragona from October 1, 1862, to September 30, 1863, viz: Imports. PORT OF BARCELONA. Pipe staves, 1,122,900; logwood, 1,0793 tons; cow horns, 176 quintals; salt beef, 75 barrels; candles, 20 boxes; sarsaparilla, 25 cases. PORT OF TARRAGONA. Pipe staves, 545,864; barrel staves, 67,720. Exports. PORT OF BARCELONA. Corks, 505 bales; 850 packages of silk ribbons; 27 packages of silks; 20 packages of linen; 25 pounds of saffron; 1381 barrels of red wine; 1 barrel of orange wine; 1 barrel of cognac. PORT OF TARRAGONA. 25 pipes of wine; 1,430 barrels of wine; 728 bags of almonds; 98 bags of Barcelona nuts; 22 bales of corks. As I have before stated in my reports, I have been unable to procure any statistics of the imports and exports from the custom-house or chamber of com. merce at Barcelona, and the above lists are taken entirely from the books of this consulate. By the above lists of importations from the United States at the ports of Barcelona and Tarragona, it will be seen that the arrivals of pipe staves for the last year have been large; the stock on hand is now considerable, and the prices very irregular. Heavy staves that sold two years since at $120 per mille, now bring from $180 to $220. The province of Catalonia, of which Barcelona is the capital, is principally occupied with manufacturing interests, and the articles of exportation to the United States are few, consisting of wines, brandies, almonds, Barcelona nuts, olive oil, corks, and licorice root and paste. Silk ribbons, used for binding up cigars, are also exported to some extent, but principally to Cuba and Brazil. PORT AND HARBOR OF BARCELONA. Two dredging machines have been at work during the past year in deepening the water of a portion of the harbor, and the contract with the parties employed includes the digging out of the entire harbor; this will still require five years' work. Vessels drawing over nineteen feet of water cannot at present enter the port of Barcelona, and are obliged to discharge a portion of their cargo outside; this is often very dangerous, as in bad weather the only safety for a ship is to proceed to sea. A dry dock, or rather a slip, has just been completed at this port, which will take up a vessel of 1,000 tons. The following prices have been established for entrance, &c.: The progress of Spain at the present time is nowhere more visible than in the province of Catalonia, but even here there is much to contend against. Barcelona is at present connected by railway with the capital-the journey to Madrid by the way of Zaragoza occupying only twenty-four hours, instead of three days, as was the case one year since. This railway is badly constructed, and much money must st.ll be expended before it can be considered safe from the acc.dents which are now very numerous. The railway connecting Catalonia with France already extends from Barcelona to Gerona, and it would seem that the short distance which separates Gerona from Perpignan-the limit of the French railroad-might very soon be constructed; but it is stated that direct railway communication with France will not be established before the summer of 1865. The railway extending along the coast of this province, which is to connect Barcelona with Tarragona and Valencia, is progressing rapidly, and will be open to the public as far as Tarragona by the month of June next. This road will be of very great benefit to Tarragona and Valencia. ⚫ There have been no later changes in the revenue laws of this country, nor royal decrees nor proclamations affecting our commercial interests. MALAGA-A. M. HANCOCK, Consul. JANUARY 10, 1863. * I have no comments to make on the commerce for the past quarter; it has been very limited compared with previous years. Great distress prevails here in the American trade, and but few shipments have been made save for account of merchants in America. * * * I know of no royal order or decree in anywise affecting the commerce between Spain and the United States. There has been no change in the harbor regulations or charges. Statement showing the description, quantities, and value of exports from Malaga to the United States in American vessels, together with the total in American and foreign vessels, during the quarter ended December 30, 1862. Description of exports in Ameri- Quantities. Description of exports in Ameri- Quantities. can and foreign vessels. can vessels. In answer to the 9th paragraph of that circular, (No. 29,) I beg to state that I am advised that by the treaty between Spain and France the right to administer oaths is secured to the French consul, and by the nineteenth article of the treaty of 1795, between Spain and the United States, the consuls of our government are placed on a footing equal with those of the most favored nations. Hence you perceive that I have the right to administer oaths. But should the oath prove false, I am advised that by the criminal laws of Spain the person making the oath could not be prosecuted for perjury, but for fraud; or, in the language of the law, for "using a deceit to defraud," the penalty of the law being a fine of double the amount specified in the account on statement to which the oath was made. For the further information of the State Department, I enclose you the copy of a letter dated March 22, 1854, from Pierre Soulé, then minister of the United States at Madrid, to my predecessor, giving the copy of a despatch from the Spanish minister of state, referring to the subject in question: "LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, "DEAR SIR: In answer to your communication on the subject of oaths administered by consuls of the United States in Spain, I have the satisfaction to transcribe what is said to me by the minister of state under date of the 17th instant in a note just received: "The undersigned, first secretary of state, has the honor to inform the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States, in answer to the question asked of him in a note of 17th November ultimo, that the laws of Spain do not object to the consular agents of the United States receiving the oath, which, according to the regulations of the custom-house of their country, is to be taken at the delivery of invoices of goods destined for their ports, and that if it is proven that such an oath should be false, the person who has been sworn is to be condemned for the crime of falsehood by the competent judge whose duty it is to apply the punishment reserved for such cases by the article 227 of the criminal code. "The undersigned hopes that the government of the United States will find in these provisions of the Spanish laws the guarantee justly required for the correctness of the invoices, and seizes this opportunity, &c., &c., &c.' "I hope this declaration of the Spanish government will be found to fulfil all the requisites of the case put by you. "And remain, very respectfully, &c., "JOHN SOMERS SMITH, Esq., "United States Consul, Malaga.” "PIERRE SOULÉ. MARCH 31, 1863. * The commercial transactions during the past three months with America have been very small, and the accompanying documents contain all the information of which I am possessed. There have been no arrivals or departures of American vessels from Almeria or Adra during the present quarter. * * * Statement showing the description, quantities, and value of exports from Malaga to the United States, in American and foreign vessels, during the quarter ended March 31, 1863. |