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ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES OF AMERICAN VESSELS.

Arrived, 11 vessels, aggregate tonnage 11,91533; departed, 11 vessels, aggregate tonnage 11,91533. Vessels other than American not ascertainable.

FREIGHTS.

Hides to the United States, 25 cents each; deerskins to the United States, 2 cents each; Brazil wood to the United States, $10 per ton; indigo to the United States, per seroon, $1 373 for 160 pounds; India-rubber to the United States, per pound, 2 cents.

TONNAGE Dues.

There is a duty of 15 cents per ton levied on all vessels which enter the harbor, excepting ships-of-war, the English mail steamers, and the steamers of the "Central American Transit Company," neither of which exempted class of vessels can, at present, enter the harbor.

CURRENCY.

The currency is calculated at 100 cents to the dollar, (United States gold and silver being at par,) and is made up of the moneys of all nations, thus:

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Exchange, no fixed rate.
Warehouses, none.

Sanitary regulation, none.

$15 50

14 00

95

3 80

4 80

2 40

9 00

9 50

95

1 00

20

95

25

Cotton-growing does not appear to have flourished to any considerable extent during the past year, but those engaged in the enterprise, (and there are several of them,) seem sanguine of producing a respectable quantity for shipment the coming year. Indigo and coffee culture is on the increase, and the same may be said of cacao. Gold-mining is carried on at present only by the natives, the attempts of the foreigners who have undertaken this occupation having proved in nearly every instance complete failures.

the 66

The harbor is in a most deplorable condition, notwithstanding the efforts of Central American Transit Company" to improve it. Some eight old hulks, brought here especially for the purpose, have been sunk at the approaches of the river San Juan, which empty into the bay, with the view of confining the waters to a single channel; but as yet no visible increase in the depth of water at the entrance from the sea is discoverable. There has been, during the past four months, only about eight and a half feet of water on the bar at high tide, with a very narrow and crooked channel for vessels to pass in It is asserted, however, by those considered competent to judge, that, with the necessary machinery and implements, a good harbor can still be made, and without any extraordinary expense.

and out.

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*

SAN JUAN DEL SUR-B. L. HILL, Consul.

NOVEMBER 9, 1863.

In the only excursion to the country I have been able to make, and that for part of a day, I have seen some six hundred acres of cotton and considerable sugar growing. The crop is very promising, considered very large in growth, and more than usually fruitful. There were between 4,000 and 5,000 bales of cotton shipped from this port last year, and the estimate for this year is 20,000 bales or over. From the proneness of these people to exaggerate, I was inclined to discredit the estimate; but in conversation with a gentleman of reliability, who has a cotton gin and press, and is now about erecting several more in different parts of the country, I was assured that, if no accident happened to the crop, the amount was rather under than over estimated. Most of the cotton was, last year, shipped to England, not because it "paid" any better, (for, in fact, it brought much less than it would in our country,) but for fear of the pirates. * There is another article, a sample of which I enclose, called pita, (peta,) which grows in great abundance spontaneously all over this region. It seems to me to be a most valuable article for the manufacture of cordage. It is very cheap, and could be taken to the United States and sold much lower than the Manilla, so much used, and is as good, if not far better, for all such purposes. The coffee crop is very good this year, and the coffee is of a fine quality. The indigo is superior in quality, and the product is very considerable.

*

*

HONDURAS.

OMOA-CHARLES R. FOLLIN, Consul.

MARCH 31, 1863.

Statement showing the description, quantity, and value of the exports from Omoa during the year 1862.

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UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA-NEW GRANADA.

597

UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA.

A decree of the constitutional president of the United States of Colombia, prescribing the manner of certifying invoices of imports, has been received at this department, of which the subjoined is a translation :

T. C. DE MOSQUERA, constitutional president of the United States of Colombia.

DECREE.

ARTICLE 1. It is the duty of those who may introduce foreign merchandise to present, with the manifests, the original invoices, certified by the Colombian consul of the port whence they are shipped.

ART. 2. In those ports where there may be no Colombian consul, the certificate of the invoices will be obtained from a consul of a friendly nation. Those of the republic of Chili are required to perform this service by article 34 of the treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation with said republic.

ART. 3. The certificate required by the first article shall express the number of the packages of the invoice; the kind of merchandise; the Colombian weight of each package; the name of the boat in which it may be shipped; the port in Colombia to which it is directed; and the name of the merchant or consignee to whom they may belong.

ART. 4. The consuls shall remit to the general office of accounts an authentic copy of every invoice which they may certify.

ART. 5. The consuls are entitled to collect one peso for every invoice which they may certify, according to the 4th provision of Article 19 of the law of March 7, 1856, upon consular service.

ART. 6. The following periods are fixed for the execution of this decree : Sixty days for merchandise imported from the West Indies, Central America, and the Pacific republics;

Ninety days for importations from the ports of the United States of America and Mexico; and

One hundred and twenty days for importations from other ports-these periods to be reckoned from the date of this decree.

ART. 7. The failure to present invoices, certified as aforesaid, will subject the cargo to examination, package by package, and to an additional charge of ten per cent. on the ordinary duties.

Given in Popayan, August 7, 1863.

A. GONZALEZ CARAZO, Secretary.

T. C. DE MOSQUERA.

NEW GRANADA.

CARTAGENA AUGUSTUS S. HANABERGH, Consul.

JANUARY 8, 1864.

Although I have to report the arrival of but one vessel at this port during the last year, under the flag of the United States, with cargo, yet there has been a large increase in the importation of American goods over former years, which importation has mostly been made in vessels of American build sailing under the English flag.

The number of such vessels that have arrived at this port during the last

year is nineteen, all from the port of New York, and bringing assorted cargoes of provisions and American manufactures, the quantities or value of which I have no means of ascertaining.

By the present tariff of this country American goods, as a general thing, are more heavily taxed than those of any other country; all kinds of provisions pay at the rate of five cents per kilogramme on the gross weight of the package, whereas soap, candles, lumber, gunny bags, furniture, and many other common necessaries, which are extensively imported, are charged at the rate of 30 cents per kilogramme also on the gross weight; and it is just the same as silks, lace, jewelry, and the most costly articles.

Besides this national duty, the state government collects a consumption duty of 25 per cent. on the amount of the national duty on all importations, which consumption duty is collected upon the introduction of the goods.

Another great injustice is the collection of 30 cents per kilogramme on the baggage of each passenger disembarking in the country; and upon this also the state collects the 25 per cent. consumption duty, even should the owner remain in the country but a day or two. The injustice of this imposition it worthy the attention of foreign governments.

Tabular statement showing the amount and value of exports from the port of Cartagena to the United States for the year ended December 31, 1863.

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The most important product of the country is tobacco, nearly all of which is exported to Germany. Coffee, ivory, nuts, and fustic, are also exported to a considerable extent to Europe.

The cultivation of cotton has received but little attention in the vicinity of this port; whereas, in the neighborhood of the port of Savanilla, a large quantity has been raised during the past year, and it has formed an important part of the exports of that port.

VENEZUELA.

LAGUAYRA-ELIAS WALPOLE, Consul.

APRIL 22, 1863.

I have the honor to report that the commercial intercourse of this country with foreign nations appears to be uniform. All nations are placed upon the same footing in regard to foreign commerce.

The port charges are as follows: Tonnage duty, 50 cents per ton Venezuelan tonnage; water duty, 15 cents per ton Venezuelan tonnage; light-house duty, 6 cents per ton Venezuelan tonnage; clearance, per 50 tons, $2; 100 tons, $3; 200 tons, $4; 200 tons and upwards, $5.

Venezuelan vessels run about half price; besides, there is to be paid to the captain of the port of Laguayra, on each vessel, $3; to the health officer, for visit, $3; to the interpreter, excepting Spanish vessels, $2.

By the above it will be seen that a foreign vessel, of 400 tons and upwards, pays to the custom-house, in Venezuelan currency, $327 50; and if she enter with cargo and depart the country, (entering no other port with cargo,) she pays $100 tonnage duty.* The price for export goods is generally fixed at Caraccas, commissions alike on all kinds, all expenses added.

Coffee being a principal article of export, the following will show the expense on the same: Commission on coffee, per cent., 2; bags, regulating and weighing, 50 cents; carriage from Caraccas, per 100 lbs., 31 to 371⁄2; porterage, lighterage, and embarking at Laguayra, per 100 lbs., 111 cents; export duty at custom-house, per bag, 15 reals, or $13; storage at Laguayra 1 per cent. Thus you see a bag of coffee costing in Caraccas $18, for example, by the time it is put on board the vessel at Laguayra costs $21 50 Venezuelan currency. This mode of fixing price attaches to all exports, and might be traced out if deemed proper. Venezuela has no coin of her own except copper; she has permitted gold and silver coin of most nations to be introduced, and fixed their value, which is as follows:

Gold coin, American double eagle, at....
American eagle at.....
American half eagle at
American quarter eagle at

French 20-franc piece at..
English sovereign at..
Spanish doubloon at..
Mexican doubloon at

$26 75 Venezuelan currency.

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3 343

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The fractional parts of the aforesaid coins in the same proportion. And I must add I never was in a place where there was so much confusion of coins, yet the merchants seem to have mastered it.

• Venezuelan tonnage is 12 per cent. more than American, and in the foregoing calculition, if she enter and depart with cargo her tonnage is $4 50.

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