The residence of the Governor was Monterey, and he was generally a colonel or captain in the army, and sent from Mexico.

Formerly, all the land belonged to the different missions, and although distant some fourteen leagues, they respectively bounded on each other. The prosperity of these missions was at its height in 1825, at which time they counted from two to three thousand Indians each, and possessed from six thousand to one hundred thousand bullocks each, and an equal number of sheep. The number of horses was so great that many were killed to save pasturage.

Before the year 1822, the trade of these missions was with San Blas and Callao; vessels from these ports were sent here for tallow. The same year, an American vessel arrived in California from Boston, and prepared the way for a trade which has since been carried on almost exclusively with merchants of that port.

A law was passed in 1835, taking from the priests the management of the temporalities of the missions, and giving it to the secular administrators, who in a short time ruined the missions, without essentially benefiting themselves. The land has been divided amongst private individuals, and although the cattle of the missions have disappeared, there are as many hides exported as ever.

Exclusive of countless wild Indians and some Neophytes, California has about fifteen thousand inhabitants, generally descendants of Spanish and Mexican fathers, but mostly Indian mothers. The baptized Indians, released by the demolition of the missions, are hired by the other inhabitants for servile work, while the latter assist each other in the superior labor of their farms. Such of the Indians as were taught the mechanic arts by the Spanish Padres are mostly dead, and none other of their tribes will ever take their places.

The improved farms are held by Mexicans, Californians and naturalized citizens; the latter become so by merely signing a petition for that purpose, whereupon a letter of citizenship is granted, without an oath or any other formality. These farms, comprising from one to eleven square leagues, were granted to citizens with very little expense. The land adjoining the sea-coast is principally taken up-all that which is immediately around the Bay of San Francisco, and a portion of that on either bank of the Sacramento River. A small part only of those on the River San Joaquim is taken as yet. Some of the mission lands still belong to the government, as well as other unclaimed lands. Some farms have been abandoned, in consequence of depredations committed by wild Indians, who steal thousands of horses yearly-even out of enclosures and near dwellings. These Indians have shown but little fear of late, and have shot several farmers with their arrows.

There are now about twelve hundred foreign residents in California, mostly settled around the Bay of San Francisco, and on the banks of the Sacramento; three-fourths of these are Americans and the remainder Europeans. One-third of the males have taken out letters of citizenship, and never expect to speak Spanish, the prevailing language-a knowledge of English being all-sufficient for commercial purposes, even at this early period of the settlement. In 1832, there were less than three hundred foreign residents, and these were sailors who had left their ships or were entrapped by the former government; they have become farmers. The first American settlers arrived on the Sacramento in 1840. The emi

grants leave Independence, Missouri, (the starting point,) in April or May, and arrive on the borders of the Pacific in October or November, an.. nually. Some petition for farms; others settle on private grants by consent of owners. These emigrants, on leaving Independence, should be furnished (if a family of five or six,) with 1 good wagon, 1 barrel of flour, 200 pounds of bacon, 30 pounds of coffee, 50 pounds of sugar, 20 pounds of rice, 4 yoke of oxen, 3 cows, and a few cooking utensils. Every male person of fourteen years, and upwards, should be provided with a rifle, 10 pounds of powder, 30 pounds of lead, and 200 percussion caps.

After securing his land on either bank of the Sacramento, the settler should prepare his ground at once, and begin sowing his wheat in December. Beans, peas and corn should be planted in April.

Twelve hundred dollars will start a cattle-breeder in California. Wheat produces from forty to fifty-fold under very imperfect cultivation. The Spanish Padres of some of the missions have obtained an hundredfold, and at the mission of San Jose an hundred and eighty-fold was ob tained. Wild oats and mustard cover the country; the former to the height of three or four feet, and the latter so high and compact that horses straying amongst it are often lost. Rye and buckwheat have not been proved. Cotton and hemp have been raised, but as yet only in small quantities. Every description of vegetable produces well. Apples, pears, peaches, and quinces, are common all over the country, and in some parts there are limes, oranges, almonds, figs and walnuts. Plums and cherries have not been tested. Grapes of the finest flavor and in the greatest profusion grow in different districts. In latitudes south of 34° the best are produced. With imperfect means, wines and brandies are also

Imade in California.

The climate is unsurpassed for salubrity; the lowest rate of the thermometer in the shade, at Monterey, in 1845, was 44°, and the highest 86°, although the common range throughout the year is from 60° to 70°.

Sailing vessels have about thirteen days passage from Monterey to Mazatlan, but double that number on returning. It takes about fifteen days to sail from Monterey to Columbia River, but only five to return.

The entire revenue of California has been received from the customhouse at Monterey, which, for the seven past years, averaged eighty-six thousand dollars.

There were no drawbacks to the trade in California; coins, currencies, weights and measures of England and the United States are in common

use.

Imported goods, such as American cotton and woollen manufactures, shoes, hats, furniture, and farmer's utensils; also groceries, crockery and hardware, and China goods, are sold to the dealers and farmers on the coast at a credit of twelve to twenty-four months, payable in hides, tallow, fat, dried beef, lumber and soap.

The Boston ships have generally returned home with twenty to forty thousand bullocks' hides; every dollar of invoice and disbursements, including also a reasonable charge for wear and tear of the vessel, has usually received a hide in return, which is always valued at two dollars. The tallow has generally been bartered with vessels bound for Callao, for hides.

A considerable quantity of sea-otter skins were formerly collected, and shipped to Canton. They were valued at forty dollars each. The number at present taken is very limited.

In a few years hence there will be exported gold, lead, and a large quantity of quicksilver, also sulphur, coal and slate. The mines of quicksilver are probably the largest in the world, and of the best ore, producing more than 20 per cent, with but small expense of outfit.

Under the government of the United States, with some capital, and an increase of that thriving race, the Anglo-Saxons, California could supply all the Polynesian Islands, together with San Blas, Mazatlan, Acapul co and the N. W. Coast, with the above-named products, as well as wheat, beans, peas, flour, fat, tallow, butter, cheese, pork, beef, salmon, sardines, horses, mules, spars, boards, shingles, staves, and ships. Already shingles, lumber, spars, and horses are shipped to the Sandwich. Islands; and beef, fat, wheat and beans to the Russian settlements on the Northwest Coast, bills on St. Petersburg being received in exchange.

The exports of 1846 will amount to 85,000 hides; 60,000 arrobas tallow; 10,000 fanegas wheat; 1,000,000 feet lumber, also staves and shingles; $20,000 worth of otter and beaver skins; $10,000 worth of soap; 1,000 barrels wine and aquadiente; 200 ounces of gold.

CLASSIFICATION OF DUTIES RECEIVED IN THE CUSTOM-HOUSE OF CALIFORNIA, AT MONTEREY, IN 1844.

From Mexican vessels, coastwise from San Blas and Mazatlan,...........
From American vessels, from the United States and Sandwich Islands,......
From 2 Russian, 1 French, and 1 Hawaiian, vessel,

$5,194

60,326

13,219

The cargoes of such vessels as were built in the Republic of Mexico, have paid but 15 per cent ad valorem duty hitherto.

LIST OF SHIPPING FROM FOREIGN PORTS AND COASTWISE, ENTERED AT MONTEREY, DURING

LIST OF SHIPPING FROM FOREIGN PORTS AND COASTWISE, ENTERED AT MONTEREY, IN 1845.

Of the above, 5 were ships of war, 5 whaling ships, and 48 merchant vessels, classed in the following order, viz :-Ships, 23; barques, 17; brigs, 8; schooners, 10-total, 58 vessels.

The number of men and amount of tonnage is exclusive of ships of war.

Art. IV. THE RUSSIAN TRADE AT KIACHTA.

NOTICES OF THE TRADE CARRIED ON BY THE RUSSIANS AT KIACHTA, UPON THE FRONTIERS OF CHINA.*

THE Russian trade with China, by a treaty made between the two countries in 1728, is confined to the town of Kiachta, on the northern frontier of China, which is thus the sole entrepôt for the exchange of the commodities of both countries. The Russians are prohibited from trading at Canton, in consequence of the privilege they have of trading overland. In the year 1806, two Russian ships visited Canton, after making a voyage of discovery, for the purpose of taking in a cargo of Chinese produce for Russia. The Canton authorities at first refused, but afterwards permitted them to load, at the same time making reference to Peking. Before the answer arrived, the ships had sailed, but an edict was despatched to Russia prohibiting further intercourse except by the northern frontier. Of late years this trade has become of great importance; and the attention of commercial men, connected with China, has been called to the Russian woollen manufactures, which have begun to compete successfully with those of English manufacture, which formerly supplied the Chinese market.

A few statements (although necessarily meagre from the want of direct information,) may therefore not be unacceptable.

The great advance which Russia has made in the arts during the last half century, will be partially shown by the fact that, in the years 1793–95, she annually imported cloths to the average amount of 3,978,000 silver roubles; the only woollen manufacture then carried on being coarse cloth for the use of the army; while in 1837-39, the import had nearly ceased, and her own manufactures supplied the internal consumption of the empire, besides a large oriental export, chiefly to China, which, in 1842, amounted to nearly 2,000,000 silver roubles. Again, in 1800, the import of tea into Russia was 2,799,900 Russian pounds; and in 1837-39 the average annual import was 8,071,880 Russian pounds. Forty (40) Russian pounds are equal to 36 lbs. avoirdupois.

* Chiefly derived from the Chinese Repository for June, 1845.

The following statement shows the quantity of woollen cloth exported to China by Russia from 1833 to 1841 :-

EXPORTS OF WOOLLEN CLOTH FROM RUSSIA TO KIACHTA.

In former years Russia exported to China the woollen manufactures of Poland, (as will be seen by the above table,) and still earlier, those of Prussia, in addition to her own. Previous to the year 1812, a considerable quantity of English woollens were sent to Russia, intended for the Chinese market. The cost of this cloth was at that time, from 17s. to 20s. per yard, though the same quantity in 1830 could be had at 10s. to 12s., or even less. This trade was stopped by an increase of the duty laid by the Russian government on English cloths and a reduction of that on Prussian cloth.

At present, however, only cloths manufactured in Russia are exported. They are made principally at Moscow and its neighborhood, of different qualities, similar to the English cloths called Spanish Stripes and Habit cloths. They are classed into three varieties: 1. The Mezeritsky cloths; 2. Those of Masloff or Maslovia; 3. Karnovoy cloth; in each of which varieties there are four or five grades of quality, as No. 1, No. 2, &c. The assortment of colors in 100 pieces of Mezeritsky cloth is nearly as follows:

These are packed in ten bales, each having an assortment of the differ. ent colors. The first quality of Mezeritsky cloth costs at Moscow 150 to 165 roubles assign: per piece of 25 arshines (6s. 9d. to 7s. 4d. per yard;) and the charges from Moscow to Kiachta amount to about 250 roubles assign: per each bale. They measure from 60 to 67 inches in width.

The first quality of Masloff cloth costs at Moscow 7 to 74 R. assign : per arshine, (8s. to 8s. 6d. per yard;) the length of the pieces 40 to 45 arshines, or 31 to 35 yards; breadth between the lists, 67 to 70 inches. They are made up in bales of 8 pieces each. In an export of 1,000 pieces of these two cloths the proportions are, about 750 to 800 pieces of Mezeritsky, and 250 to 200 pieces Maslovia.

Of velveteens (Pleess,) a considerable quantity is annually bartered at Kiachta. They are manufactured in pieces of about 50 arshines in length (39 yards,) and of two breadths, viz: 10 vershocks and 16 vers: (171⁄2 inches and 28 inches ;) the price of the former at Moscow, is about R. 1.40 co to R. 1.80 per arshine, and of the latter R. 2.80.

The camlets exported to China are principally of Dutch manufacture, a