Arrivals of vessels from the United States direct, and departures of vessels for the United States direct.

Vessels of the United States-where they arrived from, and where they

Arrived from

sailed to.

HAMBURG, March 1, 1862. Your note desiring "information" and "suggestions" of a practical character on the subject of "the relief and protection of American seamen abroad" has been received. My opinion is that the present law is a very good one, if enforced with anything like fidelity, and that no consul ought ever draw upon the treasury for the relief afforded to destitute seamen. The sum retained by the consul for the relief of the destitute seamen out of the extra wages due discharged seamen is, in my opinion, always sufficient to meet the wants of such destitute persons, without falling back upon the treasury. I believe there has always been a surplus at this consulate, sometimes amounting to several hundred dollars. A systematic course of "desertion," which the law would not view as such, prevails at all the important seaports, as you will observe by examining the consular returns, against which it is somewhat difficult for a consul to combat, so long as ship captains are at liberty to bring whatever influences to bear upon their crews that interest or caprice may dictate; yet, if consuls would not connive at such technical desertions, and would collect of masters of vessels onetenth part of the extra wages of seamen which the letter of the law exacts, the fund for the relief of destitute seamen would never run out. I think it would be quite impossible to get along without affording relief in some instances to destitute seamen abroad. Some countries not only afford relief to this class, but to all of their destitute subjects abroad.

NOVEMBER 29, 1862.

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular No. 17, dated July 31, 1862. As soon as the regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury, therein mentioned, were received by me, I sent the note hereto attached, marked A, to the minister of foreign affairs.

A translation of his reply is hereto attached, marked B. It appears that the minister. did not understand my inquiry fully. I intended it to embrace both import and export duties. But at this port it is a matter of such small importance whether our vessels-of-war obtain supplies, import duty free, that I shall not present the question again unless instructed so to do.

The import duty at this port does not exceed a half per cent. on any article, and on many there is none, and the governing classes talk strongly of abolishing it altogether. They intend, at all events, to reduce it one-half.

A.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Hamburg, November 24, 1862. The undersigned, consul of the United States, begs leave to call the attention of his excellency Syndicus Merck to a law of the United States. By the twenty-second section of the "Act increasing temporarily the duties on imports, and for other purposes," approved July 14, 1862, a copy of which section is herewith enclosed, it will be perceived that the privilege of purchasing supplies from the public warehouses, duty free, is extended, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, to the vessels-of-war of any nation in ports of the United States which may reciprocate such privilege towards the vessels-of-war of the United States in its ports. The undersigned is instructed by the Secretary of State to communicate to his excellency, not only the enclosed copy of the provision of the law above mentioned, but also of the regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury, and to ascertain if the privilege of purchasing supplies from the public warehouses, duty free, is now or will be extended to the vessels-of-war of the United States by the government of Hamburg.

The reply to this note will without delay be laid before the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury. The undersigned avails himself, with pleasure of this occasion to renew the assurance of his great respect and esteem. JAMES H. ANDERSON, United States Consul.

His Excellency SYNDICUS MERCK, Minister of Foreign Affairs, &c., &c.,

B.

HAMBURG, November 28, 1862.

The undersigned syndicus has the honor to inform the honorable J. H. Anderson, consul of the United States of America, in humble reply to his friendly note of the 24th instant, in which the question is propounded, whether the government will permit American vessels-of-war to obtain supplies from the public warehouses, duty free, inasmuch as the United States offer to reciprocate the privilege, that there are no public warehouses in Hamburg, in the sense in which the words are used in the law of the United States; and that as there is no export duty levied at this port, American vessels-of-war need no special permission to enable them to procure their supplies without being subject to the payment of duty. The undersigned syndicus avails himself with pleasure of this occasion to renew the assurance of his high esteem.

Hon. J. H. ANDERSON, Consul of the United States.

C. H. MERCK.

DECEMBER 10, 1862.

Herewith enclosed you will please find an article concerning the changes in the navigation laws of France which are soon to be effected.

*

I will doubtless have more information to communicate ere long on the subject. Translation from the Hamburg "Basenhalle," of December 4, 1862. "We understand that the French government, desirous of bringing about those improvements in the navigation laws which seem to be necessary, has made arrangements for a thorough examination of home and foreign shipping and navigation laws.

"The following gentlemen of this city are invited to attend and participate in the proceedings: Mr. Senator G. Godeffrey, Mr. Ewd. Notting, Mr. Relt, Mr. Sloman, Mr. Consul A. J. Schon, and Mr. O. Swald. They will depart in a few days for Paris.

"The Russian treaty of navigation with France goes into operation sooner, we are told, than the commercial treaty. A good opportunity is now afforded Hamburg of securing a treaty of navigation with France. Indeed, we understand that negotiations to that end have already advanced considerably."

DECEMBER 10, 1862.

I have the honor to call your attention again to this project, (the fair.) The exhibition will be held in this city on the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th days of July next.

Herewith enclosed, marked A, you will please find a printed list of the premiums to be awarded, and rules for the guidance of exhibitors, and government of the exhibition.

All articles to be exhibited must be entered on or before the first day of May, (the time having been extended.)

"Applications respecting entries, reduced freights, and other matters from the United States, must be addressed, in conformity with printed regulations, to Messrs. Austin Baldwin & Co., of 72 Broadway, New York, who, for the convenience of American exhibitors, has been authorized to grant certificates;" or to the secretary at Hamburg, Dr. Gerhard Heachmann, according to the prescribed forms, (a copy of which is herewith enclosed.)

You will observe from enclosure A that fifty-six persons have guaranteed that the exhibition shall be no failure. They are all citizens of Hamburg, and nearly all men of real stamina and vast wealth. The only thing that I have to regret is that so few premiums are offered to exhibitors of machinery. The directors thought that medals would be generally preferred to money by exhibitors of machinery, and, therefore, those of gold, silver, and others, will be awarded. The gold medals will be worth $250 apiece, and will be, indeed, beautiful. The die alone for making will cost about $1,500.