RULE. To convert Sterling into Currency: To the given sum add 1-5 of itself, and 1-12 of that 1-5.

To convert Currency into Sterling: Multiply by 60 (or by 12 and 5) and divide by 73.

INSURANCE ON VESSELS TO THE ST. LAWRENCE.

The Toronto Globe makes the following quotations of the rates of ocean insurance for the purpose of pointing out the disadvantages under which the St. Lawrence suffers. The rates from Quebec are more than double those from New York:

What strikes every foreigner with utter amazement on his first acquaintance with Mexico, is that, seeing at every step he takes in this magnificent country indubitable proofs of riches and resources in perennial abundance; wealth in every shape, mineral, cereal, pastoral; the earth teeming, in fact, with every country's product which man can use, exchange, and turn to his profit; that, seeing all this, he learns that the same country is utterly beggared and bankrupt in public men and public credit; and, as a natural consequence, that its public means, either dammed up or turned into wrong channels, are quite inadequate to meet the demands of the national expenditure.— Robertson's Visit to Mexico.

RELATIVE VALUE OF THE REAL AND PERSONAL ESTATE IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK, AS ASSESSED IN 1852 AND 1853.

2

15,999,725

2,947,672

18,844,750

18,947,397

23,603,957

2,845,025

1,766,704

10,738,400

12,864,350

2,669,303

13,228,950

15,533,653

1,303,250

1,964,314

9,408,100

11,221,464

1,152,300

1,813,364

11,757,490

2,746,575

11,963,085

3,123,790

14,504,065

15,086,875

377,215

582,810

12,939,960

1,706,573

14,705,200

2,492,615

14,646,533

17,197,815

1,765,240

2,551,282

• Decrease $45,472.

It will be seen by the preceding table, that the assessed value of real estate this year is $41,452,042 greater than last year, and of personal estate $20,474,095 greater. Total increase of valuation in one year, $61,926,137. The greatest increase in any one ward is $14,627,045, in the 18th; the next greatest, $9,427,506 59 in the 1st ward. In the latter, $8,336,556 69 of the increase is in personal estate, and only $1,090,950 in real estate; whereas, in the former, $10,834,245 is in real estate, and $3,792,800 in personal. Third in the order of greatest increase, stands the 19th ward, which shows an advance of $7,091,620 in real estate, and $193,000 in personal. Next comes the 2d, which advances $2,845,025 in real estate, and $1,811,534 in personal. Total, $4,656,559 69. This ward, which lies altogether east of Broadway, shows a greater advance in real estate than the 3d ward, on the westerly side of Broadway, where many extensive stores have been erected, and where rents have increased much more rapidly than on the east side.

ASSESSED VALUE OF TAXARLE PROPERTY IN NEW YORK CITY FOR TWENTY-FOUR

YEARS.

Total.

$125,288,518

97,221,870

42,058,844

139,280,214

104,040,405

42,260,213

146,302,618

114,129,561 52,365,626

166,495,187

123,249,280

63.299,231

186,548,511

143,732,425

74,991,278

218,723,703

1853..

294,638,795 118,994,137 413,632,932

In looking at the above table, which shows the valuation in successive years, the reader will be surprised at the greatness of the fluctuations. From 1833 to 1836 inclusive, (four years,) the assessed value of real estate was more than doubled. In seven years more, from 1836 to 1843, the valuation fell near sixty-nine millions. Then it rose again, gradually, from year to year, until 1851, when it jumped up twenty millions; in 1852, twenty-six millions; and in 1853, forty-one and a half millions; making a total of $87,492,619 in three years, in real estate alone. In the same three years there was an advance of $40,054,897 in personal estate. Aggregate increase of real and personal estate from 1851 to 1853, both inclusive, (three years,) $127,547,516. The valuation of real estate in 1852 reached and passed that of 1836, the year of speculation and bubbles. The valuation of the present year shows an excess of near sizty-one millions over 1836 in the value of real estate, and more than forty-three millions in personal estate. Total, in round numbers, one hundred and four millions above the piping times of speculation and folly, which swamped the nation in an abyss of insolvency. This city has vastly increased since then, both in population and the number of buildings erected. The valuation is not as high now as it was then, in proportion to the wealth of the city. Nor is it, on an average, (we speak particularly of real estate,) by any means equal to the prices at which the property is held by the owners, or at which it could now be sold."

BRITISH COLONIAL EXPENDITURES.

Recent parliamentary documents acquaint us with the heavy expense to which the British government is still exposed for the care and control of her colonies. In the

year 1843 this expense had increased to £540,842 for civil government, £74,005 for naval expenditures, and £2,556,919 for military expenditures-making a total of £3,171,646.

In 1847 their expenditures had increased to £3,804,038, but had declined to £2,914,354 in 1850-1.

The prominent item of expenditure in 1843 was the military government of Gibraltar. This amounted to the enormous sum of £219,465. The military expenditures of Canada were £525,226, and for the North Eastern Provinces £173,030.

The following table will be useful for future references, as showing the total colonial expenditures for the years 1847 to 1850-1:

£3,804,038 £3,480,345 £2,979,826 £2,914,354

The number of British colonies is forty-four; of these, eleven-including Gibraltar, Malta, Cape of Good Hope, Hong Kong, and places of that character-are military and maritime stations, maintained to facilitate Commerce, or for the general strength and security of the British empire.

The London Times remarks: "It is to be regretted that there are no materials for bringing the table down to a later period, the figures which it includes being the latest the government are able to furnish-a circumstance that impairs its practical value. Extensive as are the colonial possessions of England, there seems no reason for requiring two years for making up such an account as the present, under a uniform system, and if the expenditure, instead of being a public affair, were that of a mercantile body or a private company, a shorter interval would probably be found sufficient."

SAVINGS BANKS IN NEW YORK CITY AND KING'S COUNTY.

The following act regulating the operations of Savings' Banks in New York City and King's County, passed the Legislature of New York, April 15th, 1853, and is now in force:

AN ACT RELATIVE TO BANKS OR INSTITUTIONS FOR SAVINGS IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK AND THE COUNTY OF KINGS.

SECTION 1. It shall be lawful for the several savings banks or institutions for savings in the city and county of New York and county of Kings, now chartered, or which may be hereafter chartered, in addition to the powers granted by their respective acts of incorporation, to loan the moneys which they have received or shall hereafter receive on deposit; or the accumulations thereof, or on purchase of any stock or securities for the redemption or payment of which the faith of any State in the Union shall be pledged, or in the public debt or stock of any incorporated city, county, or town in this State which shall have been authorized by the Legislature of this State to issue such stocks; provided, that the cash value of such stock or securities shall, at the time of making such investments, be at or above its par value; and any such loans so made, shall not exceed in amount ninety per cent of the par value of such stock or securities. Should the stock or securities above mentioned depreciate in value, so that the amount loaned thereon shall exceed ninety per cent of its par value, it shall be the duty of the directors or trustees of any savings bank or institution for savings, to require the immediate payment of any loan made by them thereon, or additional security therefor, so that at all times the amount so loaned shall be at least ten per cent less than the par value of such stock or securities.

SEC. 2. It shall be lawful for any such savings banks or institutions for savings to make temporary deposits in any bank or banking association to an amount equal to ten per cent of the actual cash capital stock paid in of such bank or banking association, and to receive interest thereon at such rates, not exceeding that allowed by law, as may be agreed upon, provided that all the deposits in any one bank or banking association shall not exceed in amount twenty per cent of all the deposits belonging to such savings bank or institution for savings, and that no contract or agreement in relation to such deposit shall be for a longer period than one year.

SEC. 3. It shall not be lawful for any of such savings banks or institutions for savings to make any loans to any banks or banking association, exceeding the limits above prescribed, unless such savings bank or institution for savings shall require and receive of such bank, for all sums so deposited exceeding the limits above prescribed, such securities therefor, and equal in amount, as the controller or superintendent of the banking department is now lawfully authorized to receive in exchange for bills or notes for circulation; nor shall it be lawful for any trustee of a savings bank or institution for savings to be a trustee of more than one savings bank or institution for savings at the same time, nor shall the trustees of any savings bank or institution for savings hereafter to be incorporated be directors at the same time in any bank or banking association wherein any part of the moneys of such savings bank or institution for savings shall be deposited.

SEC. 4. All the assets of any bank, or banking association now or hereafter to be created, that shall become insolvent, shall after providing for the payment of its circulating notes, be applied by the directors thereof, in the first place, to the payment of any deficiency that may arise on the sale of the securities aforesaid and thereafter of any sum or sums of money deposited with such bank or banking association by any savings bank or institutions for savings within the range of twenty per cent as provided

in the second section of this act.

SEC. 5. No such savings bank or institutions for savings hereafter to be incorporated shall receive from any individual depositor a larger sum than one thousand dol