Capacity of Ale, Beer, and Porter-Bottles.-Under Department letter of August 7th, 1875 (S. S., 2384), the average of so-called quart bottles of malt liquors was fixed at 21⁄2 gallons per doz., and of so-called pint bottles at 154 gallons per doz., unless actual gauge showed a different result. The following table, exhibiting the average gauge of the principal brands of ale, beer, and porter, in bottles, was issued April 7, 1876, by the Treasury Department to be followed by customs officers, unless an actual gauge shall show a different result:

R. Younger's extra-strong Edinburgh ale, in stone........
Wm. Younger & Co.'s sparkling ale, in stone......................
Muir & Son's sparkling Edinburgh ale, in stone.....
McEwan's Edinburgh ale, in stone....

Jeffrey's sparkling Edinburgh ale, in stone....
Alsop's ale, bottled by E. & J. Burke, in glass.

Alsop's ale, bottled by Cameron & Saunders, in glass

Bass & Co.'s, bottled by Cameron & Saunders, in glass..

Bass & Co.'s bottled by N. B. Foster & Sons, in glass..

Bass & Co.'s bottled by Byass, in glass.....

Bass & Co.'s Burton afe, bottled by Dankes & Co., in glass.

Bass & Co.'s Champagne ale, bottled by Byass, in glass...

3.125

5.830

3.

Bass & Co.'s ale, bottled by E. & G. Hibbert (in champagne bottles).

Bass & Co.'s ale, bottled by R. Porter & Co., in glass....

Guinness's extra stout, bottled by Dankes & Co., in glass..

Guinness's stout, bottled by P. Redmond & Co., in glass.

Guinness's extra stout, bottled by James McCullagh, Son & Co., in glass.

McCullagh's extra Dublin stout, bottled by James McCullagh, Son & Co., in glass..

D'Arcy s Dublin extra stout, bottled by P. Redmond & Co., in glass......

Best stout porter, bottled by R. B. Byass, in glass........

Frydenland's brewery pale ale, in glass (agents and shippers, Halst & Fleischer, Christina)... 6 400
Divoli beer, exported by Julius Grossman, Hamburg....

Guinness's stout and Bass's ale, bottled by E. & J. Burke (S S., 2819)...

FEBRUARY 12, 1873.

(UNITED STATES STATUTES AT LARGE, VOL. XVII, p. 424.)

CHAP. CXXXI.—An Act revising and amending the Laws relative to the Mints, Assay-Offices, and Coinage of the United States.

SECTION 13. That the standard for both gold and silver coins of the United States shall be such that of one thousand parts by weight nine hundred shall be of pure metal and one hundred of alloy; and the alloy of the silver coins shall be of copper, and the alloy of the gold coins shall be of copper, or of copper and silver; but the silver shall in no case exceed one-tenth of the whole alloy.

SECTION 14. That the gold coins of the United States shall be a one-dollar piece, which, at the standard weight of twenty-five and eight-tenth grains, shall be the unit of value; a quarter-eagle, or two-and-a-half dollar piece; a three-dollar piece; a half-eagle, or fivedollar piece; an eagle, or ten-dollar piece; and a double-eagle, or twenty-dollar piece. And the standard weight of the gold dollar shall be twenty-five and eight-tenths grains; of the quarter-eagle, or two-and-a-half dollar piece, sixty-four and a half grains; of the three-dollar piece, seventy-seven and four-tenths grains; of the half-eagle, or five-dollar piece, one hundred and twenty-nine grains; of the eagle, or ten-dollar piece, two hundred and fifty-eight grains; of the double-eagle, or twenty-dollar piece, five hundred and sixteen grains; which coins shall be a legal tender in all payments at their nominal value when not below the standard weight and limit of tolerance provided in this act for the single piece, and, when reduced in weight, below said standard and tolerance, shall be a legal tender at valuation in proportion to their actual weight; and any gold coin of the United States, if reduced in weight by natural abrasion not more than one-half of one per centum below the standard weight prescribed by law, after a circulation of twenty years, as shown by its date of coinage, and at a ratable proportion for any period less than twenty years, shall be received at their nominal value by the United States treasury and its offices, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe for the protection of the government against fraudulent abrasion or other practices; and any gold coins in the treasury of the United States reduced in weight below this limit of abrasion shall be recoined.

SECTION 15. That the silver coins of the United States shall be a trade-dollar, a halfdollar, or fifty-cent piece, a quarter-dollar or twenty-five cent piece, a dime, or ten-cent piece; and the weight of the trade dollar shall be four hundred and twenty grains troy; the weight of the half-dollar shall be twelve grams (grammes) and one-half of a gram (gramme); the quarter-dollar and the dime shall be, respectively, one-half and one-fifth of the weight of said half-dollar; and said coins shall be a legal tender at their nominal value for any amount not exceeding five dollars in any one payment.

SECTION 16. That the minor coins of the United States shall be a five-cent piece, a threecent piece, and a one-cent piece, and the alloy for the five and three cent pieces shall be of copper and nickel, to be composed of three-fourths copper and one-fourth nickel, and the alloy of the one-cent piece shall be ninety-five per centum of copper and five per centum of tin and zinc, in such proportions as shall be determined by the Director of the Mint. The weight of the piece of five cents shall be seventy-seven and sixteen-hundredths grains, troy; of the three-cent piece, thirty grains; and of the one-cent piece, forty-eight grains; which coins shall be a legal tender, at their nominal value, for any amount not exceeding twentyfive cents in any one payment.

SECTION 17. That no coins, either of gold, silver, or minor coinage, shall hereafter be issued from the mint other than those of the denominations, standards, and weights herein set forth.

SECTION 18. That upon the coins of the United States there shall be the following devices and legends: Upon one side there shall be an impression emblematic of liberty, with an inscription of the word "Liberty," and the year of the coinage, and upon the reverse shall be the figure or representation of an eagle, with the inscriptions "United States of America" and E Pluribus Unum," and a designation of the value of the coin; but on the gold dollar and three-dollar piece, the dime, five, three, and one-cent piece, the figure of the eagle shall be omitted; and on the reverse of the silver trade-dollar, the weight and fineness of the coin shall be inscribed; and the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, may cause the motto "In God we trust," to be inscribed upon such coins as shall admit of such motto; and any one of the foregoing inscriptions may be on the rim of the gold and silver coins.

SECTION 36. That in adjusting the weights of the gold coins, the following deviations shall not be exceeded in any single piece. In the double-eagle and the eagle, one-half of a grain; in the half-eagle, the three-dollar piece, the quarter-cagle, and the one-dollar piece, one-fourth of a grain. And in weighing a number of pieces together, when delivered by the coiner to the superintendent, and by the superintendent to the depositor, the deviation

from the standard weight shall not exceed one-hundredth of an ounce in five thousand dollars in double-eagles, engles, half-eagles, or quarter-eagles, in one thousand three-dollar pieces, and in one thousand one-dollar pieces.

SECTION 37. That in adjusting the weight of the silver coins the following deviations shall not be exceeded in any single piece: In the dollar, the half and quarter dollar, and in the dime, one and one-half grains; and in weighing large numbers of pieces together, when delivered by the coiner to the superintendent, and by the superintendent to the depositor, the deviations from the standard weight shall not exceed two-hundredths of an ounce in one thousand dollars, half-dollars, or quarter-dollars, and one-hundredth of an ounce in one thousand dimes.

SECTION 38. That in adjusting the weight of the minor coins provided by this act, there shall be no greater deviation allowed than three grains for the five-cent piece and two grains for the three and one-cent pieces.

SECTION 49. That for the purpose of securing a due conformity in weight of the coins of the United States to the provisions of this act, the brass troy-pound weight procured by the Minister of the United States at London, in the year eighteen hundred and twenty-seven, for the use of the mint, and now in the custody of the mint at Philadelphia, shall be the standard troy pound of the mint of the United States, conformably to which the coinage thereof shall be regulated.

SECTION 50. That it shall be the duty of the Director of the Mint to procure for cach mint and assay-office, to be kept safely thereat, a series of standard weights corresponding to the aforesaid troy pound, consisting of a one-pound weight and the requisite subdivisions and multiples thereof, from the hundredth part of a grain to twenty-five pounds; and the troy weights ordinarily employed in the transactions of such mints and assay-offices shall be regulated according to the above standards at least once in every year, under the inspection of the superintendent and assayer; and the accuracy of those used at the mint at Philadelphis shall be tested annually, in the presence of the assay-commissioners, at the time of the annual examination and test of coins.

SECTION 67. That this act shall be known as the "Coinage act of eighteen hundred and seventy-three;" and all other acts and parts of acts pertaining to the mints, assay-offices, and coinage of the United States inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed: Provided, That this act shall not be construed to affect any act done, right accrued, or penalty incurred, under former acts, but every such right is hereby saved; and all suits and prosecutions for acts already done in violation of any former act or acts of Congress relating to the subjects embraced in this act may be begun or proceeded with in like manner as if this act had not been passed; and all penal clauses and provisions in existing laws relating to the subjects embraced in this act shall be deemed applicable thereto: And provided further, That so much of the first section of "An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the government for the year ending June thirty, eighteen hundred and seventyone, and for other purposes," approved July fifteen, eighteen hundred and seventy, as provides that until after the completion and occupation of the branch-mint building in San Francisco, it shall be lawful to exchange, at any mint or branch-mint of the United States, unrefined or unparted bullion, whenever, in the opinion of the Secretary of the Treasury, it can be done with advantage to the government, is hereby repealed.

NOTE. The above sections are reproduced in the Revised Statutes, as follows: Sections 3514, 3511, 3505, 3512, 3513, 3515, 3516, 3517, 3555, 3536, 3537, 3548, and 3549.

COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE WITH FOREIGN NATIONS.*

(REVISED TREASURY REGULATIONS OF 1874, PAGES 137 TO 147.)

Vessels of nations with which the United States have commercial relations.

ART. 268. Discriminating duties of tonnage and impost on foreign vessels and their car. goes are to be charged, as provided by law, in all cases, except where exemption is secured by treaty stipulations or by laws of the United States. (Acts July 20, 1790, ch. 30, H. D. p. 22; March 27, 1804, ch 51, 6, H. D. p. 158; Jan. 14, 1817, ch. 3, H D. p. 177; March 3, 1817, ch. 50, H. D. p. 181; June 30, 1864, ch. 171, ¿ 17, H. D. p. 453.)

FIRST CLASS.

ART. 269. Vessels belonging to the following nations are admitted, under the provisions of law, treaties of commerce and navigation, or conventions, into the ports of the United States, on the same terms as vessels of the United States, with the produce or manufactures of their own or any other country, as respects both tonnage and impost duties.

ART. 270. Argentine Confederation.-Under treaties of July 10 and 27, 1853, proclaimed April 9, 1855 (10 Stat., 1001 and 1035).

Austria-Treaty August 27, 1829, proclaimed February 10, 1831 (8 Stat. 398); and treaty May 8, 1848, proclaimed February 25, 1850 (9 Stat. 944).

Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.-By treaty signed July 11, 1870, ratified December 19, 1870, and proclaimed June 29, 1871 (17 Stat.), and relating to consular rights and duties, it is provided that the judicial authorities and custom-house officials shall, in no case, proceed to the examination or search of merchant vessels without previous notice to the consular authority of the nation to which the said vessels belong, in order to enable them to be present. Notice to consulates of the taking of the depositions of captains or seamen before local authorities is also required. In the event of a vessel of either nation "being wrecked or cast on shore upon the coast of the other," "all merchandise and goods not destined for consumption in the country in which the wreck takes place, are free of all duties." Consulates may hoist their flag on board any vessel employed by them in port for the discharge of their duty. By treaty of November 25, 1871, proclaimed June 1, 1872, the mutual guarantee of property in trade-marks is provided for (17 Stat ).

ART. 271. Belgium.-Treaty July 17, 1858, proclaimed April 19, 1859 (12 Stat., 1043). Under the 4th article, steamers of the United States and of Belgium engaged in regular navigation between the two countries are reciprocally exempt from the payment of duties of tonnage, anchorage, buoys, and light-houses. By article 2 of the treaty of May 20, 1863 (13 Stat., 648), the flags of the two countries were assimilated for the transportation of salt, in regard to which a special discrimination had previously existed.

Bolivia.-Treaty of May 13, 1858, proclaimed January 8, 1863 (12 Stat., 1003).

Brazil.-Under act of Congress of 24th May, 1828, and proclamation of November 4, 1847 (9 Stat. 1001).

Chili.-Under the act of 24th May, 1828, and proclamation of November 1, 1850 (9 Stat.,

1004).

Denmark. Treaty of April 26, 1826, proclaimed October 14, 1826 (8 Stat., 340); and treaty of April 11, 1857, proclaimed January 13, 1858 (11 Stat., 719).

Dominican Republic.-Convention of February 8, 1867, proclaimed October 24, 1867. Ecuador.-Treaty of June 13, 1839, proclaimed September 23, 1842 (8 Stat., 534). ART. 272. German Empire.-By treaty of December 11, 1871, proclaimed June 1, 1872 (17 Stat.), "respecting consuls and trade-marks," the stipulations above set forth in the case of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, relating to examination and searches of vessels, taking of depositions, and to wrecked goods, were also made with the German Empire. The 17th article provides that, "with regard to the marks or labels of goods, or of their packages, and also with regard to patterns and marks of manufacture and trade, the citizens of Germany shall enjoy in the United States of America, and American citizens shall enjoy in Germany, the same protection as native citizens."

See "Addenda" to this title, p. 69.