The aggregate value of the imports from, and exports to the United States in the year 1847, cannot at present be exhibited, a sufficient interval of time not having yet elapsed since the close of the year to admit of the final adjustment of the registers which show the trade with individual countries.

COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS.

IMPORTATION OF DRUGS AND MEDICINES.

WE give below an official copy of an Act passed at the last session of Congress, and approved by the President of the United States June 25, 1848, designed, as we infer from its title, "to prevent the importation of adulterated and spurious drugs and medicines." It will, perhaps, be recollected that we published, in the Merchants' Magazine for April, 1848, (Vol. XVIII, page 442,) a statement made by the Trustees of the New York College of Pharmacy in relation to the adulteration of drugs and medicines by the foreign manufacturer. We confess we have but little faith either in the principle or policy of legislating men into honesty; for, if the law of Reason, Conscience, God, will not restrain them from cheating and fraud, it can scarcely be hoped that human legislation will do it; and unless the importers and dealers in drugs and medicines in this country possess a higher standard of mercantile morality, the purchaser and consumer will gain but little by the enactment of such laws-indeed, it will only be transferring the abominable practice to the vender on this side of the Atlantic. But we publish the Act of Congress on this subject as a commercial regulation of the United States, for the especial benefit of importers:

AN ACT TO PREVENT THE IMPORTATION OF ADULTERATED AND SPURIOUS DRUGS AND MEDICINES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the passage of this act all drugs, medicines, medicinal preparations, including medicinal essential oils, and chemical preparations used wholly or in part as medicine, imported into the United States from abroad, shall, before passing the custom-house, be examined and appraised, as well in reference to their quality, purity, and fitness for medical purposes, as to their value and identity specified in the invoice.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all medicinal preparations, whether chemical or otherwise, usually imported with the name of the manufacturer, shall have the true name of the manufacturer and the place where they are prepared permanently and legibly affixed to each parcel, by stamp, label, or otherwise; and all medicinal preparations imported without such names affixed as aforesaid, shall be adjudged to be forfeited.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That if, on examination, any drugs, medicines, medicinal preparations, whether chemical or otherwise, including medicinal essential oils, are found, in the opinion of the examiner, to be so far adulterated, or in any manner deteriorated, as to render them inferior in strength and purity to the standard established by the United States, Edinburgh, London, French and German pharmacopoeias and dispensatories, and thereby improper, unsafe, or dangerous to be used for medicinal purposes, a return to that effect shall be made upon the invoice, and the articles so noted shall not pass the custom-house, unless, on a re-examination of a strictly analytical character, called for by the owner or consignees, the return of the examiner shall be found erroneous; and it shall be declared, as the result of such analysis, that the said articles may properly, safely, and without danger be used for medicinal purposes.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the owner or consignee shall at all times, when dissatisfied with the examiner's return, have the privilege of calling, at his own expense, `for a re-examination: and, on depositing with the collector such sum as the latter may deem sufficient to defray such expense, it shall be the duty of that officer to procure some competent analytical chemist, possessing the confidence of the medical profession, as well es of the colleges of medicine and pharmacy, if any such institutions exist in the State in which the collection district is situated, a careful analysis of the articles included in said return, and a report upon the same under oath; and in case the report, which shall be

final, shall declare the return of the examiner to be erroneous, and the said articles to be of the requisite strength and purity, according to the standards referred to in the next preceding sections of this act, the entire invoice shall be passed without reservation, on payment of the customary duties; but, in case the examiner's return shall be sustained by the analysis and report, the said articles shall remain in charge of the collector, and the owner or consignee, on payment of the charges of storage and other expenses necessarily incurred by the United States, and on giving a bond, with sureties satisfactory to the collector, to land said articles out of the limits of the United States, shall have the privilege of re-exporting them at any time within the period of six months after the report of the analysis; but, if the said articles shall not be sent out of the United States within the time specified, it shall be the duty of the collector, at the expiration of said time, to cause the same to be destroyed, holding the owner or consignee responsible to the United States for the payment of all charges, in the same manner as if said articles had been re-exported. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That, in order to carry into effect the provisions of this act, the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and required to appoint suitably qualified persons as special examiners of drugs, medicines, chemicals, &c., namely: one examiner in each of the ports of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, and New Orleans, with the following salaries, viz: At New York, sixteen hundred dollars per annum; and at each of the other ports above named, one thousand dollars per annum; which said salaries shall be paid each year, quarterly, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated; and it shall be the duty of the said Secretary to give such instructions to the collectors of the customs in the other collection districts as he may deem necessary to prevent the importation of adulterated and spurious drugs and medicines. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the special examiners to be appointed under this act shall, before entering on the discharge of their duties, take and subscribe the oath or affirmation required by the ninth section of the act of the thirtieth of July, eighteen hundred and forty-six, entitled "An act reducing the duty on imports, and for other purposes."

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the special examiners authorized to be appointed by the fifth section of this act shall, if suitably qualified persons can be found, be taken from the officers now employed in the respective collection districts; and if new appointments shall be necessary for want of such persons, then, as soon as it can be done consistently with the efficiency of the service, the officers in said districts shall be reduced, so that the present number of said officers shall not be permanently increased by reason of such new appointment.

The following circular, from the Secretary of the Treasury, is published in connection with the act relating to the importation of adulterated drugs and medicines into the United States, as explanatory of that law :-

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, July 8, 1848.

The attention of collectors and other officers of the customs is especially called to the provisions of the annexed act of Congress, entitled "An Act to prevent the importation of adulterated and spurious drugs and medicines," approved 26th June, 1848.

Upon entry of any "medicinal preparations, whether chemical or otherwise, usually imported with the name of the manufacturer, and the place where prepared, permanently and legibly affixed to each parcel," careful inspection and examination must be made by the United States appraisers to see that the true name of the manufacturer, and also the place where said articles were prepared, are “legibly affixed to each parcel by stamp, label, or otherwise," as required by the second section of the act. In default of these requisites the collector will immediately report the case with all the facts to the United States District Attorney, in order that he may institute the necessary legal proceedings to obtain a decree of condemnation and forfeiture of the articles in pursuance of the act. When a decree of condemnation and forfeiture, for the causes before stated, takes place, an immediate examination of the articles, in the manner indicated in the third section of the act, must be had to ascertain whether all or any of the articles contained in the importation possess the standard of strength and purity therein required. If any articles do not agree with these standards they cannot be sold, like other forfeited goods, as it would defeat the object of the law thus to throw upon the community adulterated and spurious drugs and medicines. Such portion of the importation as may prove to possess the proper standard of strength and purity may be immediately sold, and the proceeds accounted for as in ordinary cases of forfeiture. But the adulterated and spurious articles contained in the im portation must be destroyed in the manner hereinafter mentioned.

It will be observed, on reference to the third section of the act, that all imported "drugs, medicines and medicinal preparations, &c.," are to be tested, in reference to strength and

purity, by the standards established by the "United States, Edinburgh, London, French, and German pharmacopoeias and dispensatories." It is not conceived to be the intention of the law that the articles referred to should conform in strength and purity to each and all of those standards, as such conformity is believed to be impracticable, owing to the variations in those standards. If, therefore, the articles in question be manufactured, produced, or prepared in England, Scotland, France, or Germany, as the case may be, and prove to conform, in strength and purity, to the pharmacopoeia and dispensatory of the country of their origin, said articles become exempt from the penalties of the law. All articles of the kind mentioned, produced, manufactured or prepared in any other country than those before mentioned, must conform in the qualities stated in the United States pharmacopoeia dispensatory.

In case of appeal from the report of the special examiner, as provided for in the fourth section of the act, the collector will exercise proper judgment and discretion in the selection of an analytical chemist possessing the qualifications and standing required by the act to make the prescribed analysis, previously taking from the owner or consignee a sufficient deposit of money to defray the expenses of the analysis, and, when completed, returning to the owner or consignee any excess of money thus deposited.

Upon application to export any adulterated and spurious articles in pursuance of the fourth section, proper bond and security must be taken for the exportation and production of proof of landing abroad, as in the case of exportation of goods for benefit of drawback, or from public warehouse.

It will be perceived that the fifth section provides for the appointment, at certain designated principal ports, of special examiners of "drugs, medicines, chemicals, &c.," and makes it the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury "to give such instructions to the collectors of the customs in the other collection districts as he may deem necessary to prevent the importation of adulterated and spurious drugs and medicines."

When, therefore, importations of drugs, medicines, chemicals, &c., take place at any port of entry other than those enumerated in the fifth section of the act, the collector of the port will appoint, in pursuance of the provisions of the sixteenth section of the act of 1st March, 1823, to be compensated at a per diem rate of five dollars when employed, some respectable person deemed by the collector to possess suitable knowledge and qualifications to make examination, and report on the value and quality of the articles according to the standards prescribed by the act. In case of dissatisfaction, and appeal taken by the owner or consignee from said examiner's report, the same course in respect to analysis and the expenses and proceedings connected therewith as required at the principal ports, will be pursued. In case a suitably qualified person to act as special examiner cannot be found at the port, or convenient thereto; or, when analysis is called for, a properly qualified analytical chemist cannot be conveniently obtained at said port, the collector will immediately so advise the department, in order that a special examiner or analytical chemist, according to the circumstances, may be detailed from one of the principal ports to make the examination or analysis at the port of arrival.

The reports of the special examiners, as also the analysis of the analytical chemists must be made in writing and signed by them respectively and filed in the custom-house. Whenever any articles are to be destroyed, as required by the fourth section of the act, they must be conveyed to some suitable place, and proper means, to be prescribed by the special examiner or analyst, be used for their safe and effectual destruction, and executed in the presence of an officer of the customs detailed by the collector for the purpose. Before destruction of the articles, a particular description or statement of the same must be prepared, containing the name of the importer or owner, the date of importation, the name of the vessel, and the place from whence imported, with the character and quantity of the articles and the invoice value. The fact of their having been destroyed must be certified on said statement by the officer detailed for the purpose. These statements must be filed in the custom-house, and returns prepared there from must be rendered quarterly to the department. R. J. WALKER, Secretary of the Treasury.

EASTERN BOUNDARY OF TEXAS EXTENDED.

By an Act of Congress, approved by the President of the United States July 5th, 1848, the Legislature of the State of Texas "may extend her Eastern boundary so as to include within her limits one-half of Sabine Pass, one-half of Sabine Lake, also one-half of the Sabine River, from its mouth as far North as the thirty-second degree of North latitude.”

CHANGE OF DUTIES UPON IMPORTS INTO PERU.

We are indebted to the Department of State, at Washington, for the following important information respecting a change in the duties levied upon certain articles imported into Peru. The information was received at the Department from STANHOPE PREVOST, Esq., United States Consul at Lima, on the 2d of August, 1848.

In the Appropriation Bill for the years 1848 and 1849, sanctioned by the Congress of Peru on the 10th of March last, the import duty was varied from 25 per cent to 40 per cent on paper and on "Tocuyos;" which term comprehends all kinds of gray or unbleached cottons, twilled as well as plain. This bill received the executive sanction on the 27th March, but was not promulgated until the 12th of May, as per decree of that date published in the official gazette of the 13th of same month, namely, the "Peruano,” No. 41, vol. xix. According to Art. 5th of said decree, this increase of duty is not to take effect until after the different periods prescribed by Art. 153d of existing tariff, which says, that in all cases of alterations in rates of duties, the change shall not commence to take effect until ten months thereafter, on goods or vessels arriving from Europe, Asia, and the United States; thus making it the 13th of January, 1849, before the new duty of 40 per cent, as above, can be exacted by the Peruvian authorities.

The same law, or Appropriation Bill before mentioned, prescribes a reduction of the duty on leaf tobacco from $35 per quintal (former duty) to $15 per quintal; which reduction is also to take effect at the same period, namely, 13th of January next, on vessels from the United States.

MASSACHUSETTS MACKEREL INSPECTION.

At a meeting of the Massachusetts Inspectors of Fish, called by the General Inspector, and held at the Tremont Temple, Boston, June 22d, 1848, E. G. Nickerson, of Boston, Timothy A. Smith, of Gloucester, Joseph J. Proctor, P. S. Atwood, of Wellfleet, Enos Nickerson and E. Smith, of Provincetown, and William Hale, Jr., of Newburyport, were chosen a committee to prepare a suitable statement for publication in the Philadelphia, New York, and Boston papers, which we here subjoin:

The committee have carefully considered the papers and evidence offered to the said meeting, and state that, while they fully admit that much negligence and carelessness has existed in the inspection and packing of mackerel during the past fishing season, they wish to call the attention of those interested to the fact, that the inspectors labor under great difficulties and responsibilities, and have been subjected to gross impositions.

This statement is not made as an excuse for the quality of the parcels of mackerel which have been complained of and in many instances condemned by the general inspector, but as a candid view of the case, due alike to the inspectors and the dealer and consumer. Satisfactory evidence has been offered to prove the practice as having existed, during the past season, in other States-particularly in New York-of branding packages of mackerel with a fictitious Massachusetts brand; for instance, "Provincetown, Mass., No. 1 Mackerel. E. Smith, Insp." Thus, by omitting a letter in the inspector's name-the true name being E. S. Smith-the penalties of the law against forgery are evaded, and a gross fraud practiced upon the inspector and purchaser.

In reference to the complaints against rusty mackerel, the committee would state, that mackerel often become rusty through want of proper care, after leaving the inspectors' hands.

The buyer has a duty to perform as well as the inspector. Mackerel are often exposed to the weather in shipping and loading, during the summer months, a longer time than is necessary; they are frequently stored in piles of four to six tiers high, in which case the pickle will leak out of the lower tier, and the fish, of course, become rusty; the barrels are then sometimes refilled with water, to the manifest injury of the fish. The general inspector has stated that he will not condemn any fish where there is no apparent neglect in the culling, packing, or the quality of the casks.

The committee have above endeavored to state some instances in which, by the malpractices and carelessness of the dealers, the reputations and pockets of the inspectors have been made to suffer.

The committee distinctly repudiate the construction of the inspection law as read by some parties, that the best of each fare are No. 1. Mackerel must be of suitable fatness to constitute No. 1.

The specimens offered to the meeting by the general inspector, as a standard, are considered sufficiently low, without dissent. The great diversity of quality from year to year, and at different periods during each year, will always render the duty of the inspector a difficult one.

The Chatham No. 1, of the last season, were as much above our standard of No. 1, as the Bay Chaleur were below it.

The committee unite in calling upon the inspectors to abandon the practice heretofore prevalent in some places, of allowing any of the crew to cull their own fish, and insist that no fish should be passed except by the inspector and his hired and authorized assistants. Great care in the selection and coopering of casks is recommended, and buyers are requested to erase the brand after emptying the cask.

The committee would state that complaints have been settled the past season by some inspectors, without the intervention of the general inspector, in which case the condeinned fish are liable to go into the market again under the original brands, to the injury of the character of the said brands; they therefore recommend that no claim for damages be allowed or paid unless sanctioned by the general inspector.

The committee have noticed sundry publications in New York and Philadelphia papers, in reference to Massachusetts Inspection. In reply, they have only to say that the Massachusetts Inspection is the only responsible and reliable brand in the market. Let that brand be protected from the evils cited above, and the complaints of the past season will rarely be heard.

MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANIES IN NEW YORK.

We publish below an accurate copy of a law passed by the New York Legislature April 8th, 1848, in relation to the business of Mutual Insurance Companies.

AN ACT IN RELATION TO THE BUSINESS OF MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANIES.

SEC. 1. Every person becoming a member of any Mutual Insurance Company now incorporated under any law of this State in any of the counties of this State, by effecting insurance therein, shall, before he receives his policy, deposit his promissory note for such a sum of money as shall be determined by the directors of said company; such part of said note, not exceeding twenty per cent, as shall be required by the by-laws of the corporation shall be immediately paid, and the remainder of the said deposit note shall be payable, in whole or in part, as the exigencies of the company shall require for the payment of losses by fire and the incidental expenses of the company. At the expiration of the term of insurance, the said note, or such part of the same as shall remain unpaid, after receiving thereon from the maker a proportionate share for all losses and expenses occurring during said term, shall be relinquished by the company to the maker; and it shall be lawful for the company to loan such portion of the money as may not be immediately wanted for the use of the corporation, provided the same shall be secured by a bond and a mortgage on unincumbered real estate of double the value of the sum loaned.

SEC. 2. The acts of the Franklin County Mutual Insurance Company, in receiving more than five per cent upon their deposit notes at the time of insurance and taking of their respective notes and risks, are hereby confirmed.

SEC. 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

THE WEIGHT OF SACK SALT REGULATED.

The "People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly," passed on the 5th of April, 1848, the following

ACT TO REGULATE THE WEIGHT OF SACK SALT.

SEC. 1. The superintendent of the Onondaga Salt Springs shall, by regulation, require that all salt manufactured at said salt springs, and put up for market in sacks or bags, containing a less quantity than one bushel, shall contain either twenty or twenty-eight pounds; and he shall require that each sack so put up, shall be legibly marked with the name of the manufacturer or person who may put up the same for sale or market, together with the number of pounds of salt contained in such sack; and all such salt shall be deemed to be uninspected, and subject to a duty of one cent per bushel, the same as all other uninspected salt is subject, until it is legibly marked with the brand of the said superintendent; and any person who shall remove, or attempt to remove, such uninspected salt from the reservation, shall be liable to all the penalties to which they would be liable, in case they should remove, or attempt to remove, any other uninspected salt from the reservation, and upon which the duties had not been paid.