The advices by the Hibernia, down to the 4th of January, inform us of the abortive attempt of Lord John Russell to construct a ministry, and the consequent recall of Sir Robert Peel to power, with his former ministry, embracing some unimportant modification. The basis of the restoration is said to be a compromise on the corn question, so far as to do away with the sliding scale, and to impose a fixed duty, at some rate ranging from 3s. to 10s. per quarter. The average duty now paid under the sliding scale, on imports of corn, is scarcely 8s. Some modification, however, will take place, and that speedily. In a political point of view, the news is pacific; more particularly in that the formation of a new ministry was frustrated by the known warlike policy of some of its necessary members. The great want of the country, extended markets for its goods, can be satisfied only by a very liberal commercial policy. If that policy is responded to by other nations, the object for which England maintains her colonial policy will have been attained by other means. The state of commercial affairs, which had been disturbed by fears in relation to the harvest, were becoming quieted, as the foundation for them is discovered to have been exaggerated. The general check which had been given to the purchase of goods, by apprehensions of the usual effects of a high price for food, was becoming relaxed, and trade began to revive generally; while, from a similar cause, the spirit of enterprise having been in abeyance, and an indisposition to lend money prevalent, a considerable diminution in outstanding obligations had resulted; which had, in its turn, produced an abundance of money; and, as fears abated, a fall in its price. The misgivings in relation to the result of the railroad operations, were also passing away. The exchanges continue in favor of England; yet the bullion in the bank, down to the close of the year, continued to diminish. The leading features of the bank were as follows: Notes issued,... Silver bullion,.......... BANK OF ENGLAND. July 26. Aug. 9. Sept. 27. Nov. 22. Dec. 27. £29,243,520 £29,141,605 £28,557,990 £27,036,550 £26,771,510 13,244,126 13,151,836 12,717,050 11,414,931 11,189,484 1,999,394 1,989,769 1,840,940 1,594,619 1,582,026 Banking Dep't. £3,321,972 £3,340,750 £3,621,711 £3,252,209 £3,227,443 Rest,... Public deposits,.... 2,981,908 4,034,767 8,802,110 7,363,168 9,698,409 Other deposits,. 10,745,613 10,187,780 8,070,212 9,024,223 8,482,239 Notes,...... Gold and silver coin,. 7,942,485 7,682,465 528,049 602,703 522,951 554,376 The notes put out by the issue department have diminished £2,500,000, or nearly 10 per cent, while the notes held by the bank have diminished but £1,000,000. Gold coin and bullion has been drawn from the bank by the return of notes to the issue department, to the extent of £2,100,000, which has probably passed into circulation. The amount of private securities held by the bank, has become very large, and may have reference to the approaching railroad settlements. The specie in bank and in England, is very large, and the price of wheat on the continent is nearly as high as in England. These two circumstances, eminently conspire to make the present time the most auspicious for a change in the corn laws. The news was well received on this side of the water, and tended to impart a considerable degree of cheerfulness to the markets generally. COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS. CHINESE TARIFF OF IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. We published in the Merchants' Magazine for January, 1846, an official copy of the treaty between the United States and China-we now give, below, the tariff of duties to be levied on imported and exported merchandise at the five ports, as settled by that treaty: TARIFF OF DUTIES to be LEVIED ON IMPORTED AND EXPORTED MERCHANDISE AT THE FIVE PORTS. The duties which it is agreed shall be paid upon goods imported and exported by the United States, at the custom-houses of Canton, Amoy, Fuchow, Ningpo, and Shanghai, are as follows, the articles being arranged in classes, viz: Exports. [A tael is equal to $1 25 to $1 40; a mace, 124 to 14 cents; a candareen, 100th part of a mace.] CLASS I.-Alum, Oils, &c. Articles of merchandise. Alum, i. e., white alum, formerly white alum and blue stone,...per 100 catties* Tea, formerly divided into fine and native black, and fine and native green teas,..... Anniseed star,. Musk,.... .......................per 100 catties Glass, glass-ware of all kinds, formerly classed as native crystal-ware, 050 050 Paintings, (large,) formerly divided into large and small paintings,.......each 0 1 0 White lead,. Bone and horn ware,. ..per 100 catties 0 2 5 CLASS VI-Wares of various kinds. ..per 100 catties 1 0 0 050 050 China ware, fine and coarse, formerly classed as fine native, coarse, and middling,...... Copper ware and pewter ware,.......... Manufactures of wood, furniture, &c.,.... Ivory ware, all carved ivory work included, formerly divided into ivory and ivory carvings,.... Lacquered ware,................ Mother-of-pearl ware,.. Sandal-wood ware,...................... Rattan ware, rattan and bamboo work,.. Gold and silver ware, formerly divided into gold ware and silver ware,. Tortoise-shell ware,.... Leather trunks and boxes,... Canes or walking-sticks, of all kinds,.. 0 20 500 1 0 0 1 0 0 020 1 0 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 020 CLASS VII.-Canes, &c. ...per 1,000 pieces 0 5 0 CLASS VIII.-Articles of Clothing. Wearing apparel, whether of cotton, woollen, or silk, (formerly divided into cotton clothing, woollen do., silk and satin do., and velvet,)...per 100 catties Boots and shoes, whether of satin, leather, or otherwise,.. 050 020 CLASS IX.-Fabrics of Hemp, &c. Grass-cloth, and all cloths of hemp or linen,........ Silk and satin fabrics of all kinds, as crape, lutestrings, &c., (formerly classed as silk and satins,)....... Silk and cotton mixed fabrics,....... Heretofore a further charge per piece has been levied-the whole duty is now to be paid in one sum, and the further charge is abolished. CLASS XI.-Carpeting, Matting, &c. 3 0 0 Mats of all kinds, as of straw, rattan, bamboo, &c.,..............per 100 catties 0 2 0 CHINESE TARIFF OF IMPORTS AND EXPORTS-Continued. Articles of merchandise. CLASS XIII.-Unenumerated articles. All articles which it has not been practicable to enumerate herein specifically, are to be charged a duty of 5 per cent ad valorem. CLASS XIV. Gold and silver coin, and gold and silver,....... CLASS XV. Bricks, tiles, and building materials,.... IMPORTS. CLASS I.-Wax, Saltpetre, &c. Wax, foreign, as beeswax, also called tile-wax,...... Oil of rose mallows,........ Saltpetre, foreign,....... This article is only allowed to be sold to the government merchants. Formerly this regulation did not exist. Pepper, black,.... All other articles of this class, not specifically mentioned herein, to pay a duty of 10 per cent ad valorem. Perfumery, 5 per cent ad valorem. 040 CLASS III-Drugs. Assafoetida,..... ..per 100 catties 100 Camphor, superior quality-i. e., pure, formerly classed as good and inferior,..... ..per catty Camphor, inferior quality, or refuse, formerly uncleaned camphor,..... 1 0 0 0 5 0 Of every 100 catties of foreign ginseng, of whatever sort, one-fifth part is to be considered as of superior quality, and four-fifths of inferior quality. All other imported woods, as red wood, satin wood, yellow wood, not specifically enumerated, to pay a duty of 10 per cent ad valorem. CLASS VIII.-Clocks, Watches, &c. Clocks, watches, telescopes, glass panes and crystal wares of all kinds, writing desks, dressing cases, jewelry of gold and silver, cutlery, swords,etc. All the foregoing, and any other miscellaneous articles of the same description, 5 per cent ad valorem. Gold and silver bullion, duty free. CLASS IX. CLASS X. 050 ..per piece .per 100 catties 0 4 0 Cotton, fabrics of cotton, canvass from 75 to 100 chih long, and 1 chih 7 tsun to 2 chih 2 tsun wide,.. Cotton, allowing 5 per cent for tare,... Long white cloths, 75 to 100 chih long, and 2 chih 2 tsun to 2 chih 6 tsun wide, formerly divided into superior and inferior fine cotton cloth,....per piece 015 Cambrics and muslins from 50 to 60 chih long, and 2 chih 9 tsun to 3 chih 3 tsun wide,........ ...per piece 015 Cottons, gray or unbleached, domestic, and from 75 to 100 chih long, and 2 chih to 2 chih 9 tsun wide, formerly classed as coarse long cloths,......... Twilled cottons, gray, same dimensions,..... Chintz, and prints of all kinds, from 60 to 70 chih long, and from 2 chih to 9 Linen, fine, not formerly in the tariff, from 50 to 75 chih long, and 1 chih 9 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 100 050 Bunting,..... ...per chang All other imported articles of this class, as ginghams, pulicats, dyed cottons, velveteens, silk and cotton mixtures, and mixtures of linen and cotton, etc., 5 per cent ad valorem. 0 0 11 CLASS XI.-Fabrics of Silk, Woollen, &c. inferior or imitation,.... 003 Broadcloth, Spanish stripe, etc., from 3 chih 6 tsun to 4 chih 6 tsun wide, per chang,..... Narrow cloths, as long ells, cassimeres, etc., formerly classed as narrow woollens,.... |