Art. 12. The arrangements expressed in articles 9 and 11, are also applicable in those cases where the royal commissary, or an inspector of finances, is charged with the inspection of the service of the packets, or any other mission relating to the service of the mail between France and America. In case such should happen, the said agents are to enjoy all the advantages mentioned in said articles.

Art. 13. In case the mail agent shall, in consequence of sickness or any other unforeseen accident, find it impossible to undertake or continue a voyage, and no other agent shall have been sent on board to replace him, the captain of the vessel shall become responsible for the performance of this part of the service, without being entitled to receive any remuneration; and he is to incur the same responsibility as the agent whose place he fills, as well in the despatch as in the reception of the mail.

SEC. IV. OF THE CONDITIONS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE MAIL.

Art. 14. The various mail bags are to be received on board. In France, these bags are to be delivered to the mail agent by the postmaster at Havre; and in New York either by the French Consul-General or the post-office authorities of the country, or by a special agent, should one be appointed. Neither the captains, officers, crew or passengers, are to carry any letters, or are any to be conveyed save in the mail bags, unless diplomatic or consular documents. The infringement of this regulation will make the offender liable to the punishment for fraudulent transportation of letters.

Art. 15. No merchandise is to be received on board after the day fixed for sailing, no matter what may be the reason for the delay. An infringement of this rule will render the company liable to a fine of 20,000 francs for each offence.

Art. 16. The terms for the transportation of passengers shall be regulated under the supervision of the Minister of Finance, and are to be revised annually.

Art. 17. Whenever they are required, the company shall receive on board independently of the mail agent,

1st. At the most, two officers of the navy, or two officers of the civil service, who shall be entitled to a first class position on board.

2dly. Two other military or civil agents, who shall be entitled to second class accommodations.

3dly. Ten sailors.

The passage money for these officers, agents and sailors, shall be only two-thirds of the price fixed for ordinary passengers.

Art. 18. The company shall be bound to receive on board of the packets, and transport free of charge, all small-sized parcels containing instruments of astronomy, or other scientific apparatus, whenever such transportation shall be demanded of them by the govern

ment.

The company shall likewise be bound to transport such naval stores as the government may wish to send. These naval stores, the bulk of which shall not exceed five tons each voyage, are to pay the same rate of freight as ordinary merchandise, the company always to have two days' notice of the intended shipment of such goods.

Art. 19. Each steamer shall, at its departure, either from France or America, have on board enough coal for 18 days' consumption, calculating the same at the rate of four kilogrammes per hour, and by the horse-power of the engine.

It shall be in the power of the Minister of Finance to modify this last regulation according as experience shall demonstrate the utility of increasing or diminishing the quantity of coal to be taken on board for every voyage.

SEC. V. SAILING OF THE PACKETS.

Art. 20. The packets shall make their departure at the periods hereafter mentioned, viz: From Havre to New York twice during every month, from December to March, inclusive, The departures from New York shall take place according to the season, from ten to fifteen days after the arrival out of the vessel. Long passages, occasioned by unavoidable circumstances, may interfere with this regulation.

Art. 21. Whenever it shall be rendered absolutely necessary by extraordinary circumstances, the departures may be delayed, at the requisition of the French Consul-General in New York, or of the Royal government in Havre. This delay, however, can never, under any circumstances, exceed two days after the time originally fixed for departure. Art. 22. The hour of departure shall be fixed by the captain, and entered on the logbook.

Art. 23. The packets are to go in a direct route from the port of departure to that of thefr destination without making any deviation therefrom, save in cases of absolute necessity. The company binds itself to perform the passage from Havre to New York and

back, with all the despatch that it is possible to use in a regular service, and with their vessels and engines.

Should any delays take place from fault on the part of the company, the Minister of Finance shall have the right of rescinding the contract with them.

In case the vessels are forced to enter any port in distress, save those of Havre and New York, or in consequence of tempests, contrary winds or other legitimate causes, they are to produce (independent of the regular entry in the log-book) on their return, a certificate of the consul or authorities of such port, attesting the unavoidable nature of the case.

SEC. VI. OF THE PENALTIES.

Art. 24. Save in cases of absolute necessity, such as are alluded to above, any infringement of the rules laid down regarding the days and hours of departure, shall render the company liable to a fine of 10,000 francs per day for the three first days.

At the expiration of these three days of unjustifiable delay, the fine may be increased to 60,000 francs.

Should this infringement of the agreement be repeated three times during the course of one year, the Minister of Finance shall have the right to rescind the contract.

For every deviation from the direct route unjustifiable by the strictest necessity, the fine shall be for the first time 10,000 francs, and for the second 20,000 francs. On the third infraction of this kind, in the course of one year, the Minister of Finance shall be entitled to rescind the contract.

Art. 25. Whenever the contract may be rescinded, or in case it is not renewed, the company shall return the vessels to government in precisely similar order to that in which they receive them.

SEC. VII.-DURATION OF THE CONTRACT.

Art. 26. The contract shall last for ten consecutive years, counting from the time of the departure of the first boat that shall be despatched from Havre, until the return of the one despatched at the expiration of the tenth year.

Art. 27. The present contract shall commence, and the first departure from Havre shall take place, one month after the vessels shall have been delivered to the company.

Art. 28. In case the company shall not commence operations by the time mentioned in the previous article, they shall be liable to a fine of 1,000 francs per day for the delay.

Art. 29. The present contract shall cease at the end of ten years, provided notice of such expiration has been given by either party a year previous. Should such not be the case, the contract shall continue on the same terms, and by a tacit understanding, for the twelve succeeding months, at the end of which formal notice is to be given by each party.

SEC. VIII-PARTICULAR ARRANGEMENTS.

Art. 30. With a view of facilitating the movements of the company, the Minister of Marine Affairs, and the same of the Finances, will give the necessary instructions to the maritime authorities of the various French ports, to grant every facility which can contribute to the despatch of business. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also promises to do his utmost to obtain from foreign authorities the most favorable consideration for the company.

The company, on its side, shall strictly conform to all the custom-house regulations of foreign countries, on pain of rescinding of the contract.

Art. 31. The contract between the government and the company, cannot be in any manner let out or ceded to third parties, either in part or whole, without the written consent of the Minister of Finance. Should it be known that the company have sub-let or ceded any part of their contract without this permission, the Minister of Finance shall have the right to rescind the contract, without the company being entitled to any indemnity whatever. Art. 32. The company shall be located in Paris, in the Rue d'Antin, No. 7.

TRAFFIC OF THE GERMAN RAILROADS IN 1846.

The Journal des Debats publishes a letter, dated Leipsic, 27th ult., mentioning that during the last year there were conveyed by the German railroads 16,412,229 travellers, and 31,833,939 quintals of merchandise, which produced a sum total of 54,646,232f., and represents an increase of 16,431,208f., that is, 43 per cent.

VESSELS BUILT AND LAUNCHED ON THE LAKES, IN 1846.

The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser furnishes the following tabular statement of the accession to the Marine of the Western waters. The giant strides of the West have called forth the capital and energy of its people, and the many vessels that have been constructed in addition to those previously in commission, found ample and profitable employment during the season. So important has the growing commerce of our lakes become, that capital has been transferred from other branches of business, and every shipyard along the chain of lakes presents a scene of bustling activity with the extensive preparations making for the season of 1847.

The subjoined shows the number, class and tonnage of vessels built on Lake Erie and the upper lakes during the past six seasons. Full $1,000,000 have been expended in the construction and repairs of the vessels put in commission during the season of 1846, which, added to the cost of construction, annual repairs, and money expended in enlarging and remodelling vessels launched within the previous five years, will swell the aggregate to $3,500,000. This large increase to the lake marine, it must be borne in mind, has been made above the Falls, and the capital drawn from the many sources legitimately pertaining to the lake business, and designed as a permanent investment.

STATE CHARGES, ON THE MAIN LINE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA IMPROVEMENTS, FROM PHILADELPHIA TO PITTSBURGH.

The following shows the aggregate amount of State Tolls, (including motive power, truckage, boat toll, &c., &c.,) on freight, agreeably to the rates established for the year 1847, by the Board of Canal Commissioners:

Articles, per 100 lbs.

Cars and b'ts. Portable b'ts.
Cargo, 60,000 Cargo,50,000

Groceries, drugs, foreign liquors, ropes and cordage, manufac

Coffee, fish, tin in blocks or sheets, copper in sheets, seeds of

Bacon, lard, lard oil, butter, cheese, tallow, anvils, Sp. whiting,

Bagging, hemp, hempen yarns, oil-cake, bale-rope, copperas,

barytes, potash,...

Block marble,.

Cotton, wheat,.....

19 8

23 2

Flour, barley, corn, rye, oats, beef, pork, burr blocks, pig lead, and shot,.....

Unenumerated articles, furs and peltry,

47 0

50 4

NEW YORK AND LIVERPOOL STEAMERS.

The Glasgow Citizen gives us the following information relative to the new Atlantic steamers now building in the Clyde. The British and North American Mail Steam-Packet Company have ordered four immense timber steamships to be fitted out for plying between Liverpool and New York. Three of these are being built by Mr. R. Steel, of Greenock, and the fourth, by that veteran in the art of steamboat building, Mr. John Steel, of Port Glasgow, who, in 1811, launched from his building yard the first passenger steamer which ever ploughed the waters of the Clyde. The first of these leviathan steamships will be launched early in March; she is close upon 2,000 tons register, and will have engines of 750 horse-power. The other three are of the same size, and are constructed on the same model, being, over all, in length 385 feet, in breadth of beam 38 feet, and having a depth of 28 feet. These vessels are intended to ply fortnightly between Liverpool and New York, commencing on the 1st January, 1848.

JOURNAL OF BANKING, CURRENCY AND FINANCE.

COINS AND CURRENCY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

WE are indebted to James Jackson Jarvis, Esq., the editor of the "Polynesian," published at Honolulu, Oahu, for a copy of the first volume of the "Statute Laws of His Majesty Kamehameha III., King of the Hawaiian Islands, passed by the Houses of Nobles and Representatives, during the 21st year of his reign, and the 3d and 4th years of his public recognition, A. D. 1845 and 1846: to which are appended the Acts of Public Recognition, and the Treaties with Other Nations." It forms a neatly printed octavo volume of 382 pages. From this work, we copy Chapter IV., relating to Coins, Currency, and Interest:

OF COINS AND CURRENCY.

Sec. 1. The currency of the Hawaiian Islands shall consist of the dollar, valuing one hundred cents, American currency; the half dollar, valuing fifty cents; the quarter dollar, valuing twenty-five cents; the eighth of a dollar, valuing twelve and a half cents; and the sixteenth of a dollar, valuing six and a quarter cents; and the cent, a copper coin, impressed with the head of His Majesty, surrounded by the words "Kamehameha III., ka moi;" on the reverse," Aupuni Hawaii." Gold and silver coins, wearing the legalized impress of any sovereign State, shall be receivable in payment of government dues, duties, and taxes, at the exchequer, and in tender or payment of debts contracted by private individuals in this kingdom, at their current or merchantable value, for the time being, at Honolulu, to oe established by evidence. In case any of the said coins be refused, the payer, having tendered, may bring the same into court, and plead such tender and refusal in bar of costs as prescribed in the act to organize the judiciary.

Sec. 2. The minister of finance shall cause to be minted, for circulation, a copper coin as described in the preceding section; and, with the advice of two-thirds of the privy council, and approbation of His Majesty, he may also cause to be minted any small silver coins of such descriptions and quantity as said council shall direct.

Sec. 3. The better to regulate and conduct the financial operations of this government, the privy council shall form and is hereby created a board of finance. It shall be the duty of the minister of finance to devise and recommend measures to be laid before the said board, and the said minister shall succeed to all the rights in action and dues now pertaining to the Hawaiian Treasury Board, created by an act of the legislative council passed at Lahaina, Maui, on the 10th day of May, A. D. 1842, whereby Doctor G. P. Judd, Timothy Haalilio, and John Ii, were especially empowered to conduct the financial operations of government. He shall be in like manner liable for all the lawful undertakings, promises and obligations of said board.

Sec. 4. The minister of finance shall have power, two-thirds of the board concurring, to make loans at home or abroad, in favor of the government-to issue exchequer bills and bills of credit, bearing his signature, stipulating such rate of interest, and payable at such time as two-thirds of the board may, by vote, establish, and to be receivable at the exchequer in payment of government dues, duties and taxes, at any time before or after their maturity, for the amounts therein expressed. The government faith and revenues shall be, and are hereby pledged for the redemption of all loans so made by the minister of finance, and for the punctual payment, at maturity, of all exchequer bills or bills of credit so issued as aforesaid, with the interest stipulated thereon; and the government faith is further hereby pledged for the receipt and acceptance at the exchequer of all such bills before maturity and without accrued interest, in payment of government dues, duties and taxes.

Sec. 5. The seal of the department of finance shall be the corporate seal of said board, and be impressed as such upon all specialities issued thereby, importing the pecuniary faith and credit of His Majesty's government, and in like manner upon all documents, attestations, certificates and copies issued as evidences of fiscal transactions by the minister of finance; which seal so impressed shall be admitted in evidence before any court of justice, that the signatures to the instrument impressed are genuine.

OF INTEREST.

Sec. 1. For all the purposes of this chapter, the better to regulate the Hawaiian currency and the home and the foreign commerce of this kingdom, 1 per centum per month, or 12 per centum per annum, shall be the lawful interest to accrue upon all interest-bearing contracts not otherwise stipulated in writing.