For preparing any other official document or instrument of writing, not FOR THE FOLlowing certIFICATES, VIZ.:— Of the deposit of a ship's register and papers, when required by customhouse authorities.... In cases of vessels deviating from the voyage. When the ship's register is retained entire in the consulate. ... Of conduct of crew on board, in cases of refusal of duty and in cases of imprisonment, &c. For issuing warrant of survey on vessels, hatches, cargo, provisions, and stores, or either 1.00 For a passport, including seal 1.00 For visaing a passport 1.00 For preparing agreement of master to give increased wages to seamen, attested under seal.... 1 00 1 00 6 50 $0.25 0 50 0 25 no fee. 0 25 Given to master at his own request, (for example, see Form No. 48). 0 50 To a seaman, of his discharge no fee. Of appointment of new master, including oath of master. 1 00 Of the ownership of a vessel 0 50 Of decision and award, in cases of protests against masters, passengers, or crew, (for example, see Form No. 49)... 200 0 50 0 50 050 Of roll or list of crew, when required by the captain or authorities of the port To bill of health.. To shipping articles.. Of canceling ship's register. To debenture certificate, including oaths of master and mate Of indorsement of bottomry on ship's register..... Of indorsement on payment of bottomry on ship's register Of the master to bottomry bond ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Of the merchant to assignment of bottomry bond. Of the vendor to a bill of sale of vessel Of the master to a mortgage or mortgage bill of sale of vessel... Of the master to an order for payment of seamen's wages or voyages, at home, including making up order, if required ...... Of one or more persons to a deed or instrument of writing 0 50 1 25 2.00 0 50 2.00 0 50 0 50 0 50 $1.00 1.00 1 00 1.00 0 50 2.00 Of one or more persons to a power of attorney.... 2.00 DECLARATIONS AND OATHS. Of declaration and oath of master to one or more desertions, including oaths, To not being able to procure two-thirds of a crew of protected American Of call, warrant, and report of survey on vessel, hatches, cargo, provisions, and stores, or either, (for example, see Form No. 50). Of inventories and letters, or either, of masters... Of account of sales of vessel, cargo, provisions, and stores, or either. Of advertisement for funds on bottomry... Of advertisement of sale of vessel or cargo, provisions or stores AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURES. To reports of survey on vessel or cargo, provisions or stores. To estimate of repairs of vessel... 100 1 00 1.00 1 00 1 00 $1.00 1.00 ... To (auctioneer's) account of sales of vessel or cargo, provisions or stores. 1.00 2. 00 Of governors, judges notaries public, custom-house and other officers 2.00 2.00 For any other consular certificate or services of like character not herein named or enumerated... 050 CONSULS' ORDERS AND LETTERS. To send seamen to hospital .... To release seamen from prison To send seamen to prison... To authorities or captain of the port, in cases of sinking vessels, (for example, see Form No. 51)... Requesting the arrest of seamen For any other letter or order of like character. FILING DOCUMENTS IN CONSULATE. no fee. 0 50 050 0 50 0 50 0 50 Calls of survey on vessel, hatches, cargoes, provisions, and stores, or either.. Warrants of survey on vessels, hatches, cargoes, provisions, and stores, or either..... $0.25 0 25 Reports of survey on vessels, hatches, cargoes, provisions, and stores, or either... 0 25 Estimate of repairs of vessel 0 25 Consul's certificate to advertisement for funds on bottomry 0 25 To advertisement of sale of vessel, cargo, provisions, and stores, or either.. Of master notifying auctioneer of sale of vessel, cargo, provisions, and stores, Accounts of sale of vessel, cargo, provisions, and stores, or either.. RECORDING DOCUMENTS. Calls of survey on vessel, hatches, cargo, provisions, and stores, or either; warrants and reports of ditto, ditto; estimates of repairs; certificates of consuls to advertisements for funds on bottomry, and of sale of vessel; inventories of vessel, cargo, provisions, and stores; letter of master to consul notifying sale of vessel, cargo, provisions, and stores, or either; letter of master to auctioneer, and account of sales of vessel, cargo, provisions, and stores, or either, for every 100 words.... 0 25 $0 20 (As the original documents are required to be filed in the consulate, it will not be necessary to record them. Should it ever become necessary, however, to deliver up the originals, they must be recorded before delivery, the party receiving the same paying the record fee, as above mentioned.) Order and consul's certificate to pay seamen's wages or voyages, at home .. $0.25 0 25 0 25 Application of a citizen of the United States for a sea letter Bill of sale, when required, for every 100 words Consul's letter to captain of port, or authorities, in cases of sinking vessels.. Average bonds, when required, for every 100 words ... Any other document or instrument of writing not herein named or enumerated, ESTATES OF DECEASED AMERICAN CITIZENS. 0 25 0 20 0 20 0 25 no fee. 0 20 0 20 020 0 20 For taking into possession the personal estate of any citizen who shall die within the limits of a consnlate, inventorying, selling, and finally settling and preparing or transmitting, according to law, the balance due thereon, 5 per cent on the gross amount of such estate. If part of such estate shall be delivered over before final settlement, 2 per cent to be charged on the part so delivered over as is not in money, and 5 per cent on the gross amount of the residue. If among the effects of the deceased are found certificates of foreign stocks, loans, or other property, 2 per cent on the amount thereof. No charge will be made for placing the official seal upon the personal property or effects of such deceased citizen, or for breaking or removing the seals, when required by the person or persons referred to in section 29 of the act of August 18, 1856. MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES. For consul's seal and signature to clearance from custom house authorities.. For attending an appraisement, where the goods or effects are under $1,000 For attending valuation of goods of $1,000 and upwards in value, for every For attending sale of vessel, when required...... $0.50 0 25 4 00 3 00 5 00 8.00 5 00 2.00 FEES FOR UNOFFICIAL SERVICES, PERQUISITES OF THE CONSULAR OFFICERS. As the unofficial acts of a consular officer may be performed by a notary public, and as the compensation charged therefor is regarded as a perquisite of his office, the rate of such compensation may be determined either by agreement or the custom of the place, subject, however, to future instructions. By order of the President, W. L. MARCY, Secretary of State. RATES OF COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TO BE CHARGED WHERE NO EXPRESS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY EXISTS. We publish by request the following report of a special committee of the Chamber of Commerce. This report will come up for discussion at the next meeting of the Chamber, to be held at the Mercantile Library Roo.ns on the first Thursday evening of January, 1857 BANKING. On purchase of stocks, bonds, and all kinds of securities, including the drawing of bills for payment of same..... .per cent On sale of stocks, bonds, and all kinds of securities, including remittances in in bills and guaranty... On purchase or sale of specie and bullion... Remittances in bills of exchange... Remittances in bills of exchange with guaranty.. 1 1 Drawing or indorsing bills of exchange... Collecting dividends on stocks, bonds, or other securities...... Receiving and paying moneys on which no other commission is received.... GENERAL BUSINESS. On sales of merchandise, whether for cash or on credit, including guarantee... Effecting marine insurance, on amount insured. No amount to be charged for effecting insurance on property consigned Landing and re-shipping goods from vessels in distress, on value of invoice... on specie and bullion.......... 66 Receiving and forwarding merchandise entered at custom-house, on invoice value 1 per cent, and on expences incurred....... ... On consignments of merchandise withdrawn or reshipped, full commissions are to be charged, to the extent of advances or responsibilities incurred, and onehalf commission on the residue of the value. On giving bonds that passengers will not become a burthen on the city-on the amount of the bonds... ...... The risk of loss by robbery, fire, (unless insurance be ordered,) theft, popular tumult, and all other unavoidable occurrences, is in all cases to be borne by the owners of the goods, provided due dilligence has been exercised in the care of them. On purchase or sale of vessels... Disbursements and outfit of vessels... SHIPPING. Procuring freight and passengers for Europe, East Indies, and domestic ports. for West Indies, S. America, and other places. Collecting freight... 46 Collecting insurance losses of all kinds. Chartering vessels on amount of freight, actual or estimated, to be considered as due when the charter-parties are signed....... 21 But no charter to be consid red binding till a memorandum, or one of the copies of the charter has been signed. On giving bonds for vessels under attachment in litigated cases-on amount of liability..... The foregoing commissions to be exclusive of brokerage, and every charge actually incurred. ROYAL PHELPS. DUNNING DUER. THOMAS TILESTON. CHARLES H. MARSHALL. EDMUND COFFIN. POSTAL DEPARTMENT. INSTRUCTIONS TO POSTMASTERS, AND INFORMATION FOR LETTER-WRITERS. The following instructions to postmasters contain a great variety of information of interest to all who communicate with correspondents in any way through the mails of the United States. They are issued by the Department, and are therefore authentic decisions: No. 1. A postmaster, whose compensation for the last preceding year did not exceed $200, can send through the mail. free of postage, all letters written by himself, and receive letters addressed to himself, on his own private business, the weight of each letter not to exceed half an ounce. He cannot receive free nor frank printed matter of a private nature; nor letters addressed to his wife or any other member of his family; nor can he frank letters to editors or publishers, containing money in payment of subscription. But every postmaster, whatever may have been his annual compensation, can send and receive, free, communications, whether written or printed, relating exclusively to the business of his office or of the Post-office Department. If a postmaster, having the franking privilege, franks matter which exceeds half an ounce in weight, and which does not relate exclusively to the business of his office, or of the Post-office Department, the excess is chargeable with postage; and if not so charged at the mailing office, the charge should be made at the office of delivery. Postmasters' assistants are forbidden by law to exercise the franking privilege under any circumstances. It being impracticable in all cases to determine what postmasters are entitled to receive their private communications free, a manuscript letter addressed to a postmaster should not be detained in the mailing office for the reason that the postage on it is not prepaid, except in cases where it is known that the postmaster addressed is not entitled to receive his private letters free. And if letters to any postmaster are known to relate exclusively to "post-office business," being so superscribed, they should be mailed free. The law, fixing the penalty for violation at fifty dollars, provides "that no postmaster or assistant postmaster shall act as agent for lottery offices, or under any color of purchase or otherwise vend lottery tickets ;" and that "no postmast er shall receive free of postage or frank lottery schemes, circulars, or tickets.” Therefore, all such lottery schemes, circulars, or tickets addressed either to a postmaster or assistant postmaster, must hereafter be excluded from the mail, together with all other transient matter of this kind addressed simply to an office and not to any individual. No. 2. All letters placed on a mail steamboat, on which the mails are in charge of a route agent, should go into the hands of such agent; and on these letters the master of the vessel is not entitled to receive any compensation. None but prepaid letters should be received on such steamboat, and these should be duly mailed. But should any chance to be unpaid, they should be deposited by the route agent in the post-office at or nearest the point at which they are received, and the postmaster should post up a list of them, with the unpaid letters dropped into his office, adding that they were put on board the steamboat unpaid. In like manner, when practicable, all letters should be prepaid which are received by steamboats or other vessels not in the mail service, or carrying the mail with no route agent on board. When prepaid, the master of the vessel, if under. contract to carry the mail, may receive one cent " way," and if not under contract with the Department, two cents each from the postmaster in whose office he deposits them; and they should be delivered to their address without any charge beyond the amount prepaid. But if unpaid, they should be treated as ship letters, and are chargeable as such with a postage of six cents if delivered at the |