ARTICLES WHOSE IMPORTATION IS PROHIBIted.

All kinds of grain and flour. When, from scarcity, the price of these articles becomes high, an order from the council at Madrid removes the prohibition. Cotton fabrics, up to twenty-five threads to the glass. Handkerchiefs and Scottish muslins are admitted with fewer threads to the glass.

Materials for wearing apparel containing over seven-eighths of cotton.

Any material containing more cotton than one-third of its weight. The object of these prohibitions is to protect the manufacturers of these articles, chiefly located at Barcelona.

ARTICLES WHOSE EXPORTATION IS PROHIBIted.

Alcohol; all kinds of bark used in tanning; cork in rough bark; cotton linen, and hemp rags.

There are a few paper factories at Barcelona, which the government needs to protect.

The difference of duties upon articles imported in foreign and national vessels varies with each article, but averages at least twenty per cent. in favor of national vessels.

The rate of freight between this port and the United States is not determined, in consequence of so little direct trade.

The trade between the Basque provinces, (of which Bilboa and San Sebastian are the only seaport towns,) which was considerable fifty years ago, promises renewed activity, and, with a modification of the Spanish tariff, would become again very valuable.

Orders have recently been received here for the shipment of wool to New York. The Spanish tariff had no operation within these provinces prior to the civil war which so desolated the country; and the imports of American produce, consisting of rice, tobacco, oils, and codfish, were considerable. As many as seventy-nine American vessels, fully laden with these products, entered and discharged their cargoes at this port in 1806.

When the custom-house was established in 1821 this trade at once declined, but revived in 1823, when the former privileges were restored to the provinces. At the conclusion of this civil war they were again subjected to the operations of the Spanish tariff, except as to salt and tobacco.

The importation of codfish from Scotland and Norway is immense, and there is no reason why the trade in this article, once valuable with the United States, should not be renewed.

The tariff upon this fish is forty-one reals per quintal in foreign bottoms, and prices range here from two hundred to four hundred reals per quintal.

Imported goods can remain three months in the warehouse without charge to the importer. The tonnage duties at this port are one real (five cents) per ton. I have at present no means of determining the comparative increase or decrease in the importation and exportation of articles within the past year.

The construction of a railroad from this city to unite at Sarragossa with the road running thence to Barcelona, thus forming a continuous line of rail from the Mediterranean to the Bay of Biscay, it is believed will greatly increase the exports as well as the imports of this port. This line of rail has within a few weeks been opened to Miranda, seventy miles from here, where it intersects with the railroad between Bayonne and Madrid.

Wool, madder, and other products of the interior, which will not pay the present costly mode of transportation in wagons and on mules, can then be brought down at such prices as will make their exportation profitable. It will also create new markets for imported aficles. Agriculture shares in the new activities which in so many departments of industry characterize this country, affording an excellent opportunity for the introduction of agricultural implements. There are, at the present time, Americans in Spain looking after this trade.

PORT MAHON.-H. B. ROBINSON, Consul,

SEPTEMBER 30, 1862.

I have the honor to report that I have received no notice of any change in the commercial systems of the Balearic islands.

There are in this province two cotton mills, heretofore obtaining most of the cotton consumed from the United States by the way of Barcelona. The mill at Majorca has consumed weekly about 100 quintals per week; the mill at this place about 25 bales per week, until recently. I have applied for information of the commerce of this province; but as the statistics of the trade and commerce of the province will not be made up until January next, I am unable to furnish the department.

Nearly all the shipping of the province is carried on in Spanish ships. The island of Majorca exports largely of fruits, leather, spirits, shoes, &c., &c. The trade with Cuba is said to be very large.

They have attained to such perfection in the manufacture of cordage and canvas that all ships-of-war belonging to Spain are required to get their supplies at Majorca. There is no American citizen registered at Majorca, and no American capital employed there The tonnage of the registered ships of this province for 1861 is reported at 42,287 tons.

I find it very difficult to comply with my instructions in reference to the commerce of these islands.

HAVANA.-R. W. SHUFELDT, Consul.

SEPTEMBER 24, 1562.

I enclose for your attention a copy of the official gazette of the government of this island, containing a census of the population of Cuba for the year 1861, together with a statistical statement of its agricultural wealth and of the value of its real estate.

POPULATION.

Total

3,973 793, 484 225, 843 6,650 370, 553 603, 046 1,396, 530 16, 260, 060

104, 887, 0015, 286, 180 126, 433, 241

Comparative statement showing the imports of the principal articles of produce at the port of Havana, from January 1 to December 31, of the years 1860, 1861, and 1862.

Statement showing the exports of sugar and molasses from Cardenas and Sagua la Grande for the year ending December 31, 1862.

Statement showing the export of sugar and molasses, &c.-Continued.

There are no public or government warehouses here in which imports can be stored without duty being paid. This privilege is restricted to the city of Havana.

EXTRA TONNAGE DUTY.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, March 15, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit a copy of a letter from the collector of New York to me, dated 13th instant, relating to the claim of J. M. Ceballos to remission of extra tonnage duty imposed by the collector on the Spanish bark "Providencia." This duty has been paid under protest.

Under the 4th section of the act of 30th June, 1834, it is the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to estimate the duty in similar cases "so as to conform the same to any variation which may take place in the discriminating duties on the cargoes of American vessels in the said port of Havana." It is the opinion of Mr. Barney that the schedule of rates prescribed in February 23, 1835, needs revision.

With great respect,

Hon. W. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

S. P. CHASE,

Secretary of the Treasury.

CUSTOM-HOUSE, New York, March 13, 1862.

SIR: I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant, referring to

me for report a letter from J. M. Ceballos, dated February 26.