Wool, goats', of Van.. Woollen braid, of Constantinople...... Woollen cloth, called aba, for military cloaks, from Woollen braid, called aba, colored, of Philippopoli, Woollen cloth for leggings, called caltchimlik aba, of Woollen cloth, called kebe, or cappa, ordinary, of Za- Woollen cloth, calid kebe, or cappa, superfine, of Za gora, for greatcoats. Woollen cloth, Shuyak Zarfs of metal, of Constantinople..... Per quintal.. 4221 90 2 i CONCLUSION. ARISTIDES AZARIAN, Commissioner. According to the stipulations of the new treaty of commerce, all merchandise imported into the Ottoman Empire, excepting such as is prohibited, by merchants of the United States of America, as well as all that is exported by them from the country, will pay a custom-house duty of eight per cent. As, by the new treaty, the duties of the customs are to be assessed on the value of the merchandise at the wharf, the valuation established as a principal on the wholesale prices of the goods, counting the yuzluk, or gold majidieh, at one hundred plasters, they have undergone a diminution of ten per cent., so as to reduce them accordingly to their value at the wharf. The duties, therefore, of the present tariff are fixed on the net value of the merchandise, and will be collected as herein stated. The duty of eight per cent. on exports is only applicable to the first year of the present tariff. It will be reduced one-eighth for the second, that is, to seven per cent.; one-seventh for the third, that is, to six per cent.; and so on, so that each year it will be diminished one per cent. until the eighth year. At the commencement of the eighth and the following years the duties will only amount to one per cent., collected as stipulated in said treaty, only for the purpose of covering the expenses of the customs. All articles of export not designated in the present tariff, or which, being therein designated, are left to pay duties ad valorem, will first be reduced as aforestated ten per cent. on their current value, and then pay the proper duties on the remaining value; this, however, to be subject to the same annual diminution of one per cent. as all those articles which have been properly tariffed. The products of the United States of America imported into the Ottoman Empire will always continue to pay a duty of eight per cent.; those which have not been designated in the tariff, or are left to their ad valorem, will pay in the same manner eight per cent. after the aforesaid reduction of ten per cent. of their value. The payment of the import and export duties will be effected in immediate cash payments; that is, the yuzluk, or gold majidieh, at one hundred piasters, and its subdivisions in gold and silver of pure alloy in due proportions-five silver majidieh to make one gold majidieh of one hundred piasters; and the foreign coins to be at the value which may be fixed for them at the imperial mint. At the capital merchants are free to pay their duties in the paper currency (kai mehs) at the highest rate of the borsa (exchange) in the place of the gold majidieh of one hundred piasters. A bulletin will be procured daily for this purpose, indicating how many piasters of the paper currency will represent a gold majidieh, and will serve for the day following. It will be suspended in a conspicuous place in the custom-house, and the kaimeh currency will be received in payment of duties at the highest rate stated in said bulletin. Payments in kaimehs, calculated as the bases of the gold majidieh of one hundred piasters, in the place of money of pure alloy, are, however, restricted entirely to the capital for the present; and if at a later period the circulation of this currency be extended to the provinces of the empire, it will also be received there in payment of the custom-house duties in the same manner as has been explained in the reference to the capital, that is to say, on the calculation of the number of paper piasters required to make one gold majidieh of one hundred piasters. In the mean time, and in advance of the case, it being impracticable to establish on an uncertain basis the manner of effecting the payment there in kaimehs, it is left for the present undetermined; so that in case of future need an arrangement may be made between the Sublime Porte and the legation of the United States of America, according to the existing circumstances. Until then the custom-house duties in the provinces will be collected as aforesaid, viz: The yuzluk or gold majidieh for one hundred piasters, and its subdivisions in gold and silver of pure alloy in the same proportion, five silver majidiehs to the gold majidieh of one hundred piasters, and all foreign coins at the rates fixed on this basis by the imperial mint. In the event of the custom-house authorities and the merchants of the United States not being able to come to an understanding on the value of the merchandise not designated in the tariff, or left ad valorem, and a dispute arise between them, the duties will, according to ancient usage, be paid in kind. The present tariff will remain in force at the custom-house of the capital, from the 1st of March, 1278, or March 13, 1862, á la franka, to the 1st March, 1285, or March 13, 1869. One year previous to the expiration of the term, viz: during the last year, each of the parties will have the right, in consequence of the differences which may probably occur in the value of merchandise, to claim a revision of the tariff. But if this term of one year pass by without any such claim having been put forward by either of them, the tariff will continue to hold good for another period of seven years. The present tariff has thus been drawn up to this tenor and purpose by the commissioners of the United States of America and the Sublime Porte, and received the sanction of his Imperial Majesty. CHABAN, 29, 1278. MEHEMMED KIANY, [L. s.] For the President of the Commissioners, H. S. ISMAIL PACHA, (absent.) MEHEMMED KIANY, [L. S.] For himself. MEHEMMED KIAMIL. [L. S.] A correct translation. Approved. Secretary and Interpreter (ex officio) U. S. Legation. JOHN P. BROWN. E. JOY MORRIS, Minister Resident of U. S. CONSTANTINOPLE.-C. W. GODDARD, Consul General. NOVEMBER 28, 1862. I am unwilling longer to delay my annual report, although I have not yet received for transmission any of the consular reports on which I had relied for the preparation of an intended table of the trade and commerce of the Turkish empire. INCREASE IN OUR COMMERCE. The returns of arrivals and departures of our vessels at this port for the year ending September 30, 1862, exhibit a gratifying increase of American commerce in the Bosphorus, viz: 1859.... 1860. 1861. 1862... No. of vessels. Tonnage. showing a gain over last year of thirty-six per cent. in the number and of twenty-seven per cent. in the tonnage of our vessels, while doubling that of 1860, and trebling that of 1859. Eight vessels have arrived from American ports, (six from New York and two from Boston,) with cargoes principally of rum and alcohol. Three have cleared for Boston with rags and wool. Nine cargoes have been discharged and six laden at this port. THE BLACK SEA GRAIN TRADE. Seven-eighths of our shipping in the Bosphorus is in the European grain trade, sailing in ballast from the Mediterranean, or with coal from England to a Turkish or Russian port on the Black sea, or Sea of Azof. They load with corn, rye, wheat, or barley, in southern Russia, or at the mouth of the Danube, if of moderate draught, perhaps passing up to Galatz, the depot of the graingrowing principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, and return to Corti or Falmouth, and a port of discharge. The Danubian valley and southern Russia form the granary of Europe, but the navigation of that noble river is impeded by drought and interrupted by ice, and the heavy river dues and lighterage, and the high freights and insurance on the long and circuitous voyage to western Europe, leave the grain fields of the Danube, the Dnieper, and the Don, at serious disadvantage with their American rival. Thirty-four American vessels arrived at this port with grain, thirteen with coal, and seventeen in ballast. Thirty-four cleared with grain, twelve with coal, and twenty-two in ballast. The brig China, Captain Ipton, of Boston, in ballast, was lost in a gale off Port Lagos, January 5, all hands being saved. EXPORT DUTIES ABANDONED. By commercial treaties with the United States and other powers, the Porte has at length abandoned its traditional policy of taxing exports by reducing the export duty to eight per cent. with the annual reduction of one per cent. until its extinction, and raising the tariff on imports to a uniform standard of eight per cent. Important benefits are anticipated from this enlightened measure. By decree of February 28, the importation of powder, cannon, and other arms and ammunition, is prohibited. WITHDRAWAL OF A PAPER CURRENCY. Financially, the year will be remembered for the sudden disappearance of paper money. The caine issued by the late Sultan, during the war, depreciated rapidly toward the close of his reign. At the beginning of the year gold commanded a premium of 90 per cent., advancing to 125 per cent. or more during the winter, when serious disturbances were threatened in the capital, to which paper currency was confined. Various expedients were resorted to, which produced great fluctuations without affording relief, until, in July, government announced the speedy redemption and withdrawal of the paper. In August the government began to pay for the paper forty per cent. in gold, and sixty per cent. in consols, bearing six per cent. interest, and September 13 the balance of the paper was, by imperial decree, withdrawn from circulation, and the currency of Constantinople instantaneously became metallic. Although gold up to that day was at sixty per cent. premium, prices did not fall materially, and now, two months after, rents, wages, provisions, &c., are not more than twelve or fifteen per cent. less than they were when expressed in depreciated paper, which leaves them, in fact, from thirty to forty per cent. higher, and renders Constantinople, at present, one of the most expensive capi tals in Europe. The piaster has resumed its original par value of 4 cents. LIGHT DUES. A tax of one piaster a ton is levied on every vessel passing up or down the Dardanelles, and 13 piaster up or down the Bosphorus, for light dues. While the depreciated caine was a legal tender, the French company who farm this revenue, refusing to receive it, compromised with the consulates by accepting gold at 110 piasters to the Turkish pound; but, on its withdrawal, they demanded dues at 100. By advice of Hon. Mr. Morris, our minister resident, I directed American shipmasters to resist this exaction, and I have accordingly cleared their vessels on receipt of the just sum, after their tender of them to the authorities. I learn that the British, Swedish, and Norwegian consuls general have followed our example, and there is reason to believe that this new claim will not be persisted in. The light-houses near the Black sea entrance of the Bosphorus too closely resemble each other, and shipwreck and loss of life have sometimes been the result. American captains pretty uniformly complain of the light dues as exorbitant. Sailing vessels have recently been permitted to navigate the Bosphorus by night. FIRMANS. Each vessel is still required to procure a firman or imperial permit at this port, at an expense of $5 or more, and an average delay of twenty-four hours, which frequently involves the loss of a fair wind, and the expense of towage for vessels desiring to pass directly from the Black sea into the Mediterranean, or back. On passing out of the Dardanelles the firman must be landed in an open roadstead, often with great inconvenience, and not without danger in a heavy sea. The expense and annoyance attending these firmans are more obvious than their necessity, and the last-named requirement ought, in my judgment, to be disputed as unreasonable. DANGERS OF THE BLACK SEA. The perils of the Black sea (the boisterous Euxine) have been proverbial since the days of Zenophon. The storms of winter and early spring are frequent, sudden, and violent; its harbors are few and exposed; and no suitable landmarks guide along its dangerous shores. I am happy to state that a humane society has been founded during the past year by W. B. Hoffer, esq., British marine surveyor, under the protection of the various consulates here, which have designated an international committee of two from each maritime nation, in the hope to materially diminish the hazard of life and property by an efficient system of buoys, beacons, life-boats, &c., with rewards for rescues. I have the honor to enclose copies of its first report for this department, and that of the navy. PROTECTION OF OUR MEDITERRANEAN COMMERCE. Towards the close of the year the Constellation has appeared off the coast of Syria, and it is hoped that other war vessels will soon display our flag in the waters of the Levant. One or two fast steamers would be welcomed by our merchantmen in the Mediterranean. No national vessel has visited this port for several years, although war vessels of light draught are allowed here. IMPORTS, EXPORTS, AND NATURAL RESOURCES. European manufactures are subjected to severe restrictions, and even Ottoman ingenuity and enterprise are not encouraged. Thus clothing, utensils, &c., pay no higher duty than the raw material, while an excise tax of four per cent. is levied on the manufacture of the article within the empire. Manufacturing on an extensive scale has accordingly ceased, and Turkey supplies its wants by importation. Prices rule generally from twenty-five to thirty-five per cent. above the exporting market, leaving an average profit to the importer of from ten to fifteen per cent. Cotton, woollen, silk, and linen goods, coffee, sugar, tea, spices, butter, iron in bars, rods, and sheets, nails, zinc, lead, tin, coal, leather, boots, shoes, cordage, drugs and dyestuffs, watches, and jewelry, are among the principal imports. Wheat, corn, barley, rye, flaxseed, olive oil, raisins, cotton, silk, wool, goats' hair, opium, madder, nuts, are the main articles of export. The extraordinary fluctuations of the currency of the capital, and an extra tax of some $12,000,000 in addition to the usual tithe, have diminished the trade of the past year. No statistics of the products of Turkey are ever given or encouraged by the government, but there can be no doubt of its stores of coal and minerals, nor of the remarkable fertility of much of its soil in spite of droughts of many months' duration, and centuries of exhaustion and neglect. Fruit of every variety is produced in profusion, and offered at very low prices, and for a very long time. As one instance of the power and peculiarity of the soil in this climate, I may observe that, for nearly five months, grapes of the largest size and finest flavor have been sold in this market at about two cents a pound, notwithstanding little or no rain fell within hundreds of miles. Want of good roads, and of safety in the interior, the rapacity of pro-consulate pachas, and the popular jealousy of European improvements the inevitable result of immemorial misgovernment-have more than neutralized the rare natural advantages of Turkey. Although rum seems to have been the principal American import, I observe a considerable and increasing demand for American stoves, agricultural imple |