DECISIONS IN REGARD TO DRAY RECEIPTS.

OFFICIAL DECISION.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF INTERNAL REVENUE,

WASHINGTON, September 13, 1864.

GENTLEMEN,-I reply to your letter of the 6th instant, that bills of lading or receipts of goods, wares, or merchandise, to be transported from one port or place in the United States, and to be delivered at any port or place in the United States, are subject to the stamp duty of two cents.

Duplicates or triplicates are subject to the same duty as originals.

The blank form submitted by you, called a "dray ticket," appears to be only a memorandum for sake of convenience, and not a receipt within the meaning of the act of Congress, is not subject to the stamp duty of two cents.

Very respectfully,

JOSEPH J. LEWIS, Commissioner.

Messrs. HAMILTON & DUNNICA, St. Louis.

REVENUE STAMPS ON FREIGHT RECEIPTS.

BOSTON BOARD OF TRADE.

A report has just been made by the Boston Board of Trade on this question of stamping receipts, in which they propose the following rules. Whether the Commissioner on Internal Revenue will review his numerous decisions is doubtful, but that he ought to is evident:

That receipts given at railroad stations, on the delivery of freight for transportation, be stamped by the railroad company.

That through receipts given by transportation companies or lines, be stamped at the expense of the shipper.

That receipts, given by consignees to railroad companies on the arrival of merchandise, be stamped by the consignees.

That receipts given at the ship's side, usually called mate's receipts, be stamped at the expense of the ship.

That bills of lading be stamped at the expense of the shipper.

That receipts for freight money be stamped at the expense of the party to whom the payment is made.

THE BOOK TRADE.

Mercantile Dictionary; a Complete Vocabulary of Commercial Technicalities, in English, Spanish and French. By J. DE VEITELLE. D. APPLETON & Co. THE Mercantile Dictionary of Mr. DE VEITELLE Supplies one of the greatest wants of the commercial community. The office of foreign correspondent is one of the most responsible in a large firm, and requires such a complete knowledge of the mercantile technicalities and idiomatic expressions in the different languages, as but few, even of the most accomplished linguists, possess. He who realizes the importance of little things in business life, and sees the serious results of apparently the most trivial errors can readily understand what might be the consequence of an idiom wrongly translated,

by giving to the receiver of the letter an entirely false idea. To prevent these errors is the object of the Mercantile Dictionary. The correspondent, when brought to a stand still, can refer to it, and is immediately set right; whereas, without it, he might waste much time searching through the most comprehensive general dictionaries, which, being prepared for an entirely different purpose, might fail at last to give him the desired information. The bock itself is very well gotten up, and is too small to be at all in the way, when standing, in a convenient place, on the desk. We regret that the German does not also form one of the languages, as that is now so important to the mercantile world.

Heath's Infallible Counterfeit Detector at Sight, The only infallible method of detecting counterfeit, spurious, and altered bank-notes, and applicable to all banks in the United States and Canadas, as now in circulation or that may be issued, with genuine bank note designs, by the American Bank Note Co. Boston: LABAN HEATH. 1864.

ANY reliable method of detecting spurious notes in these days of paper currency, when counterfeiting might almost be said to form a regular business, is a matter of importance to every individual; how much more so is it, when the method is so simple, as to be understood by every one, who will take the trouble to examine it, and so infallible as to detect the most carefully prepared counterfeit, even on the first application of the test. Mr. HEATH's method for detecting bad bills requires no knowledge of the different banks, which are scattered, as thick as þlackberries, all over the country; but the fineness of the work is made to tell whether the bill is good or bad. Genuine bank notes are prepared by one or the other of the great Bank-Note Companies, whose machinery is exceedingly costly, and whose engraving is of the very finest description. No engraving done by hand can equal that done by this machinery, and no counterfeiter would care to invest $75,000 to $150,000 in an illegitimate business, which, if discovered-and on account of the bulk of the machinery it would be difficult to conceal it-would not only result in a total loss of capital, but subject him also to a criminal's punishment. There are also ways given to detect altered bills, and the book is illustrated by very beautiful specimens of bank note engraving. It will be found very useful to those-and their name is legion-who would rather carry good than bad money, in their pockets.

The Potomac and the Rapidan. Army Notes, from the Failure at Winchester to the Reinforcement of Rosecrans. By ALONZO H. QUINT, Chaplain of the Second Massachusetts Infantry. CROSBY & NICHOLS, Boston, Mass.; O. S. FELT, N. Y.

A SERIES of letters written to the Congregationalist, by one of its clerical army correspondents, after being carefully revised, forms the basis of this work. The author, being the chaplain of one of the Bay State regiments, whose perils and privations he has shared, and whose glories he has a right to be proud of, is, by his position, highly qualified to tell us of those incidents which he himself has seen. His narrative extends over some of the most interesting portions of the war. It embraces the period, when, at the termination of the peninsular campaign, Gen. POPE in vain strove to stem the onward current of invasion, and after carrying us through the battle of Antietam, the incidents of the following winter, and the disasterous defeat at Chancellorville, it shifts the scene to Tennessee, and gives an account of army doings there. Thus this little book presents a double attraction. By reading it we kill two birds with one stone. We obtain a knowledge of army life, both in Virginia and Tennessee; we are intro

duced to the armies of the Potomac and of the Cumberland.

Such notes as these

giving the observations of intelligent eye-witnesses-cannot fail to be interesting to the general reader now, and invaluable to the historian hereafter.

The Forest Arcadia of Northern New York, embracing a view of its Mineral, Agricultural and Timber resources. Boston: Published by T. O. H. P. BURNHAM

1864.

THIS little book, issued from the press of T. O. H. P. BURNHAM, of Boston, does the greatest credit to both author and publisher.

As may be gathered from the title, it is a narrative of sights and incidents, seen and experienced, on visiting that portion of the great wilderness of Northern New York lying in St. Lawrence County, on the Western slope of the Aderondac Mountains The plateau, of which this section is a part, is said to embrace many thousand square miles in extent, to be very fertile, and to have an elevation of from fifteen hundred to eighteen hundred feet above the sea. A country thus favored, watered by the Grass and Oswegatctin Rivers, following by circuitous windings the stratification of the country, studded with numerous lakes and ponds, adding a beauty of their own to the silent wildness of the place, could not fail to draw out the enthusiasm of the ardent lover of nature. Such an one the author seems to be, and it is not wonderful, there fore, that he should be inspired by his subject, and that his impressions and thoughts should well out with freshness, vigor and beauty. Thus, in his pleasant way, he gives us an account of the movements of himself and party from place to place, the little incidents occuring, together with much valuable information respecting the resources and attractions of the district visited, thoroughly innoculating the reader with his enthusiasm. The book will well repay one for reading it.

The publisher, also, deserves great credit for the beautiful style in which the book is issued: the paper is excellent (tinted), the type clear, and the binding extremely neat.

The Destiny of Our Country. By CHARLES P. KIRKLAND, of New York. Published by ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH, 770 Broadway.

THIS address is not precisely what its title would indicate, but rather an examination into the causes, probable issue, and effects of the present rebelion, and was delivered before the Alumni of Hamilton College at their last commencement. Mr. KIRKLAND is a very able writer, full of enthusiasm, and particularly so on all subjects connected with the war. Whatever he writes, therefore, is of decided interest whether one agrees with his conclusions or not. Just how or why this war was be gun and what will be its end, are questions upon which there must be different opinions; and yet all will be glad to see the views presented in this address, knowing that they are the earnest convictions of one who has the true interests of his country

at heart.

1. The First Three Books of Zenophon's Anabasis, with Explanatory Notes, Vocabu lary, Maps, etc. By JAMES R. BOISE, Professor in the University of Michigan. D. APPLETON & Co., 443 and 445 Broadway.

2. Progressive Lessons in Greek, with Notes, Vocabulary, and Epitome of Greek Grammar for the Use of Beginners. By WILLIAM B. SILBU, A. M., New York Free Academy. D. APPLETON & Co.

THE above edition of Zenophon's Anabasis has many excellent features to recommend

it to the student and teacher. The map which is given showing the rout of the ten thousand Greeks, the very full notes and excellent vocabulary at the end of the volume are certainly extremely important aids, making the edition a truly valuable one. To the younger student and the beginner of whatever age, the "Progressive Lessons in Greek" will prove very acceptable. Great care appears to have been used in the arrangement, so that with this little book, one might by his own unaided efforts make great progress in the study of the Greek.

1. An Elementary Arithmetic. By G. P. QUACKENBOS, A. M. D. APPLETON & Co. New York.

2. First Book in English Grammar. By G. P. QUACKENBOS, A. M. D. APPLETON & Co.

THESE books are intended for children, and have been very favorably received. The Arithmetic is an agreeable combination of Slate exercises and mental operations

THE MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE AND COMMERCIAL REVIEW.

CONTENTS OF No. IV., VOL. LI.

II. THE COMMERCIAL PROGRESS AND RESOURCES OF CENTRAL BRITISH AMERICA. [Continued from Page 192.]...

262

III. THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. No. IV.-KILAUEA.

BY H. B. A.....

273

IV. COMMERCIAL LAW No. 15. THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.

V. ON THE ACTION OF OIL-WELLS. BY PROF. E. W. EVANS, MARIETTA COLLEGE... 283

279

Breadstuffs.-Exports to Great Britain and Ireland and the Continent from the United States

and Canada.....

313

New York City and County Resources, Debt, Sinking Fund, etc....

314

Income and Expenditures of Great Britain and Ireland for the year ending June 30, 1864..... 330 Commercial Regulations.-Revenue Law Decisions.

Decisions in Regard to Dray Receipts..

Revenue Stamps on Freight Receipts..

THE BOOK TRADE....

382

333

383

833

THE

MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE

AND

COMMERCIAL REVIEW. .

NOVEMBER, 1864.

THE SANDWICH ISLANDS AND THEIR SUGAR CROP.

HENRY B. AUCHINCLOSS, ESQ.

A RECENT San Francisco paper states that the sugar crop of the Sandwich Islands will probably amount to ten millions of pounds for the current year, and compliments the Kanakas on their progress in this new field of agriculture. This is an increase over that of last year, but as their crop might easily be made a hundred millions instead of ten, it would be much more appropriate to tell them that they should be ashamed of their laziness and want of enterprise. However, they have an excuse in want of capital and difficulty in obtaining it for the purchase of the necessary machinery. The spread of information in regard to their remarkable advantages for the cultivation of the cane, and the rapid growth of California, affording a near and excellent market, are removing these difficulties, and no doubt in a few years will effect a surprising change. Under a more liberal policy, assuring an abundance of cheap labor, and the stimulus of high prices, with the aid of capital rightly applied, there is no reason why the Hawaiian group should not assume in the Pacific Ocean the same relative position to the markets of the western coast of America which Cuba bears to those of the Eastern, and Mauritius to Great Britain.

At present the manufacture of sugar as conducted there is a puny enterprise, with the simplest and most wasteful machinery. The old Jamaica train is the only one in use, only three vacuum-pans being used in the group, as far as we are aware. Yet even this rude manufacture is very profitable. It is profitable because land is cheap, the soil very fertile, labor at moderate prices, and a market at hand where sugar meets a ready sale at fair and often high prices.

Land is cheap, although some tracts are held at speculative prices. An estate of two thousand acres, one-half of which, at least, will be good cane land, ought not to cost more than $5,000-an extreme price. Around the native villages or near town-sites of course higher prices are asked.