by the manufacturer abroad to his agent in the United States, or for any other reason, it shall then be lawful to appraise the same by ascertaining the cost or value of the materials composing such merchandise, at the time and place of manufacture, together with the expense of manufacturing, preparing and putting up such merchandise for shipment, and in no case shall the value of such goods, wares, and merchandise be appraised at less than the total cost or value thus ascertained.

bond at

passage of

duty shall

SEC. 10. That all imported goods, wares, and mer- Goods in chandise which may be in the public stores or bonded time of warehouses on the day and year when this Act shall Act, how go into effect, except as otherwise provided in this be assessed. Act, shall be subjected to no other duty upon the entry thereof for consumption than if the same were imported respectively after that day; and all goods, wares, and merchandise remaining in bonded warehouses on the day and year this Act shall take effect, and upon which the duties shall have been paid, shall be entitled to a refund of the difference between the amount of duties paid and the amount of duties said goods, wares, and merchandise would be subject to if the same were imported respectively after that date.

provisions

SEC. 11.-Nothing in this Act shall in any way Treaty change or impair the force or effect of any treaty unaltered. between the United States and any other government, or any laws passed in pursuance of or for the execution of any such treaty, so long as such treaty shall remain in force in respect of the subjects embraced in this Act; but whenever any such treaty, so far as the same respects said subjects, shall expire or be otherwise terminated, the provisions of

Schedule

E of Section

this Act shall be in force in all respects in the same manner and to the same extent as if no such treaty had existed at the time of the passage hereof.

SEC. 12.-That in respect of all articles mentioned 6 shall take in Schedule E of section six of this Act, this Act shall take effect on and after the first day of June, anno Domini eighteen hundred and eighty-three.

effect

June 1, 1883.

Suits for past

offenses

not affected

SEC. 13. That the repeal of existing laws or modifications thereof embraced in this Act shall not by this Act. affect any act done, or any right accruing or accrued, or any suit or proceeding had or commenced in any civil cause, before the said repeal or modifications; but all rights and liabilities under said laws shall continue and may be enforced in the same manner as if said repeal or modifications had not Affects in been made; nor shall said repeal or modifications right to any in any manner affect the right to any office, or changes the change the term or tenure thereof. Any offences

no way the

office nor

tenure

thereof.

committed, and all penalties or forfeitures or liabilities incurred under any statute embraced in or changed, modified, or repealed by this Act may be prosecuted and punished in the same manner and with the same effect as if this Act had not been passed. All acts of limitation, whether applicable to civil causes and proceedings or to the prosecution of offenses, or for the recovery of penalties or forfeitures embraced in or modified, changed or repealed by this Act, shall not be affected thereby; and all suits, proceedings, or prosecutions, whether civil or criminal, for causes arising or acts done or committed prior to the passage of this Act, may be commenced and prosecuted within the same time and with the same effect as if this Act had not been passed.

THE NEW POSTAL

WHICH GOES INTO EFFECT

OCTOBER 1st, 1883,

LAW

Reduces the rate on First-class Mail Matter from Three to

The rates of postage will then be as follows,

viz.:

DOMESTIC POSTAGE.

On all Letters, and all matter wholly or partly in writing, and on packages so sealed that their contents cannot be readily examined, throughout the United States, 3 cents for each 1⁄2 oz. or fraction thereof until October 1st, after which date the rate will be 2 cents. Drop or Local Letters, 2 cents where there is a free Carrier's delivery. At other offices,

1 cent.

Registration fee, 10 cents.

Printed Matter, including Books, Transient Newspapers and Periodicals, Circulars, Proof-sheets and MSS. accompanying the same, Photographs, and, in general, the reproduction by any mechanical process (except handwriting and the copying press) of words, figures, etc., not in the nature of personal correspondence," 1 cent for each 2 oz. or fraction thereof. Circulars produced by hektograph or similar process, by electric pen, and by type-writer, are rated as "printed matter.'

Merchandise put up so as not to injure the mails, and in a way that it can be readily examined, 1 cent for each oz. or fraction thereof.

On all matter not above specified, same rate as letters.
Limit of weight, except in case of a single book, 4 lbs.

FOREIGN POSTAGE.

The rates of postage to the following countries, (which, with the United States and Canada, compose the Universal Postal Union") are as follows:

On Letters, 5 cents for each half-ounce or fraction thereof-prepayment optional.

On Newspapers and on Other Printed Matter, and on Samples of Merchandise, 1 cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof.

Argentine Republic, Austria-Hungary, Bahamas, Barbadoes, Belgium, Bermudas, Brazil, British Colonies, West Coast of Africa and West Indies, British Guiana, British Honduras, British India, Bulgaria, Ceylon, Chile, Denmark, Dominica, Dutch Colonies, Ecuador, Egypt, Falkland Islands, France (and Algeria), French Colonies, Germany. Great Britain and Ireland, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Hayti, Holland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Labuan, Liberia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Newfoundlan 1, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Persia, Peru, Portugal and Colonies, Roumania, Russia, Salvador, Sandwich Islands, Servia, Spain and Colonies. Straits Settlements, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad, Turkey, Uruguay, U. S. of Colombia, Venezuela.

To Canada (including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba. and Prince Edward Island), Letters, 3 cents for each 11⁄2 oz. or fraction thereof; Transient Newspapers and other printed matter, 1 cent for each 2 oz. or fraction thereof. Samples of Merchandise (no dutiable articles or articles of intrinsic value adnitted), 10 cents for each package, which must not exceed 8 oz. in weight-prepayment compulsory.

CHANGES IN THE POSTAL MONEY-ORDER SYSTEM.

One of the most important measures passed on the last night of the session was the bill "To modify the postal money-order system, and for other purposes." It provides that for the transmission of sums under $5 through the mails the PostmasterGeneral may authorize postmasters at money-order offices to issue money-orders without corresponding advices, on an engraved form to be prescribed and furnished by him, and to be known as "postal notes," for which a fee of 3 cents is to be charged. These notes are made payable to bearer when duly receipted at any money-order office which the remitter may select, or at the office of issue. The note becomes invalid upon the expiration of three months from the last day of the month in which it was issued; and the holder, to obtain the amount of an invalid postal note, must forward it to the superintendent of the money-order system at Washington, together with an application in such manner and form as the Postmaster-General may prescribe, for a duplicate, payable to such holder, and an additional fee of 3 cents is charged for the issue of the duplicate.

Money-orders are authorized to be issued for sums of less than $100, at rates graded from 8 cents for a $10 order up to 45 cents for one of $100.

REDEMPTION OF TWO-CENT CHECK STAMPS.

A despatch to the Associated Press gives the following information, which we believe to be correct:

WASHINGTON, March 6.

The Comptroller of the Currency has received many letters in reference to the redemption of the two-cent check stamp. He says that the two-cent check stamp is not required by law to be used after July 1 next. The law provides for the redemption of stamps not used, if they are presented for payment within three years from the time of purchase from the Government.

Conducting Transport'n.. $942,939 02 $1,164,365 98 $211.426 96

The results of the year's business evidence the good management of the property, and give some indications of what may be looked for, in the future, from the effect of the opening of the Western rail connections and the extension to Newport News, on Chesapeake Bay.

It will be seen, that, while the gross earnings show an increase of $629,633 over the year 1881, the expenses increased but $35,045, making an increase in net earnings of $594,588

The connections and extension were not fully opened for revenue trassic until about July 1st.

Their effect is shown in net earnings of $697,300 for the last six months of the year, as compared with $335,228 for the first six months.

The net earnings for the year, $1,032,528, exceed the interest charges for the year by over $200,000.