The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-09

STATE DEPARTMENT.

STATE DEPARTMENT
Limit BO..s Hies The subjoned lighthouse notices
have been received at the State Department:
The Minister Of Marine at Lisbon has given notice that
ON and after the LIST day of August 1857 fixed bright
light placed at an elevation of 800 feet above the level Of
the sea- will be exhibited from the lighthouse recently
erected on Cape Mondgo at the entrance to Fguei ON
the coast Of Portugal This light should be visible from
the deck of ship in clear weather at distance of TWEEN
ty miles. The coast between Cape Mondogo and Aviero
IL more dangerous than 1t is generally understood to be-
At some distance from the sandy beach banks OF sand
form at intervals by the influence Of the winds or
the currents and dispense and form again at other points
along that coast which vessels in fine weather have
grounded.
The Superintendent OF Marine at Calcutta has given
tce that lghtship has been stationed temporarily at
the entrance of the Mutah channel in the Bay OF Ben
gal at about miles southeast OF the Outer or Bull
cherry reef buoy from which clear white light viii be
exhibited elevation of about thirty feet above the
level sea- which should be visible from the deck OF
ship in ordinary weather at distance Of seven miles
The vessel will carry red flag at the main mast head by
day and IL she continues in her position will fire
rocket at p m, at midnight and at a. m from the
18th of March to the 18th of October For the present
pilot brig will show the light
The Minister of Marine at Madrid has given notice
that and after the LIST day OF April, 1857, liked
white light will be exhibited from lghttower recently
built Cape Oreposa in the province of CASTELAR,, Va
Iencia The light will be varied by fash once every
three minutes
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Pre-emptions Application having been made TO the
General Land Office to enter certain toaen lots III burning
ton Iowa. by presumption under the acts of Congress OF
I'd July 1885, and Sd March, 1887 it has been decided
that Ms the functions of the board of commissions APP
pointed under tho latter act to adjust such claims have
ceased no pre-empons to any of the lots IN question
can be entertained without further legislation by Con-
gress.
Land Office Bonds Appropea.--The bonds of Edmund NJ
Hastings as receiver and disbusng agent at Montgomery
Alabama in the penalty of $55 900, yesterday APP
proved by the Acting Commissioner of the General Land
Office
appointment in the Patent 06feeMr Edward Shaw, as
sstant examiner of patents Salary, 81, 600 year
General Denver the popular Commissioner of Indian
Affairs, may shortly be expected to arrive in this city
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
TN. Mss;ssipp The United States steamer Mississippi
arrived at Madeira the 9Th and left the 10th OF
September She found at that port the Germantown.
The Plymouth was at Amsterdam on the 18th ult
THE PAR OF EXCHANGE.
The principle on which American merchants and
bankers calculate exchange England is thus clear
ly set forth by correspondent of the New York
Mirror
The par of exchange is determined by the relative
proportion of pure metal in the coined piece which forms
the unit price in the different commercial countries OF
the world. The alloy is reckoned of no value
s.Io simplify the matter much rs possible we Will
waive oil consideration OF the different standards OF hne
ness, and state that American dollar contains
1922 100 grains of pure gold and the British sovereign
grains of the Every reader may not know that
the sovereign the coined piece of which the pound ser
ing is the money of account simple calculation in the
rule of three therefore, determines that the equivalent OF
the pound sterling is 81 So, S. 100 of our currency
'.Thus as 90 %. 100 is to one SO is ll3 to II &c
SIS 100 But the English through all the variations OF
the mint laws here and elsewhere-indeed for ages
have been accustomed to value their pound sterling by
the old Spanish carous pillar dollars entirely out OF
circulation in Europe and America having all been sent
to China or gone into the melting pot. OF these "a A
400 were equivalent to the pound sterling 1t will be
seen that it requires the addition Of % per cent with
scarcely pprecabe fraction to make the present value OF
the pound sterling in our currency Thus 81 A lO0
Add "a per cent premium of exchange AZ 22-lOO
So &C. 100
ut may be well to explain that, when nothing is said
10 the contrary the quotations of sterling exchange are
bv custom for bills at 60 days sight which, at the legal
rne of interest here involves loss Of per cent be-
sides the time of transmission But on the other hand
at the most favorable rate of shipping specie, one per
cent ia the cost including insurance. of laying it down
in Liverpool the time lost in transmission being the same
In either case Thus, of these items balances
the other the true par of exchange 81 per cent on
England at which rate generally it is as well to remit
good 60-day bills as specie
A stakeholder of the Bank of Commerce of George
town thinks that we have been wrongly informed as