The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-16

the house tax (gebdadesteueI) was 1926 l9h and
in 1856 it had risen to II ,69S,2l91" Thus the tax
on house property had increased 1913 per ceit dur
ing the period of ls years.
The trade of Madeira appears to be languishing.
In 1852 the imports and exports amounted to
f2Sl ,760; in 1864 to fl75,200 and in 1856 to
fl96 100 OF this trade fl32,3l0 passed through
British vessels in 1852, fl07 600 in 1854 and sl22,
300 in 1866. The quantity of wine exported from
1853, 1927 pipes in 1854, l776 pipes in 1855, and
s9l pipes in 1866. The population Of Madeira was
A Jamaica Custom House return shows the fol-
lowing as the exports of the principal staple arti
oes of produce during the ending On the o
IL 193 puncheons; cotton, 5,s76 lbs; coffee 5,237,
$50 lbs. pimento, 9465 26l lbs.; ginger, 700 $40
lbs; arrowroot, 7202S lbs; logwood, 1858 tons;
honey, l0s gallons; beeswax, 794 cwt or. ii lbs
cOcOanus, 7S4 422 lbs; lead ore, 70 tons; copper
ore, 40 tons.
The Icelanders are generally dissatisfied with
their political position, and their discomfort is
manifested not only in the Assembly Of the Al
thing, but also in the journals of the island They
wish to govern themselves. The Representative
Assembly, created in March, l843, and composed
of twenty-fOur deputies, has only one deliberative
vote. At Copenhagen, the Second Chamber ap..
pears willing to support the claim Of the national
lcelandc party. The Committee Of Finance, in its
report on the chapter of the budget relating to Ice
and, expresses regret that il knew 80 little of the
affairs of the island and declares that the time has
arrived for according the inhabitants the right Of
managing their own affairs.
From the LIST of January 1868, down to Decem-
ber the number of vessels that have sailed from
Hamburg is as fOllOws-F0r Port Adelaide, 8:
Melbourne, IL; Sydney, 3-together ID. In the year
1867 the numbers were-FOrlPort Adelaide, 2;
Melbourne, l3; Sydney together l6. In 1855, the
total number of vessels that sailed from Hamburg
to Australian ports was II, conveying l,701 Ger
man emgrants. The Australian trade Of Bremen
from the beginning Of last year was as follows:-
For Sydney, vessels with SIT emigrants; for Port
Adelaide, vessel with l6 emigrants.
letter from Frankfort of the 23d of November
says:-It results, from an application lately made
for information by the committee formed here to
examine the complaints of German creditors Of the
United States, that certain number of these States
owe them more than ten millions of francs, fur
nished for the execution of public works, such as
canals, roads, railways &c. Nothing remains to
these German creditors but the share papers as q
guarantee of the debt, and they have not received
for several years single dollar of interest for the
sums which they advanced in good specie to Anne
rican companies now become insolvent, though it
is yet hoped only for a time The committee pro
poses to send special agents to the United States to
pursue by all means the recovery of the important
sums due to Germany.
The Great Russian Railway Company has decided
to receive during the month Of January pay
ments for shares not yet taken up factions pas
liberees) Shareholders, however, are to have the
right for an unlimited period to subscribe.
The Gazette of 81. Petersburg has an article on
the affair of the Charles Georges in which, on the
subject of immigration in general it expresses
opinions almost textually the same those in the
Emperor Napoleon's letter to his cousin. The
writer says:-We know that the negro, when he is
and consequently the idea Of contracting
can never occur to him. We know also
that there are very few free negroes on the
ing on the coast who may be good sailors. but who
do not like agricultural labor. What then is done
to obtain laborers? Application is made to the ma
tive princes, to the toenes who, by the continual
troops of slaves 1t is these petty kings who sup
ply the French dealers with what are called the
free blacks. We are aware that Europeans may
pretend that in purchasing blacks from the kings
on the coast they are jealous promoters of cviiza
ton. But this argument resembles that by which
slave traders formerly defended their traffic: "Do
we not" said they, "save the slaves from certain
death? Do we not make Christians of them by
tat0ns!" Thank God, however, this falacious argu-
ment has never been admitted; it has been shown
that in reality the demand for the black merchan-
disc excited the native princes to intestine strug
giles, in order to procure slaves.
In the recent treaty between Russia and China Il
is stipulated that there shall he monthly mail
communication between Kiakhta, on the Russian
frontier, and Pekin, the communication to be effect
ed in fifteen days. for the convenience of the two
governmentsaas well as for the wants of the Rus
sian ecclesiastical missions at Pekin. This mission
consists Of ten persons-never more-but NAV be
less from death or other causes. They reside within
the city OF Pekin, near the Imperial palace; have
Chinese guard of honor but are unrcstrctedin their
movements. The Chinese have school of twenty
four young men, selected from the descendants of the
Cossacks made prisoners at the capture of Albasn,
on the Amoor river, in 1850, in the war with Rus
STA, and who were removed to Pekin. These bows
taught 1apv do int
coming from Russia is sent to this school to be rem
dered into Chinese.
letter from St. Petersburg, in the Nord
gives some account of the sensation in that city
caused by the polemic in the Western journals
on the Vilafranca affair. The writer remarks -
What is it that France has gained in its inlu-
eDce in the Mediterranean the East in return
for the sacrifices she made in the late war? And
what has become of the political equilibrium at
Constantinople? To re-establish it Russia and
France have already had to draw near to each
other on the scene even of their bloody contest.
On the very first symptoms Of this union, Eng
land turned herself towards Austria, and sought
to create alliances in Germany, the significance of
which can escape no one. Wherever there is to
be found French interest in Spain, in Italy, or
the East, in every sea, in the colonies British
influence bristles up in arms. Wherever there is
germ of hostility against France England gratis
there temporary friendship. If from this state
Of things war has not yet arisen, it is on the one
hand, because Of the Indian revolt-it is because
the multiplied bonds of international commerce,
industry and finance make to hesitate the most
unscrupuous of consciences; it is, on the other
hand, because the friendship of Russia strength
ems the position of France, the frmness, the dig
nifty of her attitude, assuring at the same time the
maintenance of peace.
The Emperor of Russia has conceded to joint
stock company the construction of railway to
unite the Volga to the Don. That undertaking will
unite together the Caspian the Sea of AZoff, the
Mediterranean, the Black Sea and Central Asia.
The most distant regions Of Siberia will come into
easy communication with Odessa Vienna, Paris
and England In spite of the wretched aid afforded
by the present steamtugs on the lower Don, and
the difficulty Of communications with the rich parts
of the empire, the commerce of the basin of Azoff
has increased tenfod during the last twenty years.
In 1s4s the total value Of imports and exports
amounted to 900 roubles in 1853 to 20 O92 OOO
and in 1857, 27,797 000 Rostow, on the Don, had,
in 1888, 100000 roubles of imports and exports; in
ls47, 4,il3,000; and in 1857, II 029 900. The en-
tremely moderate price of the produce of these
countries, washed by the Volga, is the principal
cause of this rapid Development. Rostow exports
wheat, linseed, wool iron, tallow candles and ca.
Ware. 1t is thought that in consequence of the
large goods traffic which must take place, the new
railway will make a very handsome nro6t Gallon