RAILWAY, CANAL, AND TELEGRAPH STATISTICS. TOLLS AND TONNAGE OF THE NEW YORK CANALS FOR 1862. THE revenue from our canals the past year shows a very satisfactory result. For this increase we are, in our opinion, indebted to the abundant crops and the blockade of the Mississippi. The Albany Journal, however, gives a comparative table, which will be found below, showing what the tolls were the past year, and how much less they would have been had the rates of 1857 or 1860 been followed, and concludes from it that this satisfactory result is due to the fact that the rates of tolls have been brought to a revenue standard. This conclusion we do not think is quite correct. For instance, the increase of canal tonnage from 1859 to 1862 was about 2,000,000 tons, while the increase of revenue during the same time was $3,140,833. Of course it is clear, therefore, that nearly the whole of this additional revenue comes from the increased tonnage, and not simply from increased rates of tolls. Then, again, why was not the tonnage diminished under the increased tolls the past year? The fact that there was no decrease is said to be evidence of good management, and to show that high rates will not drive business from the canals. We certainly think these conclusions are unwarranted. The canals may be managed well and the tolls may not at present be too high, but we see no proof of these facts in last year's business. There was no other outlet during 1862 for the wealth of the West except our railroads, which were also taxed to their utmost capacity. This freight was forced, therefore, to come by the canals, and would have done so even had the tolls been higher. Only let the usual avenues of trade be opened, let the blockade of the Mississippi be raised, and then we can tell how high tolls our canals will bear. We give the following table for the purpose of showing how much the revenue was increased the past year, compared with 1859 and 1860, by the increased tolls. The first column shows the tons of each class of property first cleared and carried on the canals from the opening to the close of navigation in 1862. The second column exhibits the tolls paid on boats and passengers and on each class of property carried, on the rates of toll imposed by the Canal Board in the winter of 1862, which continued uniform through the season of navigation. The third, what tolls would have been on the same tonnage of each class under the rates charged in toll sheet of 1857; and the fourth shows what the toll receipts would have been under the rates imposed in 1860: Tolls on property...... $4,927,660 $3,721,902 $3,974,565 The increase in 1862 over 1859 on the same amount of tonnage is $1,205,758, and over 1860, $953,085. We have prepared the following tables which will be found of interest, showing, as they do, the tolls and tonnage for the past three years: CANAL TOLLS FOR THREE YEARS. Boats and passengers... Products of wood.. Product of animals.. Vegetable food... Ali other agricultural products 1,348 Manufactures.. 87,956 Merchandise. 223 885 Other articles. The total of freight or number of tons carried one mile during the last season of navigation was... 1,123,547,430 The total movement of the several classes composing such tonnage is as follows: The whole amount of tonnage arrived at tide-water by way of the Erie Canal, from Western States and Canada, during the last season of navigation, was 2,594,837 tons. The whole amount of tonnage arrived at tidewater, the product of this State, during the same period was 322,257 tons. The whole number of barrels of flour arriving at tidewater, through the canals, during the last season of navigation, was .... 1,826,509 The whole number of bushels of wheat arriving during the same period, was 32.667,866, which turned into flour, calculating five bushels to the barrel, would make 6,533,573 Total in barrels... 8,360,082 The whole number of bushels of corn arriving at tide-water, during the same period, was 23,709,822. Comparing the season of 1861 with that of 1862, it shows an increase in revenue of $1,280,158, and an increase in tonnage of 1,091,150, divided among the different classes as follows; In flour and wheat, comprised in the returns of vegetable food, there has been an increase in tonnage the past year of 179,239, and an increase in the tolls of $611,465. In corn and oats there has been an increase during the same period of 68,746 tons, and an increase in tolls of $126,308. Under the head of "Products of the Forest," there was an increase in tonnage upen shingles, boards, and scantling, of 150,750, and an increase in tonnage upon timber, staves, and wood of 265,358, and an increase in pot and pearl ashes of 1,220. Under the head of "other articles," there was an increase in the tonnage of mineral coal, for the same period, of 94,570, and a decrease in sundries of 119,556 tons. COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS. REGULATIONS OF THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT AS TO ESTIMATING THE ALLOWANCE FOR TARE. THE following circular, relating to tare, has been issued by the Hon. S. P. CHASE, Secretary of the Treasury, to collectors of customs: Treasury Department, January 24, 1863. SIR: The 16th section of the Taritf act of the 14th July, 1862, provides: "That, from and after the passage of this act, in estimating the allowance for tare on all chests, boxes, cases, casks, bags, or other envelop or covering of all articles imported liable to pay any duty, where the original invoice is produced at the time of making entry thereof, and the tare shall be specified therein, it shall be lawful for the collector, if he shall see fit, or for the collector and naval officer, if such officer there be, if they shall see fit, with the consent of the consignees, to estimate the said tare according to such invoice; but in all other cases the real tare shall be allowed, and may be ascertained under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may from time to time prescribe, but in no case shall there be any allowance for draft.” The execution of the foregoing provision will be governed by the following regulations: In all cases where the original invoice is produced at the time of making the entry thereof, with the tare specified therein, the collector, or collector and naval officer, if such officer there be, may, in his or their discretion, and with the consent of the consignees, estimate the tare according to the invoice; otherwise the real tare is to be allowed. The following schedule of tares is the tare to be allowed in all cases where the invoice tare is not adopted as hereinbefore prescribed: Provided, That the collector shall have the right at any time to test the tare on any importation where, in his opinion, the real tare may vary from the tare in the schedule annexed. Should any consignee or importer enter a protest in due form of law against the enforcement of any one or more of the tares as herein set forth, the collector will in all such cases adopt the rear tare, to be ascer tained in the usual manner. SCHEDULE OF TARES PRESCRIBED FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COLLECTORS OF CUSTOMS AND OTHERS INTERESTED. 2 per cent, bales; 2 per cent, bags; 8 per cent, frails. 10 per cent, casks. 3 per cent. 10 per cent for casks or tubs. 9 per cent for mats. 1 per cent, single bags; 2 per cent, double bags. All other coffee, actual tare. 6 per cent, bales. 2 per cent, bags; 8 per cent, cero ons. 2 per cent, bags. 10 per cent, casks. 10 per cent, casks. Manilla, 4 pounds to each bale: Hamburg, Leghorn, 10 per cent for ceroons. 11 per cent. 2 per cent, bags; 8 per cent, casks. Dry, in casks, 8 per cent; oil, in casks, 12 per cent. 10 per cent, ceroons. 10 per cent, casks. 2 per cent, bags; 4 per cent, double bags. 2 per cent, bags. 25 per cent, boxes; 27 per cent, boxes; 29 per In casks, dry, 10 per cent; casks, in oil, 12 per cent. Duty to be levied on the net number of pounds, as Leaf, in bales, tare 10 pounds each bale. Bales with extra covers, 12 pounds each. 10 per cent, in casks. Respectfully, S. P. CHASE, Sec. of the Treasury. DECISIONS OF TREASURY DEPARTMENT UNDER THE TARIFF ACTS. The following decisions have been made by the Secretary of the Treasury, of questions arising upon appeals by importers from the decisions of collectors, relating to the proper classification, under the Tariff acts of March 2, 1861, August 5, 1861, and July 14, 1862, of certain articles of foreign manufacture and production entered at the ports of Boston and New York. RAGS. Treasury Department, December 16, 1862. SIR: I have had under consideration your report on the appeal of Mr. L. HEIFFER from your decision subjecting to duty, under the Tariff act of August 5, 1861, certain rags imported in the ship Ocean Romp, which arrived on the 21st of July last. The appellants claim the right to enter said rags free of duty under the provisions of the act of July 14, 1862, inasmuch as they were "on ship-. board on the 1st day of August, 182." Under the act of August 5, 1861, “ rags, of whatever material," were made subject to duty at the rate of 10 per centum ad valorem. The act of July 14, 1862, provides "that all imported cotton and linen rags for the manufacture of paper shall be free; it also says that all goods 66 on |