1. Aggregate of American Securities held abroad on the 30th of June, 1853.

2. Amount of the Securities of the several States, &c. held in England and other Foreign Countries, June 30, 1853.

Total,

$72,931,507 $21,462,322 $6,688,996 $378,172 $43,169,777

*This includes an estimate for twenty-two companies from whom no returns were received. †These miscellaneous companies, if they are meant to include "all other" corporations, are entirely incomplete. In Massachusetts there had been incorporated up to June, 1853, 1,115 companies, with a capital of $226,397,998, exclusive of banking, insurance, and rail

road charters.

1855.] FİNENESS AND VALUE of certain FOREIGN COINS. 217 XXVI. FINENESS AND VALUE OF CERTAIN FOREIGN COINS.

By the acts of Congress of January 25, 1834, and of March 3, 1843, the director of the mint was required to ascertain and report to the Secretary of the Treasury upon the fineness and value of certain foreign coins. Under the requisitions of the provisions of those acts, he made a report to the Secretary under date of January 28, 1854, which report on the 1st of March was sent to the House of Representatives, and is published as House Document No. 68. The report is given below :

"I submit the following report of the fineness and value of certain foreign gold and silver coins, as required by the acts of Congress of January 25, 1834, and March 3, 1843; said coins being therein made a legal tender upon certain conditions, which are contingent upon this report.

"Gold Coins. The law provides that 'gold coins of Great Britain, not less than 915 thousandths fine, shall be received at 94.6 cents per pennyweight.' In a long series of years, and operating at times upon large quantities of such coin, we have not been able to find a higher average result than 915, and it was upon this basis that the enactment was framed. But under the present management of the British mint, and of its assay department, beginning fairly with the year 1852, there is an upward tendency more strictly conforming with the legal standard of 9163. The assay of a few pieces of 1852 and 1853 (the course of trade preventing the receipt of large quantities here) gives an average of 916, and the consequent rate would be 94.7 cents per pennyweight. But it will evidently require a large emission at this rate to make a perceptible improvement in any promiscuous parcel; and some years must elapse before the rate fixed by Congress can be elevated.

"The gold coins of France are made current at 92.9 cents per pennyweight, provided their fineness be not less than 899 thousandths. Their legal standard is 900; but the actual fineness, down to 1852 inclusive, cannot be rated higher than 899.

"Gold coins of Spain, Mexico, and Colombia, of the fineness of 20 carats, 37 carat grains,' equal to 869.14 thousandths, are receivable at 89.9 cents per pennyweight. While occasionally parcels have been found to be of this fineness, or slightly above it, they are frequently not higher than 866, and would, therefore, appear to be thrown out by the terms of the law. Moreover, the gold coins of New Granada, which is a part of Colombia, have been minted since 1849 at the new legal rate of 900 thousandths, and, upon repeated trials, are found to average 894. But it is very rare to find any longer in circulation a gold coin of Spain, Mexico, or Colombia.

"The gold coins of Portugal and Brazil, made current upon condition of being not less than 22 carats (916 thousandths) fine, are really not higher than 914 thousandths; they are now only known amongst us as curiosities, and it is believed are scarce even in their own country.

"Silver Coins. - The Spanish pillar dollars, and the dollars of Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia, of not less than 897 thousandths fine, and 415 grains in weight, and the dollars of Chili and Central America, and those restamped

in Brazil, of not less fineness than 'ten ounces fifteen pennyweights in the pound,' (895.8 thousandths,) and 415 grains in weight, are receivable at one hundred cents each. The present average fineness and value of these coins, as appearing in our circulation, may be stated as in the ensuiug table, with some doubt as to the item of Central America, whose coinage is very irregular.

"The five-franc pieces of France, if not less than 900 thousandths fine, and 384 grains in weight, are made current at 93 cents. They continue to maintain this average to the year 1852, which is the latest date assayed here.

"It is to be noted that the foregoing valuations of silver coin are based upon the legal rate of the United States, as fixed by the act of 1837. Under the act of March, 1853, the mint has been and is now paying a premium upon these rates to procure silver for coinage; consequently, the laws making them current may be considered nugatory and obsolete. The same remark, for other but obvious reasons, may be applied to all the gold coins mentioned in this report, except those of Great Britain and France.

"I embrace this opportunity to suggest that there is no longer any propriety or necessity for legalizing the circulation of the coins of other countries. In no other nation, except in the case of some colonies, is this mixture of currencies admitted by law, either on the score of courtesy or convenience. When these laws as to foreign coins were passed our coinage was inconsiderable, but during the last few years the pieces struck, in number and value, it is believed, are scarcely inferior to that of any other country. The last year more than seventy-six millions of pieces were struck, of the value of upwards of sixty-four millions of dollars. If this suggestion is approved, and the laws which legalize foreign coins be repealed, it would be proper, by a standing regulation of the Treasury Department, or by legislative enactment, to require an annual assay report upon the weight and fineness of such foreign coins as frequently reach our shores, with a view to settle and determine their marketable value. Such a report would be a judicious substitute for the one now presented."

INDIVIDUAL STATES.

I. MAINE.

Government for the Year ending the 1st Wednesday in January, 1855.

WILLIAM G. CROSBY, of Belfast, Governor (term expires on

the first Wednesday in January, 1855),

Salary.

$1,500

900

900

200

1,000

700

800

Sup't of State Reform School.

Bank Commissioners.

Sup't of Common Schools, $1,200
[and travelling expenses.

President of the Senate, $4 per day.
Secretary of the Senate.

Speaker of the House, 4 " 66
Clerk of the House.

Councillors.- William Buxton, of North Yarmouth; Thaddeus Weeks, of Jefferson; Samuel P. Shaw, of Waterville; Horatio H. Johnson, of Belfast; Theodore C. Woodman, of Bucksport; Charles A. Everett, of Milo; and Gideon Tucker, of Saco.

The State is divided into three Judicial Districts, denominated the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts; and for the purpose of hearing and determining questions of law and equity, the terms are held for these dis

tricts, instead of being held, as heretofore, in the several counties. These terms are held annually in Portland for the Western, in Augusta for the Middle, and in Bangor for the Eastern District. The other cases are tried, as heretofore, in the several counties where they are commenced.

Municipal and Police Courts.

George S. Mulliken, of Augusta; John L. Hodsdon, of Bangor; Jacob Smith, of Bath; Joseph Williamson, Jr., of Belfast; Henry Orr, of Brunswick; George W. Dyer, of Calais; William Palmer, of Gardiner; Samuel K. Gilman, of Hallowell; John H. Williams, of Portland; and John C. Cochran, of Rockland, are Judges at those places respectively. Some are paid by salaries, others by fees.

Amount of expenditures from January 1, 1853, to December 31, 1853,

Balance January 1, 1854, .

To be further reduced by existing appropriations,
Leaving a balance for further wants in the Treasury of,

$361,417.57

165,448.23

526,865.80

434,361.09

92,504.71

62,377.59

30,127.12

Beyond the ordinary demands upon the Treasury, there have been paid during the year for the completion of the Insane Hospital and the Reform School, and for the cash payment to Massachusetts for her lands, as follows, viz. :- Insane Hospital, $24,000; Reform School, $18,000; Massachusetts lands, $112,500.00; total, $ 154,500. For the lands there were given in addition to the cash, 10 bonds of $25,000 each, with coupons attached, bearing 5 per cent. interest, and payable 1 each year from 1863 to 1872 inclusive.