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spector of any article in the manufacturing, vending, or trading in which he is engaged individually or as a partner, or as an agent, clerk, or employee of a trader, vender, or manufacturer, and that before any person shall act as inspector under the provisions of this act, he shall take and subscribe an oath in the usual form, that he will honestly and faithfully discharge the duties of said office, to be administered to him by the clerk of the court granting the license at the time said license is granted.

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That fish imported into the city of Baltimore, which has been inspected in any other State of the Union, shall not be subjected to re-inspection, unless expressly required by the buyer or seller.

SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That all sums of money received by the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the city of Baltimore for license under the provisions of this act, shall be accounted for and paid into the treasury at the times and in the manner required in regard to moneys received for licenses to retailers of merchandise.

SEC. 7. And be it enacted, That the qualities heretofore existing by law in any kind of lumber or timber sold in the city of Baltimore, shall be abolished, and hereafter it shall be sold by measurement.

SEC. 8. And be it enacted, That the licenses hereinbefore required to be issued by the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the city of Baltimore, shall be prepared and countersigned by the controller of the treasury department, and the said clerk, shall, on or before the first Monday of May in each year, and as often thereafter as may be necessary, make applica.ion to the said controller for such number of said licenses as may probably be signed by the said clerk for one year.

COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS AT SAN FRANCISCO.

Important changes have been made in the schedule of charges on sales, forwarding insuring, etc., merchandise. The following are the rates of commissions, charges, etc., as revised, corrected and adopted by the Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco, November 3, 1853:

SCHEDULE 1ST.-RATE OF COMMISSION ON BUSINESS WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND WITH THE ATLANTIC STATES, WHEN NO SPECIAL AGREEMENT EXISTS.

Sale of merchandise with or without guaranty.....

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Purchase and shipment of merchandise with funds in hand...

5

Without funds in hand ...

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Goods received on consignment and afterwards withdrawn on invoice cost...
Indorsing bills of exchange when desired..

21

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Entering, clearing, and transacting ships' business on vessels with cargo from foreign ports.....

$200

Entering, clearing, and transacting ships' business on vessels with cargo from
the United States ports, where no other commission is earned......
Do. on vessels in ballast.

Collecting and remitting moneys on sums over $500..

200

50

......

.per cent.

5

Collecting and remitting delayed or litigated accounts.
Disbursements of vessels with funds in hand.....

Do. without funds in band..

10

21

5

.......

Do. of vessels in distress....

Receiving and paying, or remitting moneys from which no other commission is derived...

......per cent.

Landing and reshipping goods from vessels in distress, on invoice value, or in
its absence, on market value...
Receiving, entering at the custom-house, and forwarding the goods, on invoice

amount.

Effecting commission marine insurance, on amount insured..
Collecting general average on sums less than $5,000

Do. on sums over $5,000.............

..per cent.

5

21

5

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SCHEDULE 2D.-RATE OF COMMISSION ON BUSINESS WITHIN THE STATE, WHERE NO SPECIAL AGREEMENT EXISTS.

Sale of merchandise with guaranty.......

Purchase and shipment of goods, with funds or security in hand.

Do. without funds or security in hand..

Sales of bills of exchange with indorsement...

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Do. without indorsement

Sale or purchase of vessels..

Purchase or sale of specie, gold dust, or bullion.

Chartering of vessels or procuring freight

....

Collecting freights.....

Outfits of vessels, of disbursements...

Collecting moneys, when no other commission is earned.

Receiving and forwarding goods.....

Collecting bills protested, or delayed and litigated accounts

Brokerage.

....

SCHEDULE 3D-RATES OF STORAGE ON MERCHANDISE.

24

5

5

24

10

21

Measurement goods per month $2 per ton of 40 cubic feet. Heavy goods $1 50 per ton of 2,000 pounds-or in either case the amount actually paid. The consignee to have the option of charging by weight or measurement. A fraction of a month to be charged as a month.

SCHEDULE 4TH.-CONCERNING DELIVERY OF MERCHANDISE, PAYMENT OF Freights, etc. When no express stipulation exists, per bill of lading, goods are to be considered deliverable on shore.

Freight on all goods to be paid or secured to the satisfaction of the captain or consignee of the vessel, prior to the delivery of goods.

Goods must be received by the consignee after notice being given of the ship's readiness to discharge in five days, when not otherwise stipulated in the bill of lading.

After the delivery to the purchaser of merchandise sold, no claims for damage, deficiency, or other cause, shall be admissible, unless made within three days, and no such claims shall be admissible after goods sold and delivered have once left the city.

SCHEDULE 5TH.-CONCERNING FOREIGN BILLS OF LADING.

When foreign bills of lading do not expressly stipulate the payment of freight in a specific coin, foreign currency shall be reckoned according to the United States value thereof, and payment may be made in any legal tender of the United States.

Where foreign bills of lading expressly stipulate that the freight shall be paid in a specified coin, then the same must be procured if required, or its equivalent given, the rate to be determined by the current value at the time in San Francisco.

SCHEDULE 6TH.-CONCERNING RATES OF TARES.

To be allowed as by custom in New York.

The Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco was organized, May 1, 1850; Incorporated November 3, 1851. Officers for 1853: President, Beverly C. Sanders; First Vice President, Geo. Lewis Cooke; Second Vice President, Geo. Clifford; Secretary, Treasurer, and Librarian, Lewis W. Sloat; Committee of Appeals, D. L. Russ, S. B. Thomas, J. J. Chauviteau, Edwin Herrick, W. T. Coleman, I. Friedlander.

MACUQUINO CURRENCY, ISLAND OF PORTO RICO.

TO COLLECTORS AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, May 1st, 1854. Since the date of the General Instructions, No. 21, transmitted to you on the 10th ultimo, this department has been advised by the consul of the United States at St. Johns, in the island of Porto Rico, that the authorities of that island bad determined, on the 20th March last, that, after that date, the value of the silver dollar of the United States of the coinage of 1853 and after, should be at the rate of one hundred and eighty cents Macuquino, or eight per cent premium over the Macuquino currency of the said island of Porto Rico.

You will be regulated accordingly, in your estimate of duties on invoices of goods from said island arriving at your port.

JAMES GUTHRIE, Secretary of the Treasury.

JOURNAL OF INSURANCE.

LIFE INSURANCE.

CONSTRUCTION OF INSURANCE POLICY-CREDITOR'S RIGHT TO INSURE HIS DEBTOR'S LIFE, The Supreme Court of New York (City) made in April, 1854, the following decision in the case of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York vs. Ambrose Wager, Judge Mitchell on the bench :

This was an action to recover back the amount of a policy of insurance paid to defendant, on the ground that the policy was fraudulently obtained. It appeared that in the year 1845 the defendant effected with plaintiffs a policy of insurance on the life of W. Frisbee, of Rhinebeck, for $2,500. Frisbee lived for about six years after the policy was effected, and then died, and the plaintiffs paid the amount of it to the defendant. They now seek to recover it back, on the grounds that when the policy was effected, and for some time before, Frisbee was in consumption, and also that he was not indebted to the defendant to the amount of the policy, or to any extent.

Medical and other witnesses were examined at both sides, as to Frisbee's health at the time the policy was effected, and afterwards; from which it appeared that for many years before his death he was affected with chronic bronchitis, and that he sometimes spit blood; but it did not appear that the spitting of blood was of such a character as to denote consumption, or disease of the lungs. It also appeared, that when the policy was made the plaintiffs were informed that he had a chronic bronchitis. As to his not being in debt to the defendant, several witnesses, who were intimate with Frisbee, testified that they were not aware that he was indebted to the defendant. But the negative testimony was met by the positive testimony of other witnesses, who deposed that defendant was constantly in the habit of advancing money to Frisbee.

The court charged the jury. The two most important questions for them to determine were, first, had Frisbee a spitting of blood within the meaning of the policy, or any disease that would shorten life? If he had either of those diseases, the plaintiffs were entitled to recover. If he had neither of those diseases, the plaintiffs cannot recover on that ground. Or if he had either or both of those diseases, and that defendant had no knowledge of it, then the plaintiffs cannot recover. There must have been one or the other of those diseases, and it must have been known to defendant. the meaning of "spitting of blood," the definition I give of it is, any spitting of blood which would tend to shorten life, or be as dangerous to life as any one of the diseases mentioned in the policy, being rupture, fits, dropsy, asthma, or spitting of blood. But it must have existed at the time the policy was effected, or antecedent to it.

As to

The only other question of law is, as to the rights of the company to recover, because the defendant had no interest in the life of the person insured. It is said that he had an interest in it, because he was his creditor. If he informed the company, when the insurance was being effected, that it was made for what was then due to him by Frisbee, and also for what advances he would afterward make him, then those advances would be protected by the policy. But if the whole of those advances did not amount to $2,500, then he would be entitled to no more than he advanced; and if he recovered $2,500, and there was not so much due to him by Frisbee, then the company would be entitled to the difference. In regard to Frisbee's state of health, there was no doubt that in 1841 he had a chronic bronchitis, and that from that time to his death he had a severe cough in the morning, and threw up mucus, and was relieved; but it was not very frequent or severe, as it only required the attendance of a doctor twice. But that does not come within the medium of the policy, and I think the fair conclusion is, that at the time the policy was made, Frisbee was not in consumption: If after the policy was made, defendant had knowledge of Frisbee's state of health, that would not affect the policy. If it were a mere wager policy, the plaintiff's are entitled to recover. But if the jury come to the conclusion that advances were made by defendant to the amount of the policy, and that Frisbee, at the time the policy was made, had no disease within the meaning of the policy, or that if he had it was unknown to defendant, then they should find for defendant.

Verdict for defendant. The court also awarded $100 to the defendant, on the ground that the suit was improperly brought.

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PROPERTY DESTROYED BY FIRE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

A late number of the Alta California contains an elaborate account of the third annual celebration of the San Francisco Fire Department. After the reading of an ode written for the occasion, the Hon. EDWARD STANLEY delivered an oration, from which we make the following extract, showing the loss of property by fire since May 4th, 1850:

"With all the energy of our people, aided by some of the best from other climesby the lively, impetuous, enterprising countrymen of Lafayette-by the indomitable energy and resolute spirit of the English and Irish-by the industrious and steady German, much was still wanting. This want was supplied by the organization of our fire companies. For in 1849, when men of foresight and judgment began to believe a city would be founded here, when stores were erected and dwelling houses built, the fire came, and in a few hours how many bright prospects were blasted! How many houseless and unprotected heads were wandering here, that a few hours before were comfortable, and calculating on long years of happy enjoyment? How many millions of property were destroyed by fire in a day, before your organization?

Let a few facts, which an intelligent gentleman, an active member of one of your companies, has furnished me, answer:

On December 24, 1849, fire destroyed property amounting to...
May 4, 1850, property amounting to...
June 14, 1850, property amounting to.

September 17, 1850, property amounting to
October 31, 1850, property amounting to..
December 14, 1850, property amounting to

In one year....

On May 4, 1851, property amounting to...
June 22, 1851, property amounting to.

In eighteen months.....

Fires since that time

Total....

$1,250,000

4,250,000

3,500,000

1,000,000

250,000

1,000,000

$11,250,000

12,000,000

2,500,000

$25,750,000

1,500,000

$27,250,000

In a period of eighteen months, more than twenty-five millions were destroyed; since that time, more than two years, not two millions! not as much as was destroyed at a late fire in New York. And may we not now, when with pride we behold what our city now is, may we not say, if you seek for any monument of what our firemen have done Walk through our streets and look around you?"

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The number of insurance companies in the country is not known; but it is to be

presumed that few, if any of them, except in the cities above-mentioned, have any foreign stockholders.

MARINE LOSSES BY BOSTON COMPANIES.

The new ship Troubadour, of Boston, Capt. Pedrick, from Newburyport for New Orleans, was lost on Berry Islands, 26th of March, 1854. She was a good ship, of 1.200 tons, and was on her first voyage. She was owned by Messrs. Fisher & Co. There was insurance to the amount of $95,000 on vessel and freight, at the following offices in Boston:

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The ship Saxony, of Boston, from Halifax for Mantanzas, has also been wrecked off Cape Florida. The vessel is insured in Boston for about $20,000.

The brig Salisbury, of Newburyport, lost on Berry Islands, is insured in Boston at the Alliance office.

POLICY OF INSURANCE-AVERAGE LOSS-SET-OFF.

Where the claim of a plaintiff is for an average loss on a policy of insurance on goods, the defendant cannot set up a counter demand for other matters, or, in technical language, cannot plead a set off; it being a rule of law that a plea of set-off cannot be pleaded to a demand for unliquidated damages, and it has been invariably considered that a claim for an average loss on a policy of insurance is a demand for unliquidated damages.—Castelli vs. Boddington, 20, Law Times Rep., 64.

NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

EXHIBITION OF A NEW REVOLVING LIGHT AT NORTH RONALDSHAY, AND ALTERATION OF THE START-POINT LIGHT FROM A REVOLVING LIGHT TO A FIXED LIGHT.

1. NORTH RONALDSHAY LIGHTHOUSE.

The Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses hereby give notice that a new lighthouse is being built upon the Island of North Ronaldshay, in Orkney, the light of which will be exhibited on the night of Friday the 1st September, 1854, and every night thereafter, from the going away of daylight in the evening, to the return of daylight in the morning.

The following is a description of the lighthouse and the appearance of the light, by Mr. David Stevenson, Engineer to the Commissioners :—

The lighthouse is in N. lat. 59° 23′ 15′′ and W. long. 2° 23′ 38′′; it stands on the northern point of the Island of North Ronaldshay, and by compass it bears from Moul head of Papa Westra W. N. W. N., distance 15 nautic miles; and from StartPoint of Sanday Lighthouse, S. S. W. W., distance 6 miles.

The North Ronaldshay Light will be known to mariners as a revolving light, producing a bright flash of the natural color once in every 10 seconds. It will be visible all round the compass. The lantern is elevated 140 feet above the level of the sea; and the light will be seen at the distance of about 18 nautic miles, and at lesser distances, according to the state of the atmosphere.

2. START-POINT LIGHTHOUSE.

The Start Point Light, which is 6 miles from North Ronaldshay Light, being at present a revolving light, producing a bright flash once in every minute, the Commissioners further give notice, that on and after the night of Friday, the 1st September, 1851, when the new revolving light at North Ronaldshay is to be exhibited, the present revolving light at Start Point will be changed to a fixed light of the natural color. By order of the Board,

ALEX. CUNNINGHAM, Secretary.

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