The whole amount being 8,789 barrels sperm oil, 175,232 barrels whale, and 2,130,712 pounds bone. The table does not include several vessels which cleared “to cruise," and which would reach the United States in September, 1857. The average catch the past season, 1856, was 808 barrels of oil, and 9,700 pounds bone while the average of 1855 was 1,021 barrels whale, and 11,000 pounds bone. The fleet of 1856 was about 190 vessels, while that of 1855 was 250, showing a difference of about 60 vessels-which, taken with the difference in the average catch, makes the whole catch of 1856 very small in comparison with 1855.

TRADE AND COMMERCE OF CANADA.

In the Merchants' Magazine for March, 1857, (vol. xxxvi., p. 361,) we published the tabular statement of the imports at the several ports of Canada in 1856, showing their value and the duties thereon; and in the number for April, 1857, an official comparative statement of the customs revenue of Canada during the first eleven months of the years 1855 and 1856. We now present a complete account of the trade and commerce of Canada in 1856, compared with similar returns for the years 1854 and 1855.

This shows a gradual increase of imports from the United States, which in 1854 amounted to $15,533,096, and in 1856 to $22,704,508-a total amount far exceeding the imports from Great Britain during the same year, which increase is to be attributed in a great measure to the reciprocity treaty.

STATEMENT OF IMPORTS INTO CANADA DURING THE YEAR 1856.

Annexed is a comparative statement of imports, exhibiting in contrast the value of, and amount of duties collected on, goods entered for consumption in Canada during the years 1854, 1855, and 1856, respectively :

The tonnage inwards and outwards, including the amount of coasting and ferryage on Canadian inland waters, and the intercourse by inland navigation between Canada and the United States during the year 1856, was--tonnage outwards, 6,287,397 tons; inwards, 6,190,329 tons; total, 12,245,667 tons, consisting of Canadian steam, 6,287,397 tons; Canadian sail, 830,726 tons; American steam, 4,763,326 tons; American sail, 364,218 tons; total, 12,245,667 tons.

The following is a statement showing the number of vessels entered outwards for sea, their tonnage, and the countries whence they came, during the years 1854, 1855, and 1856:

It is not generally known that the city of Charleston, S. C., is now, as it has been for some time past, carrying on a lucrative, direct trade with Spain, and that chiefly in the essential commodity of flour. From the Courier we obtain the following facts in relation to this important export trade from Charleston :

It is but a short time since that we noticed, as it was also by the commercial press throughout the country, the export of a cargo of flour from this port to Spain. Another instance connected with this new feature in our trade has come to our attention. The Spanish brig Maria Juana, Cerecede, master, cleared from this port yesterday for Santandar, Spain, having on board 1,018 barrels and 300 sacks of flour. This may seem somewhat singular, and acting upon the "coals of Newcastle" principle, as Santandar is the great flour depot of the south of Spain; but the cargo mentioned is of extra superior Lebanon and Denmead's brand, and far better than any that is grown or manufactured in Spain. The Maria Juana was cleared by Messrs. Cay, Montaner & Co.

NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

NEW COMPASS FOR MARINERS.

On the 13th, at the Liverpool Underwriters' Room, Mr. Ralph Reeder, of Cincinnati, U. S., exhibited an instrument, which is a combination of a universal dial and a chronometer, by means of which he claims to be enabled to take any horizontal bearing in any latitude, at any time of the day, by bringing the shadow of the gnomon to its proper place. The gnomon revolves by means of the chronometer, so as to perform one revolution in twenty-four hours; and when the instrument is leveled and elevated to true latitude, and adjusted at the meridian, the gnomon points steadily to the sun, which it follows in its course. And conversely, if the instrument be leveled and elevated to the latitude of the place and turned round horizontally till the gnomen points to the sun or till the shadow falls on the proper point, it will be adjusted to the meridian, and an angle or bearing may be laid on by a horizontal graduated motion. It will also solve practically all the problems which can be solved by any armillary sphere, or by spherical trigonometry, so far as its circles and their motions extend. For example-Having the declination and the time given, it will show the altitude and latitude, or having the declination and the meridian given, it will give both the time and the latitude at any hour and at any place. The Rev. Dr. Locke, M. D., Professor of Chemistry, &c., Medical College of Ohio, says the instrument is constructed on correct mathematical principals, and would undoubtedly be useful in high latitudes, where the magnetic needle traverses badly or not at all. Its accuracy depends wholly on the correctness of the chronometer or time-piece by which the index or gnomon is moved, and upon its adjustment to the meridian of the place. It would also be useful perhaps in ascertaining approximately the local declinations of the needle, in a common survey. It was tested in the Baltic, on her last voyage to Liverpool, and Captain Comstock speaks favorably of it.

CAUTION TO SHIPMASTERS NOT TO OMIT THE USE OF THE LEAD. The following letter is exhibited in the Underwriter' Room, Liverpool :--OFFICE OF THE COMMITTEE OF PRIVY COUNCIL FOR TRADE, MARINE DEPARTMENT, WHITEHALL, Nov. 3, 1856.

SIR-Referring to the letter from the department dated the 20th Nov. last, on the subject of the culpability of shipmasters in neglecting to use the lead, I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council for Trade to request that you will bring to the notice of the Liverpool Underwriters' Association the two following instances of wrecks which have occurred within a recent period, and in which, as it has been reported that the accidents were attributable, in a great measure, to the neglect of this precaution, my lords have suspended or canceled the certificates of the masters of the vessels. The first case is that of the Zebra screw steamer, which was lost near the Lizard Point on the 22d of July last. In reporting upon the case the court, consisting of Mr. Mansfield, the

stipendiary magistrate at Liverpool, and Captain Schomberg, emigration officer at that port, stated that they considered the omission of the use of the lead a very grave one, and one of the main causes of the loss of the ship. My lords, therefore, suspended the certificate of Mr. W. E. Betts, the master, for twelve months.

The second case is that of the Brunelle, stranded near Girvan, on the 14th September. The local marine board of Greenock conducted the inquiry, and reported that the master, Mr. Alexander L. Black, was guilty of misconduct, by neglect of duty, tending to the serious damage of the ship, one important element in such neglect being the omission to use the lead. My lords in this instance canceled Mr. Black's certificate of service, and sanctioned his going up for examination for a certificate of competency after a lapse of three months, in accordance with the recommendation of the local marine board.

My lords trust that the steps taken in these cases will tend to impress upon shipmasters the necessity of a due observance of the simple and obvious precaution which has been so much neglected.

I am sir, your obedient servant,

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE UNDERWRITERS' ASSOCIATION, LIVERPOOL.

JAMES BOOTH.

FUMIGATING AND VENTILATING SHIPS.

DR. REID, a well-known inventor, has contrived an apparatus for ventilating and fumigating ships, which it is believed will admirably answer its purpose. The machine, the principal feature of which is a large blower, by means of which air may be driven through tubes with great violence into any aperture, is taken to the ship on a steam tug, which may also supply the motive power. The hatches of the vessel are then shut down tight, with the exception of one left open at each end. A tub connecting with the ventilator is placed in one of these open hatches, and the air is forced in, creating a strong current through the entire hold and expelling the foul vapors at the other end. By closing this other hatch medicated smoke, supplied by a furnace attached to the machine, may be forced into every nook and crevice of the vessel and her cargo. By this process the fumigation of a ship can be performed in a very effectual manner in three or four days.

COMPOSITION FOR COATING SHIPS' BOTTOMS.

An improved composition for coating the bottoms of ships has been patented in England. This composition is made of one hundred and twelve pounds weight of dry white lead, eight pounds weight of dry lead, six pounds weight of litharge, three gallons of japanners' gold size, one gallon of boiled linseed oil, and half a gallon of spirits of turpentine. These are mixed well together and applied to the surface with a trowel. If preferred, the composition can be made more fluid by adding the turpentine and linseed oil in larger portions, so that it can be applied with a brush like common paint. It prevents the action of sea-water on the bottom of the ship, and no vegetable or animal matter can adhere.

POSTAL DEPARTMENT.

NEWSPAPER POSTAGE TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

The following is a list of the countries and places to which newspapers from the United States, according to an official statement published in the Washington Union of June 16th, 1857, cannot be forwarded via England, unless prepaid at a higher rate than four cents each, (United States and British postage.) The charges on a single newspaper to each of these countries via England are as follows-prepayment compulsory :

Upon newspapers to the following places the United States and British postage is four cents each, to which must be added a foreign postage beyond England of three cents for every half-ounce in weight-prepayment required :--Botuschany, Bucharest, Candia, Galatz, Jassy, Lornica, Mostar, Ratchuck, Salonica, Samsoun, Seres, Tchesme, Tenedos, Trebizond, Tultcha, and Varna. Postmasters should note these rates upon the table of postages to foreign countries.

THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT OF CANADA.

In the Merchants' Magazine for June, 1857, (vol. xxxvi., p. 757,) we published some statistics of the operations of the Post-office Department of Canada during 1856. The following abstract of the report of the department for the year ending March 31, 1856, enables us to present a full account of postal operations in the province for a series of years. The number of post-offices in the province amounts to 1,375. Of these, 82 had been established within the year. At the same date the number of miles of postal route was 11,839, while the annual mileage was 4,803,285 miles. By an average computation, the number of letters passing annually through the Post-office was reckoned to be 7,044,648.