Ordinary Usance at such of the foregoing Places as present any uniform Rule of Practice. Holland ... Italy and Germany. GENOA...... From London and Lisbon. Amsterdam, Hamburgh, GIBRALTAR..... On London..... Mercantile bills on London LEGHORN.... From London and Lisbon..... 1 month after date. 2 ditto. 1 to 2 ditto. 14 days after sight. Ditto. 1 month after date. i 15 days after sight. 60 days after date. 2 months ditto. 14 days after sight. Uncertain. 14 days after accept ance. 30 days after date. 15 days after sight. 3 months after date. 2 months ditto. 8 days after sight. (90 days after date in war time, and in peace 63. H VENICE ..... On and from London.. Amsterdam and Hamburgh VIENNA ..... On and from England. For various other usances and days of grace, with sundry exceptions and regulations, see the Universal Cambist, vol. i. Lloyd's List explained, or the London Course of Exchange. ENGLISH STANDARDS OF GOLD AND SILVER. It may be proper here to explain the standards both of gold and silver coins. The fineness of gold is expressed in carats and grains: the pound being divided into 24 carats, and the carat into 4 grains The fineness of silver is expressed in ounces and pennyweights; the pound being divided into 12 oz., and the oz. into 20 dwt. or 480 gr. ENGLISH STANDARDS FOR COINS. The standard, or legal fineness of gold is 22 carats-that is, the pound or other weight should contain 22 parts of pure gold, and 2 parts of alloy. The standard of silver is 11 oz. 2 dwt. of pure metal, and 18 dwt. of alloy-making together 1 lb. troy. ENGLISH STANDARDS OF WROUGHT GOLD AND SILVER. Wrought gold and silver have each two legal standards, The gold is 22 carats as for coins, and also 18 carats. The latter commenced in 1798, and is chiefly used for watch-cases and rings. The general standard for wrought silver is the same as that for coin, but there is another, which is called New Sterling, though of ancient standing. This is 11 oz. 10 dwt. fine, with 10 dwt. of alloy. The money standards of both metals are marked with a lion; the new standard for wrought gold with the number 18; and the new sterling for silver, with the figure of Britannia and a lion's head. Articles of all standards in both metals, except watch-cases, are subject to a certain duty, and are marked with the king's head when that duty is paid. They are likewise marked according to the place where they are assayed. Thus, the mark of the Goldsmith's office is a leopard's head; that of the Assay office of Dublin, a harp; of Edinburgh, a thistle; of Newcastle, three castles; of Sheffield, a crown; and of Birmingham, an anchor. ALGIERS.-Accounts are kept in saimes or doubles, of 50 aspers: also in patacas chicas of 8 tomins, or 232 aspers. A piastre or pataca gourda contains 3 patacas chicas; a tomin, 2 carubes or 29 aspers. A sultanin passes for 8 patacas chicas, more or less; a sequin, for 10 ditto; a Portuguese dobraon, or joanese of 6400 rees, for 36 ditto. A Spanish dollar is worth from 43 to 4 patacas chicas; hence the said pataca 114d. sterling. The principal weight is the rottolo, and is divided into 16 ounces. 100 rottoli .... = 119 lb. avoirdupois ; and therefore 100 lb. avoirdupois.... = 84,033 rottoli. Heavy goods are weighed by the cantaro, which differs from 100 to 200 rottoli, according to the nature of the goods. The measure for corn and dry goods is called tarrie, 16 of which make the caffise. 1 caffise 9 bushels nearly, Winchester measure. The measure for oil, called metalli, weighs 37 lb. 6 oz. avoirdupois. The measure for cloth is called a pic, and is of two sorts-the Turkish pic and the Moorish. The former, which is used for cloth, is 24- English inches, and the latter, for linen, 18 inches. AMERICA. The American continent has been divided into four separate portions, respectively distinguished by appellations indicative. of the goverments under which they subsist; viz. Spanish, Portuguese, British, and Independent. Of the first named of these, the appellation is now become inappropriate, the governments of Buenos Ayres, Chili, Columbia, Peru, and Mexico, having subsisted for some time in a state of independence; and for the purpose of maintaining commercial relations with these new republics, Consuls are now appointed to them by the British government. The province of Chili abounds in gold, silver, tin, copper, quicksilver, and lead. Paraguay, beside the articles just enumerated, has a variety of precious stones; the cotton tree is a native of the country; and wax and honey are abundant. In the province of Peru are the famous mines of Potosi, which produce silver in greater plenty than is to be found in any other part of the world. The town of Potosi is the largest in Peru, and here is a great mart for all sorts of European commodities, which are easily exchanged for silver. They have articles for exportation, the tree which yields the Peruvian bark, the balsam of Peru, rhubarb, sarsaparilla, dragon's blood, storax, guaiacum, and many other vegetable productions of great use. Peru has so many fine ports along its coast, that it may be considered the maritime province of all South America. The trade here flows through three channels: by the Straits of Magellan from Europe; through the North Pacific from India and Mexico, or Guatimala; and through the interior, with the southern provinces of Chili and Buenos Ayres. Its exports and imports have been doubled within the last twenty years; and the principal branch of its commerce is that carried on round Cape Horn. The exports of Peru, as has been observed, are chiefly gold, silver, brandies, sugar, pimento, salt, wool, and some coarse woollens. Its imports are most kinds of European goods, especially silks, linens, cottons, and fine woollens; mercury, glass, wax, paper, medicines, wines, books, furniture, &c. Mexico.-Accounts are kept here, and in all other parts of Spanish America, in pesos or dollars of eight reals, the real being divided into halves and quarters. This real is occasionally divided into 16 parts; and also into 34 maravedis of Mexican plate. The gold coins are doubloons of eight escudos d'oro, worth 16 pesos, (with a premium of about eight per cent.,) with halves, quarters, &c. in proportion. The doubloon may be valued at £3. 6s. 2d. sterling. The silver coins are pesos Mexicanos or dollars, worth 4s. 4 d. sterling, with halves and quarters. The quarters, in Spain, are called pecetas Mexicanas. There are also eighths or reals, which in Spain are valued at 21 quartos; also half reals. The weights and measures of Mexico are those of Spain. Portuguese America, commonly called Brazil, is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, from the river Plata to the river Amazon, a length of more than 2000 miles. St. Salvador, or Bahia, is the great mart of commerce. It is situated on the bay of All Saints, nearly midway between the two extremities of the coast that acknowledges the sway of the Brazilian monarch. It is a large, well-built populous town, situated on a great eminence above the port, in a fine climate, and continually refreshed by the breezes from the sea; nearly impregnable if properly defended. It is a place of great trade, although the town is on an inconvenient eminence above the port. Accounts in Brazil are kept in milrees and rees; 1000 rees making a milree. For the coins of Brazil, see Lisbon; also Portugal. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. The weights and measures of Brazil are nominally those of Portugal, and the weights are in general correctly so, but great variation exists in the measures of capacity. Thus in the province of Maranham, the alquiere, the measure for Indian corn, or maize, rice, coffee in husks, salt, and other dry commodities, is computed at 1 bushel Winchester measure; while in Bahia it is estimated at one bushel only, and in Pernambuco and Rio Janeiro it also varies considerably. Wine and olive oil, imported, pay duty by the pipe, hogshead, or barrel, but there is no fixed standard measure for these liquids. They are retailed by the fiasco, or case bottle, which contains about 44 pints, English wine measure. Cachaça, or Brazil rum, all oils, &c. made in Brazil, are retailed by the standard measure called quartilho, and its divisions. The quartilho contains three pints English wine measure. The long measure are the covado and the vara, as at Lisbon. For the exchanges of Brazil, and other particulars, see Rio Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, situated on a river of the same name, about two leagues from the main ocean, and to the southward of Bahia, is the seat of government, and of great mercantile importance. It was formerly known more commonly by the name of St. Sebastian. It has an admirable port, well guarded, and is much resorted to on account of the gold and diamond mines in its neighbourhood. The royal mint is here, as well as manufactories of sugar, rum, and cochineal. MONIES. Accounts are kept here, as in Portugal, in rees, 1000 making the milree ; 100,000 being 100 milrees; and 1,000,000 = 1000 milrees, commonly called a conto of rees. For the coins, see Portugal. The metallic circulation of the country is increased by the currency of bars or ingots of gold, of various sizes and assays; but each accompanied by its proper certificate of value. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. The weights and measures here are understood to be the same as those of Portugal; but there are exceptions with respect to measures of capacity, especially in other parts of the Brazils, for which see Brazil. EXCHANGES. The exchanges of Rio de Janeiro are similar to those of Lisbon, except that no national paper is adopted. Thus London gives to Rio de Janeiro 60d. more or less for the milrea, reckoned in specie. Fernambuco, or, as it is vulgarly called, Pernambuco, is another great commercial town, about as much to the northward of Bahia, as Rio is to the south, and considered as even more inaccessible than the other two. There are many other ports of consideration in the Brazils, but of little commercial importance compared with those which have been noticed. More sugar is exported from this country than from all parts of the world, besides cotton-wool of the finest quality; tobacco, maize, or Indian corn, all the fruits of the tropical climates; woods of various kinds; medicinal drugs in prodigious numbers; gold, and diamonds, with several other precious stones. Their imports are almost beyond numeration; light woollens and linens of all kinds and descriptions, thread, and lace of both thread and cotton, as well as silver and gold; hats, stockings of all sorts, ale, porter, wine, spirits, books, boots and shoes, fire-arms, music and musical instruments of all sorts; wheat, barley, meal, biscuits, nails, cutlery, and, in short, almost every European commodity not inapplicable to a warm climate. BRITISH AMERICA, consisting of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, &c. calls for little observation, connected with the object of this work. . Accounts are kept in the same manner as in Great Britain; but the currency differs 11 per cent.; one pound being equivalent to 18s. sterling, or £100 sterling to £111. 2s. 23d. currency. UNITED STATES, formerly known by the appellation of the "Independent American States," distinguishes its exports at the treasury of the government, into four kinds. 1. Produce of the Sea; 2. Produce of Forests; 3. Produce of Agriculture; 4. Manufactures, &c. Respecting the first of these, viz. the Produce of the Sea, it is sufficient to observe in this place, that for smoked, dried, and pickled |