"We will conclude with a classified statement of registered vessels belonging to the United Kingdom, classed according to their capacity, but excluding river steamers from the table.

Registered Sailing and Steam Vessels of the United Kingdom, and Number】 of Men, exclusive of Masters, Employed in 1863.

Comparing this with the table giving the total registered tonnage of the United Kingdom on the 31st December, 1863, it appears that 6,972 river steamers, possessing an aggregate tonnage of 456,478 are excluded from the last statement."

III.—The Imports, the Home Consumption, and the Exports of France in 1863-64-65.

THESE statistics of the value of the principal articles of French commerce which were passed by the Customs during the three years ended with 1865, are taken from the Economist of the 10th February last :

"Customs returns issued within the last few days give the total results of the year 1865, and add to them a comparison of those of preceding years. It appears that the value of imports taken out of bond for consumption was in 1865 not less than 2,782,335,000 frs., whereas in 1864 it amounted to 2,528,150,000 frs.; in 1863 to 2,426,379,000 frs.; 1862 to 2,198,555,000 frs.; and in 1861 to 2,442,328,000 frs. The value of exports of French productions was, in 1865, 3,199,453,000 frs.; in 1864, 2,924,168,000 frs.; in 1863, 2,642,559,000 frs.; in 1862, 2,242,681,000 frs. ; and in 1861, 1,926,260,000 frs. In English money the imports of 1865 were 111,293,400l.; and in 1861, 97,693,200l. The exports in 1865, 127,978,120l.; and in 1861, 77,050,400l. An increase of 13,600,200l. in one branch of trade, and of 50,927,700l. in another, is undoubtedly remarkable, and even exceeds the most sanguine expectations that were formed of the treaties of commerce into which France has entered.

"The following is a detail of the principal imports taken out of bond for consumption in the last three years :--

"All the other articles imported were of less value than 20,000,000 frs. in 1865. Among them the following may interest English readers :—

"It will be observed that the import of iron is very small, and that of tissues and yarns much below what had been expected.

"The following were the principal exports of French productions :—

Cotton is counted as a French production, because it is considered nation. alised when import duty is paid on it.

"The way in which the estimate of articles imported is made is to take their value at the seaport or frontier at which they arrive, without, however, counting import duties, or the taxes, discounts, &c., adopted in commerce. The value of

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exports is also calculated at seaports or at the frontier, without counting export or transit duties, premiums or drawbacks.

"The precious metals, which are not included in the preceding figures, stand thus:

"In 1865 the imports exceeded the exports by 221,363,737 frs., and in 1864, by 82,669,454 frs. These two sums make 12,161,332l. English. In 1863 the exports exceeded the imports by 56,368,392 frs., or 2,254,5367.

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Subjoined is a detail of the countries from and to which imports and exports of the precious metals were made in 1865 :

:

On referring to the "Statistics of French Commerce," in vol. xxvii. of the Journal (p. 129 et seq.), the reader will be able to compare the value of most of the articles of import and export as given above, with the returns for 1861 and 1862. That account, with the present figures, will, therefore, show the trade in those articles for five consecutive years.-ED. S. J.

IV.-Arbitration in the Building Trade.

THE satisfactory settlement of trade disputes between masters and men by arbitration, is not common in this kingdom. Arbitration, however, is sometimes successful, as the Building News has recently shown with respect to certain trade differences at Wolverhampton.

"Since the adoption of the new rules by the masters and men of Wolverhampton, several instances have occurred in which the wisdom of that course has been proved. Only one dispute, however, has arisen since that step was taken, and that has been disposed of in the most amicable manner. Our local correspondent informs us that a builder in the town, who has the contract for the erection of a new circus, a temporary timber building in Darlington-street, employed some of his men part of the day in the workshop and the other part upon the circus, which, it appears, both parties agreed was an unprotected building. By Rule 4, it is provided that men working on unprotected buildings shall be paid d. per hour additional (to the 5 d.) for six weeks before and six weeks after Christmas day.' By Rule 5, the shops and works shall be open from six o'clock in the morning till half-past five in the evening for the first five working days of the week allowing one hour and a

half per day for the meals; but from six weeks before till six weeks after Christmas day workmen on unprotected buildings shall work from seven o'clock in the morning till five o'clock in the evening on the first five working days of the week, with one