COMMERCE.

Tonnage.—The‘size of registered American vessels engaged in foreign trade has been steadily
increasing, and has more than doubled within twenty years. Steam vessels were first enrolled in
1823 and first registered in 1830. They now form 12 to 15 per cent, of the total amount of tonnage.¹

Steamboats applying for registry, enrolment, or license must be inspected under the direc¬
tion of a Board of Supervising Inspectors. The United States is divided into 9 Supervising Dis¬
tricts, the 2d of which includes the seaboard and the 9th the lakes of New York. Steamboats are
required to be well guarded against fire, to have suitable pumps worked by hand and by steam,
at least two boats, and large steamers more, in proportion to their tonnage, (except upon rivers,) one
life preserver to every passenger, and a certain number of floats, and fire buckets and axes. Their
boilers, engines, and hull must be examined and approved by inspectors appointed by the Col¬
lector, the Supervising Inspector for the district, and the Judge of the U. S. District Court; and
every requirement of the law must be found complied with. Pilots and engineers on steamers
must be examined and licensed by the Inspectors. The present steamboat law was passed Aug.
30, 1852.²

The Coasting Trade of the United States is entirely restricted to American vessels', and
the share belonging to New York is very great; but from the want, of official returns it cannot be
definitely ascertained. Unless carrying distilled spirits or foreign goods, these vessels are not re¬
quired to report their entrance and clearance; and, as they oftener leave than arrive with these
articles, the number of clearances reported is disproportionately high.³

The affairs of commerce relating to police, sanitary, and municipal regulations are governed by