They soon returned with the approval of all the conditions desired, except the saluting the flag as it was lowered; and this exception was subsequently removed after correspondence.

The evacuation was completed after saluting the flag; in doing which, one man was instantly killed, one mortally and four severely wounded, by the premature discharge of a gun and explosion of a pile of cartridges.

After the cessation of fire, about 600 shot marks on the face of the scarp wall were counted, but they were so scattered that no breached effect could have been expected from such fire, and probably none was attempted except at the right gorge angle. The only effect of the direct fire during the two days was to disable three barbette guns, knock off large portions of the chimneys and brick walls projecting above the parapet, and to set the quarters on fire with hot shot. The vertical fire produced more effect, as it prevented the working of the upper tier of guns, which were the only really effective guns in the fort, being columbiads, 8-inch sea-coast howitzers, and 42-pounders principally, and also prevented the use of the columbiads arranged in the parade to be used as mortars against Cummings' Point.

The weakness of the defence principally lay in the lack of cartridge bags, and of the materials to make them, by which the fire of the fort was all the time rendered slow, and toward the last was nearly suspended.

The contest continued thirty-two hours, and the weapons used were of the most destructive character, and in skilful hands, but no life appears to have been lost on either side.

The garrison was taken by the steamer Isabel to the Baltic, which lay off the harbor, and thence transported to New York. The naval force and supplies which had been sent to the relief of the fort by the Government, arrived off Charleston harbor previous to the commencement of the assault, but were prevented from entering the harbor by a gale of wind, until after the attack began. The vessels, how ever, continued outside, and there was no communication between them and the fort.

by the steam transports Atlantic, Baltic, and Illinois.

The official notification of the surrender of the fort, sent by Major Anderson to the War Department, was as follows:

STEAMSHIP BALTIC, off Sandy Hook, April 18, 1861-10.30 A. M., via New York. S Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four hours, until the quarters were entirely burnt, the main gates destroyed by fire, the gorge walls seriously injured, closed from the effects of heat; four barrels and three the magazine surrounded by flames, and its door cartridges of powder only being available, and no provisions remaining but pork, I accepted terms of evacuation offered by General Beauregard-being the same offered by him on the 11th instant, prior to the com mencement of hostilities-and marched out of the fort on Sunday afternoon, the 14th instant, with colors flying and drums beating, bringing away company and private property, and saluting my flag with fifty guns. ROBERT ANDERSON, Major First Artillery Commanding. Hon. SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War, Washington.

Major Anderson is a native of the State of Kentucky. He received his first commission as brevet 2d Lieut. of 2d Artillery, on July 1st, 1825, and was an acting Inspector-General in the Black Hawk war, and received the rank of ful conduct in the Florida war. brevet Captain in August, 1838, for his successOn Sept. 8th, 1847, he was made brevet Major for his gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Molino

del Rey in Mexico. Upon an improvement of his health, after the surrender of Fort Sumter, dered to the Department of Kentucky. (See he was appointed Brigadier-General, and orKENTUCKY.) Here, his health again failing him, he was obliged to retire from active

service.

The force and supplies thus sent by the Government was composed as follows:

Total number of guns, (for marine service,) Total number of men and troops,

GUNS. MEN.

10

11

5

200 275

96

353

Nearly thirty launches, whose services are useful in effecting a landing of troops over shoal water, and for attacking a discharging battery when covered with sand and gunny bags, were taken out by the Powhatan, and

On the reception of the news of the surrender, a salute of thirty guns was fired at Reading, Penn., in honor of Major Anderson. Three salutes with the same object were fired in Philadelphia. A hundred guns were fired in Boston, Mass.; and the citizens of Taunton, in the same State, voted to present him a sword. The excitement occasioned by this attack united the North in support of the Government.

TACONIC SYSTEM. The most interesting subject of discussion among American geologists, shared in to some extent by those of Europe, is the question of the recognition of the "Taconic System" of Dr. E. Emmons. This division of stratified rocks underlying the lower silurian was proposed by him in 1842, in his final report on the geology of that portion of New York of which he had charge; and in 1844 he published a work expressly devoted to this subject, entitled "The Taconic System." The same arrangement was originally proposed by Professor Eaton, the geologist; and Dr. Emmons, in adopting it, subdivided the group as follows, cominencing with the lowest member: 1. Granular Quartz; 2. Stockbridge Limestone; 3. Magnesian Slates; 4. Sparry Limestone; 5. Roofing Slates; 6. Silicious Conglomerates; 7. Taconic Slates; 8. Black Slates. He traced the series along the eastern border of New York, from the southern extremity of the State through western Massachusetts and central Vermont into Canada, and named it from the range of mountains containing these strata, which runs nearly north and south near the eastern boundary line of New York. He and other geologists afterwards recognized the same group as extending the whole length of the Appalachian chain, and attaining a thickness of some 30,000 feet. Its metamorphic character, the uplifted and even supposed overturned position of the strata, and the obscurity of the few fossils they contained, had always rendered it extremely difficult to deterimne its true relations to the adjacent. What Dr. Emmons regarded as its upper members seemed indeed to pass under the gneiss of the Green Mountains, which Dr. E. regarded as a primitive azoic rock; and this could be explained only on the supposition of a grand overthrow of the whole belt of palæozoic rocks. The fossils observed were a few graptolites in the black slates, and in some of the other strata fucoides, what appeared to be trails of annelides, and two trilobites, which Dr. E. designated Atops trilineatus and Elliptocephala asaphoides, and believed to be characteristic of the system, and of especial interest as the oldest representatives of animal life. His views were opposed from the first by most of the American geologists. The Professors Rogers of Pennsylvania and Virginia found, as they believed, a gradual passage of the sandstones, shales, and limestones of the lower silurian, into these obscure groups on leaving their more western and comparatively little disturbed outcrops, and approaching the highly metamorphic districts on the eastern side of the Appalachian chain, thus proving the two to be of the same age; and Professor Hall, of the New York survey, regarded the trilobites of Dr. Emmons, the first named, as identical with the Trianthrus Beckii, the characteristic trilobite of the Utica

slate, and referred the other to the genus Olenus, another species of which was known in the Hudson River slates, and in no lower rocks. Thus both on stratigraphical and paleontological grounds the most eminent geologists of the country classed these disputed strata with the lower silurian, and the Taconic_system was naturally treated with neglect. In Canada the same group has been traced by the Canadian geologists, from the northern extremity of Vermont to the neighborhood of Quebec, and thence along the south side, of the St. Lawrence to the mouth of that river, at Cape Gaspé; and has everywhere been referred to the Hudson River group of the New York survey, or the upper members of the lower silurian. It is not a little remarkable, that after this question had been considered settled by most geologists for as many as 10 or 15 years, it should have been brought up again by a geologist in Austria, M. Joachim Barrande, who recognized in the description, by Professor Hall, of three trilobites found in the uppermost slates of the Hudson River group, near the town of Georgia, Vermont, and named by him Olenus Thompsoni, O. Vermontana, and Peltura (Olenus) holopyga, the characters of the trilobites of the primordial fauna of Europe, a new group of fossils established by him, of an older date than those of silurian age. Hence, on the ground that each geological epoch has its proper and characteristic forms, which once extinct reappear no more, he questions whether these fossils are not from a formation older than the Potsdam sandstone, and that this is the “Taconic group" of Dr. Emmons.

The discovery, in 1860, of a great number of mollusca, articulata, graptolide, and radiata in the calcareous strata of the Quebec group, found near Quebec, Canada, a formation considered of the same age with the slates of Georgia, Vermont, furnished full evidence of this group being at least as ancient as the Potsdam sandstone, and perhaps belonging to the primordial zone of Barrande. Professor Hall, however, while admitting that these rocks on palæontological evidence are of greater age than had been before admitted, still hesitates to admit that the occurrence of a small number of established primordial types should be sufficient authority for bringing into this zone a large number of genera associated with them, and heretofore regarded as beginning their existence in the second stage, or succeeding fauna; and consequently does not recognize the lower portion of the rocks of the Quebec group as constituting a part of the Taconic system.

Other evidence of the occurrence of the primordial zone in the United States is afforded by the discovery of the trilobite Paradoxides Harlani, in the metamorphic slates at Braintree, Mass., announced by Professsor W. B. Rogers

in 1856. Until this discovery, data were entirely wanting upon which to base the age of these palæozoic slates; and this genus being peculiar in Bohemia, Sweden, and Great Britain, to the lowest fossiliferous strata, the slates are now referred to the same position, and are claimed by the advocates of the Taconic system as belonging to the lower portion of this group. In Wisconsin and Iowa, the lowest fossiliferous rocks also contain Paradoxides, Dikellocephalus, &c., which render it questionable whether they too do not belong to an older group than the Potsdam sandstone, to which they have heretofore been referred.

The recognition of the Taconic system is strongly opposed by Mr. T. Sterry Hunt, of the Canadian survey. He does not admit the overturned position of the strata as explained by Dr. Emmons; nor the greater age of the Green Mountain gneiss, than that of the rocks it rests upon. He considers this the Sillery sandstone metamorphosed, and in its regular position upon the granular quartz and Stockbridge limestone, which with the other groups, excepting the Taconic slates, and Black slates, (7 and 8 of the series named above,) are regarded as the Quebec group, having the same stratigraphical position and lithological characters; and this group by its fossils is the paleontological equiv alent of the calciferous sandrock of the lower silurian. The slates beneath, (which Dr. Emmons places at the summit of his system,) Mr. Hunt admits, may contain a fauna distinct from the Potsdam, and hence "might be retained under the name of the Taconic formation, as a lower member of the primordial zone, to which the Potsdam sandstone unquestionably belongs." * * * "It yet remains to be seen whether Dr. Emmons can retain from the wreck of his system the lower slates as a Taconic formation older than the Potsdam sandstone of Lake Champlain, and subordinate to the primordial zone, whose fossils he was the first to recognize."

The subject is discussed in a number of papers, in the March, May, and November numbers of the "American Journal of Science" for 1861, and also in the "Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History," 1860-62. TARIFF. The tariff of duties on imported goods has been the means on which the Federal Government, during its existence, may be said to have exclusively depended for its support, and it has been amply sufficient, not only for that purpose, but for affording money to extend the territories, carry on wars, execute treaties, and accumulate a large property in lands, buildings, war materials, &c. It has also been for many years an issue of animating interest between political parties, and thereby for a long time postponed more exciting and dangerous questions. The friends and opponents of the measure have in the main admitted that it is the best means for raising the public revenue since direct taxes, although readily paid for State, town, and county purposes, are impolitic for Federal

revenue. It has nevertheless been charged by the opponents of duties that their ultimate effect is very injurious to the agricultural interests. The great wealth of the country has consisted in its cheap lands, from which large annual products are drawn; but these, being greatly in excess of the home consumption, derive their chief value from the exports to foreign countries. The proceeds come home in the shape of goods on which the tax is laid, not only for the purpose of revenue, but to protect the home manufacture of the same article, which is raised in price to the consumer to the amount of the tax; consequently the agricultural producer who consumed the imported or domestic goods, paid not only the Government tax, but the tribute or bonus to the manufacturer. The result in a long period manifests itself in vast wealth to those manufacturing districts that were formerly poor, and in continued comparative poverty in the agricultural regions, where much wealth has been produced. The friends of the tariff denied this effect, but alleged that to admit foreign goods freely in exchange for produce would ruin the whole country. These debates and discussions had at times occasioned much excitement; but, nevertheless, when the Government has, through commercial revulsions, been in want of money, all parties have united in increasing the tariff of duties. The revenue from this source has, in times of prosperity and great commercial activity, far exceeded the wants of the Government, and it has fallen short of those demands when financial reverses have overtaken the country. This has been a main reason why there has been so little stability in the revenue laws. In the forty years, up to 1860, some twelve general changes took place in the rates charged, and in 1861 the difficulties growing out of the war united all parties in support of higher duties, and three alterations took place in the view of obtaining more revenue for the Government. The protectionists did not fail, however, to seize the opportunity for discrim inating in favor of the articles in which they were interested, even to the extent of diminishing the revenue by prohibiting the importation.

The operation of high duties, at a time of much general commercial depression, has more of a prohibitory nature by far, than in times of activity and speculative excitement. The prosperity of the past few years, with abundance of money and raw materials, had stocked the markets with goods that found an inadequate demand when the war paralyzed trade. The tendency of prices was downward, and such a moment was not propitious for higher duties, which raised the cost of goods. The new tariff did not therefore, in the first few months of its operation, produce the revenue expected from it.

The following table shows the alterations that have taken place since 1821, the amount of customs revenue, and the annual imports free and dutiable, with average rate of duty upon the whole imports:

revenue of each tariff:

218,179,566

Total... 89

122,015,500 297,832,015 41 625,836,002 31 16,622,746 69,534,601 231 97,109,442 295,178,151 33 528,957,872 2,173,428,818 244 144,542,956

741,218,216 20

34 $1,308,546,177 $4,709,024,145 29 The highest amount of duties ever received in any one year was in 1854, and the aggregate revenue was 25 per cent. of the dutiable imports. The highest average of duty was in 1830, under the tariff of 1828, with the additional duties of 1830. The aggregate revenue was then over 48 per cent. of the dutiable imports, and the free list was by no means large. In the following year additions were made to the free list, and under the compromise of 1833 biennial reductions in rates were made until the year 1842. In that and the following year, owing to the collapse in financial affairs, the revenue of the Government was small, and higher duties were imposed to improve the revenue. In 1846 the principle of protection was repudiated, and a tariff so imposed as to yield the largest revenue was enacted. For this purpose the whole list was divided into a

The

ent ad valorem duty. Simultaneously with this change a warehouse system and the Independent Treasury plan of finance were adopted. It happened also at the same time that, the harvests of Europe being short, a large export of breadstuffs took place, which necessarily enhanced the imports and consequently the revenue. From that time up to 1857 there was a regular increase in the amount of dutiable goods imported, bringing a larger revenue to the Government. surplus in the Treasury accumulated, and considerable sums had been expended in the purchase of the Government stock at high premiums, in order to deplete the Treasury. Under these circumstances the tariff of 1857 was framed, lowering, the rates of duties, and the operation of that tariff was marked by a financial revolution which reduced the amount of dutiable imports, notwithstanding the lower duties, and the revenue fell off 22 millions. The increase in the free list caused a decline in the average rate of duty. The commercial disasters of 1861 made it requisite again to raise the duties, at the same time the withdrawal of the Southern members from Congress left the protectionists in a majority, and the so-called Morrill Tariff, passed in March, came into operation in April. The change produced by this tariff was very great, not only in the rates levied, but in the manner of levying. The ad valorem principle of 1846 was set aside for specific du

ties, and in some cases both duties were levied on the same article, as in the case of woollens, on which 25 per cent. ad valorem is charged, and also 12 cents per lb. The complications were so great that it became almost impossible to make the correct entries, and to add to the difficulties, the non-intercourse with the Southern ports deranged the warehouse usages. The tariff reduced duties on certain articles, and in these cases entries from warehouse were permitted at the reduced rates; consequently the quantities placed in warehouse were large in March. The following orders are illustrative of the difficulties that presented themselves:

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, April 1, 1861. SIR Referring you to the Department's letter of the 30th ult., directing that no further entries of merchandise for transportation in bond can be allowed relative to shipments to the ports of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and Texas, I have now to instruct you that transportation bonds for merchandise to the ports referred to will be cancelled on the payment of duties at your office, in cases where the party shall satisfy you by his affidavit, to be filed with his bond, that the merchandise arrived at the port of destination, and that it was found impracticable, by reason of the existing condition of the affairs in those ports, to obtain the requisite cancelling certificate. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. P. CHASE, Secretary of the Treasury. AUGUSTUS SCHELL, Esq., Collector, &c., New York. The following order was issued by the col

lector:

CUSTOM HOUSE, New York, April 1, 1861. Under the tariff which goes into effect from and after this day, the specific duties will be made up by the entry clerks, in every case where it is practicable, upon the invoice quantity or measurements, subject to readjustment on receipt of the proper returns.

In cases where the duty cannot be made up from the invoice, a deposit will be taken sufficient to cover the duty, the estimate of which to be checked in the naval office. The accompanying schedule will serve as a guide to the entry clerks in estimating the amounts to be received as deposits on certain articles. In cases where articles are subject to rates of duty, varying according to the return of measurement, the highest rate (as was the practice under the former

tariff) will be assessed in the first instance, to be subsequently reduced on liquidation, should the returns rule, 30 per cent. ad valorem, will be the estimated when received, warrant such reduction. Under this charge on all linens and silks.

In all cases where the duties are ad valorem, specific, or secured by deposits, the invoice values will be reduced by the entry clerks to United States currency. voice (as formerly) in all cases, with rate of duty, ad valorem or specific.

The invoice amount will be written in full on the in

No amended entries will hereafter be made, but the original entry will be amended, (in red ink,) and in cases where a further sum of duty is due, immediate payment will be required.

The same rules will apply to entries for warehous ing. When goods are withdrawn at a less rate of duty, by virtue of the provisions of the new tariff, the differ ence of duty will be noted on the entry, and endorsed on the bond, to balance the amount originally assessed. AUGUSTUS SCHELL, Collector.

To the Entry and Amendment Clerks.

lector by a firm engaged in the leather trade: The following protest was filed with the colTo the Collector of the Port of New York:

SIR: We hereby protest against the payment of 15 per cent. charged on seven cases leather contained in this entry, because the duties on the same kind, description, character, and quality of leather are not levied and collected in other ports of the United States, by authority thereof, to wit: in the ports of the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and others; whereas, by the first clause of the eighth section of the first article of the Constitution of the United States it is expressly declared that "all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout ninth section of the same article it is declared that "no the United States;" and also by the fifth clause of the preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue, to the ports of one State over those of another." We pay the amount exacted in order to get possession of the goods, and claim to have the full

amount refunded.

The increasing necessities of the Government required a further alteration of the tariff, in which also some needful modifications were requisite for its working. In August a new change was made, and the leading charges were, as compared with the rates of former tariffs, as follows: