Form and object.

When sent.

Foreign weights.

Expenses.

Information on undertakings and enterprises of moment, the construction of public works, the opening of mines, the granting of concessions for working minerals or forests, or for other similar purposes.

Information relating to technical and industrial education, and as to the functions assumed by the State in connection therewith.

Information relating to exhibitions, congresses, conferences, and other occasions on which traders meet or goods may be displayed.

Statistics of all kinds relating to commerce, shipping, and industry.

567. These reports should be brief, terse, and confined to one topic. The information they contain should be accurate, based upon official figures, where possible, and should be forwarded promptly to the Department. In their preparation Consuls should bear in mind the principal purpose to be served-the extension and encouragement of American industry and commerce. While it is desired and expected that Consular Officers should reply to all proper inquiries respecting the means of promoting the trade of the United States, it should be understood that the statute contemplates that the Consular publications should be the means of communicating Consular reports and commercial information to the public. Consular Officers are accordingly prohibited from furnishing copies of their reports, or reports or articles upon trade or commerce of their districts, for any other publication or to private persons. Such reports will be communicated only to the Department.

568. At the end of each year (calendar or fiscal) returns upon forms supplied by the Department must be prepared and forwarded promptly.

569. In all reports, foreign weights, measures, and currencies must be reduced to those of the United States.

570. Any expense to be incurred in the preparation of reports must be first submitted to the Department, the amount stated at least approximately, and the purpose for which the sum is to be expended. While the Department will construe liberally such applications and will assist in every way the efforts of Consular Officers to obtain early

and accurate information on matters of interest, no charges of this nature will be audited unless they have been expressly authorized.

REPORTS TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.

571. It is the duty of every Consular Officer to furnish to the Secretary of the Treasury, as often as shall be required, the prices-current of all articles of merchandise usually exported to the United States from the port or place in which he shall be located. They are also requested to transmit, at least once a month, if opportunity offers, to the Secretary of State and to the Comptroller of the Treasury, the rates of exchange, and also a statement of the rates at which any depreciated currency of the country in which they reside is compated in United States or Spanish dollars, or in silver or gold coins of other countries, observing in all cases of an estimate of the value of the currency in such foreign coins that their weight and standard should be made known to the Department.

572. Consular Officers will also report monthly to the Treasury Department the rates of exchange prevailing between the ports or places at which they reside and the following places, to wit: London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Hamburg; also New York, and other principal ports in the United States; and they will keep the Department regularly and fully advised of the course and progress of trade from the several ports of their Consulates to the United States.

573. Consular Officers will forward regularly, and as often as practicable, directly to the general appraisers residing at New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and San Francisco, such prices-current, manufacturers' statements of prices, or merchants' printed circulars of prices, and such other general information as may be useful to appraisers in the discharge of their duties. They will include in their several reports, in detail, information on any other points which they may think proper, in order to an ascertainment of the value of merchandise forwarded to the United States, and the assessment of the legal duties, forwarding any printed or other documents which they may think desirable that the Department should possess.

Prices-current.

Rates of exchange.

Information to appraisers.

Dispatch-book.

Letter-book.

Fee-book.

Passport-book.

Invoice-book.

Miscellaneous

record-book.

ARTICLE XXVIII.

Record Books and Archives.

The following record-books are to be kept at all inland Consulates and Commercial Agencies:

574. A dispatch-book, into which are to be copied all official communications written by the Consular Officer to the Department of State. Press copy-books are not to be considered as permanent records.

575. A letter-book, into which are to be copied all other official communications written by the Consular Officer.

576. A fee-book, in which the Consular Officer shall register all fees received by him in the order in which they shall be received, specifying in such register or fee book each item of service; the amount received therefor; from whom, and the date when received; and indicating what items and amounts are embraced in each receipt given by him therefor, and numbering the same according to the number of the receipts, respectively, so that the receipts and register shall correspond with each other. The Consular Officer will specify the name of the person for whom and the date when he shall verify any passport, certify any invoice, or perform any other official service, in the entry of the receipt of the fees therefor in such register; and also number each consular act so receipted for with the number of such receipt as shown by such register. The fee-book is to be ruled and kept in accordance with Form No. 101 or 102.

577. A passport-book, in which are to be registered all passports issued or visaed by the Consular Officer (Form No. 132).

578. An invoice-book, to be ruled and kept in accordance with Form No. 133, and with the instructions prescribed in the article on verification of invoices.

579. A miscellaneous record-book, for the entry of those official papers and records which cannot conveniently be classified and entered in the record-books above named. Register of let- 580. A register of official letters received at the Consulate, which shall embrace the following information: Name of the writer, number and date of letter, when received, its import, and remarks thereon, as prescribed in Form No. 118.

ters received.

581. A register of official letters sent from the Consulate, stating the date and import of the letter, and the name of the person to whom sent, as prescribed in Form No. 119.

582. A register of landing or debenture certificates, stating the name of the consignee, the date of the certificate, the merchandise, the name of the vessel, the port of shipment, and the date of shipment (Form No. 134). A similar form will answer for tobacco or snuff.

Register of letters sent.

Register of landing certificates.

Record of com mercial returns.

583. In seaports the following additional books will be used: A record-book of commercial returns, to be kept in accordance with Form No. 120, in which must be stated, in respect of vessels, the number, date of arrival, class, name, and tonnage of all American vessels, where belonging, whence from, whither bound, and date of clearance; and in respect of cargoes, both inward and outward, under distinct heads, as nearly as possible, the description, quantity, and value of the same. A register in detail of the official services performed for American vessels and seamen, to be kept in accord- sels, &c ance with Form No. 168.

584. A seamen's register, in which shall be recorded a detailed list of all seamen shipped, discharged, or deceased at the Consulate or Commercial Agency, and the payments made on account of each, according to Form No. 124.

585. A relief book, showing the number and names of all seamen relieved, from what vessel discharged, date and cause of discharge, and date of leaving the Consulate; embracing also the several amounts disbursed on their account, as particularly described in Form No. 94.

586. A quarterly account-current book, in which shall be recorded the account-current furnished quarterly to the Fifth Auditor, according to Form No. 100.

587. A protest-book, for the entry of notes of marine protests, in accordance with Form No. 37.

588. A book for the entry of extended protests, in accordance with Form No. 38.

589. A daily journal is to be kept, as prescribed in Form No. 135.

590. The following books will be provided by the Department, on the requisition of the principal Officer, for Consular Agencies, viz: For inland Agencies, a letter-book, fee

Register of official services to ves

ter.

Seamen's regis

Relief book.

Quarterly ac count book.

Protest-book.

Extended pro

tests.

Daily journal.

Books for Con sular Agencies.

Index.

Papers to be labeled.

Official and pri vate books.

Care of archives.

What to be regarded as official documents.

book, invoice-book; and at seaport Agencies, in addition, a protest-book, extended protest, and seaman's register and relief book.

591. When a paper of any description shall be entered or recorded in either of the said books, the same shall be indexed by a reference both to the name of the author and the subject of the paper.

592. The answers received to official letters, and all other papers transmitted to the Consulate, intended to be permanently kept there, shall be put in a proper place, labeled according to their subject-matter, until a sufficient number shall accumulate to form a volume, when they shall be bound and indexed in the same manner as is directed with respect to other records.

593. The Consular books are to be kept distinct from those of the Consul's private affairs; and if the Consul is at liberty to transact business, his Consular business should, if possible, be transacted in a separate apartment from that in which his ordinary commercial or other affairs are carried on, designated by the arms of the United States exhibited at its entrance, wherever such an exhibition of the arms is not prohibited by the local regulations.

594. All Consular officers are instructed to take care that the archives are kept in proper order; and with this view, as well as to facilitate reference to previous correspondence, they will keep in their offices registers of all the documents, papers, letters, and books which have been, or which may be, at any time received, and also of those forwarded by them on matters connected with their official duties.

595. The originals of all dispatches and letters addressed to a Consular Officer, and copies of all that are written by him in his official capacity, including all official reports and returns, all books presented to the Consulate, or sent to it by the Department, also all the record-books, as described in this chapter, are to be considered as official documents, and are to be deposited among the Consular archives, after being duly registered, and are to be transferred with the effects of the Consulate, together with the seal, press, arms, and flag, and all other property belonging to the United States, to his successor in office.