favour,except the convenience of reference, which may be equally well attained by means of an Index; while it is liable to strong objection, as confining to reference only the use of a work so fortuitously put together. On the contrary, a British Biography, arranged in chronological order, and so classed as to bring into one point of view the several descriptions of eminent persons who have lived at the same period, might be made to comprise, in one regular and connected work, a literary and philosophical history of the country, as well as an interesting collection of indi. vidual lives. Mr. Malkin, influenced by such considerations, has embarked in an undertaking of this nature. The work is, however, of too great an extent, and of too great variety in its subjects, to be performed by any individual. It is, nevertheless, necessary that the publi. sation should proceed under the superintendance of some one person, not merely for the purpose of executing the mechanical duties of editorship, but of communicating an uniformity and consistency to the whole. The labour and responsibility of this task Mr. Malkin proposes to take upon himself, availing himself, in the general execution of the work, of the assistance of such literary men as may coincide with his views, and are willing to contribute towards carrying them into effect In pursuance of the double object aimed at by the editor, Historical and Biographical, it is designed to introduce occasional chapters in the course of the work, characterising and connecting the successive periods, as well as review ing the state and progress of government, science, literature, and manners. In these chapters may be introduced brief notices of individuals, who having attained some degree of eminence, yet ⚫ may not be thought sufficiently considerable to require a separate and formal article. Thus the work will be eurtailed of many uninteresting lives; needless repetitions will be avoided, and the subjects treated at large will be confined, as it is desirable they should be, to those of the most important and interesting description. It is intended that these articles in general should, in point of copiousness, be far less prolix than those of the Biographia Britannica, and that notes should, if possible, be altogether avoided, except ing by way of reference to authorities, which should almost universally be given; at the same time, the lives are meant to be more full and particular than in any of the Dictionaries. In short, it is the intention of the conductor to steer a middle course between a tedious detail of minute particulars on the one hand, and a mere register of dates and facts on the other, and thus to make it a book of entertainment, as well as of authority and utility for the purpose of reference. AMERICAN. NEW HAVEN, DEC. 22.-On Monday the 14th inst. at about break of day or a little after, the weather being mode rate, calm, and the atmosphere some what cloudy and foggy, a meteor or fire ball, passing from a northern point disploded over the western part of this state, with a tremendous report. At the same time several pieces of stony substance, fell to the earth in 'Fairfield county. One mass was driven against a rock and dashed into small pieces, a peck of which remained on the spot. About three miles distant,in the town of Weston, another large piece fell upon the earth, of which a mass of about thirty pounds weight remains entire-and was exhibited the same day at town meeting. A small mass has been sent to Yale College, and examined by a number of gentlemen. It was immediately perceived by Professor Stilman to contain a metal-and on presenting it to a magnet, a powerful attraction proved it to be iron. This is we believe, the first instance in the United States, in which the substance of this species of meteor has been found on the earth,tho' it has been often done in Europe. Fortunately the facts, respecting this wonderful phenomenon, are capable of being ascer tained and verified with precision, and an investigation will, we understand, be immediately commenced for the purpose. We request Gentlemen who may have observed it in distant parts of the state to favour the public with their ob servations. It is desirable to ascertain the course or direction of the meteor; the point of compass in which it ap peared at different places; its general appearance and velocity; the manner of its explosion, and the time between the explosion and the report. THE POLITICAL CABINET. Registra in usum historia complectuntur principum edicta, senatuum decreta, judiciorum processus, orationes publice habite, epistolæ publice missæ, et similia, absque narrationis contextu, sive filo continuo.-Bacon de Aug. Sci. LETTER From the Secretary of the Treasury, enclosing a Report, prepared in obedience to the acts supplementary to the act, entitled "An Act to establish the Treasury Department.” I SIR, HAVE the honour to enclose a Report, prepared in obedience to the act entitled" an act to establish the treasury department." I have the honour to be, very respectfully, The honourable the Speaker of the 'House of Representatives. Sir, your obedient servant, ALBERT GALLATIN. REPORT. In obedience to the directions of the act supplementary to the act, entitled "An act to establish the Treasury Department," the Secretary of the Treasury respectfully submits the following Report and Estimates: REVENUE & RECEIPTS. The nett revenue arising from duties on merchandize and tonnage which accrued during the year 1804, amounted, after deducting that portion which arose from the additional duties constituting the Mediterránean fund, to And that which accrued during the year 1805, amounted, after making a similar deduction, as will appear by the statement (A) to $12,673,558 13,033,823 It is ascertained that the nett revenue which has accrued during the three first quarters of the year 1806, exceeds that of the corresponding quarters of the year 1805; and that branch of the revenue may, exclusively of the Mediterranean fund, be safely estimated for the present at thirteen millions of dollars. The statement (B) exhibits in detail the several species of merchandize, and other sources, from which that revenue was collected during the year 1805. It appears by the statement (C) that the sales of the publick lands, have, during the year ending on the 30th Sept. 1806, exceeded 473,000 acres. The actual payments by purchasers have, during that period, amounted to 850,000 dollars, of which sum near 700,000 dollars have been paid in specie, and the residue in stock of the publick debt. The specie receipts from that source may, after deducting charges and the five per cent. reserved for roads, be estimated for the ensuing year at five hundred thousand dollars." The receipts arising from the permanent revenue of the United States, may therefore, without including the arrears of direct tax and internal revenues, the duties Appendix, Vol. IV. A on postage and other incidental branches, be computed for the year 1807, at thirteen millions and five hundred thousand dollars, And the payments into the treasury, during the same year, on account of the temporary duties constituting the Mediterranean fund, are estimated at one million of dollars, 13,500,000 1,000,000 14,500,000 Making in the whole an aggregate of fourteen millions and five hundred thousand dollars. EXPENDITURES. The permanent expenses are estimated at $11,400,000, and consist of the following items, viz. 1. The annual appropriation of eight millions of dollars for the payment of the principal and interest of the publick debt, of which sum not more than 3,600,000 dolls. will, for the year 1807, be applicable to the payment of interest, 2. For the civil department, and all domestick expenses of a civil nature including invalid pensions, the light-house and mint establishments, the expenses of surveying publick lands, the fourth instalment of the loan due to Maryland, and a sum of 130,000 dolls. to meet such miscellaneous appropriations,not included in the estimates as may be made by Congress, 3. For expenses incident to the intercourse with foreign nations, including the permanent appropriation for Algiers, 4. For military and Indian departments, including trading houses, and the permanent appropriation for certain Indian tribes, 5. For the naval establishment < 8,000,000 1,150,000 200,000 1,150,000 900,000 11,400,000 The extraordinary demands for the year 1807, already authorized by law, amount to two millions seven hundred thousand dolls, viz. The balance of the American claims assum ed by the French convention, which remained unpaid on the 30th Sept. last amounting to And the two millions of dollars appropriated by the act of the 13th of February, 1806, making provisions for defraying any extraordinary expenses attending the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations, 700,000 2,000,000 2,700,000 14,100,000 Making altogether fourteen millions one hundred thousand dollars. From which it appears, that besides a surplus of four hundred thousand dollars, the resources of the ensuing year will be sufficient to meet the current demands; and to discharge, without recurring to the loan authorized by the last mentioned act, the extraordinary appropriation of two millions for foreign intercourse. It is here proper to state, that under the authority given by that act, a credit of one million of dollars has been opened in Holland to the ministers of the United States appointed to treat with Spain. Should the credit be used, the million will be charged to the proper appropriation; but although the balance chargeable to the expenditure of the year 1807, will in that ease be only one, instead of two millions, as stated in the above estimate, the general result will be the same; as it will then be necessary to replace in Holland the million thus employed, for a different object than the payment of the foreign debt, to which it now stands charged. The balance in the treasury amounted, on the 30th day of Sept. 1805, to 4,558,664 dolls. 2 cents, and on the 30th day of September, 1806, to 5,496,969 dollars, 77 cents. But it will, on account of the heavy payments to he made in the course of this month, for the publick debt, be probably reduced on the 1st January, 1807, to a sum not much exceeding four -millions of dollars. PUBLICK DEBT. The annexed note of the proceedings of the commissioners of the sinking fund, marked (E) shows that a considerable portion of the annual appropriation of eight millions of dollars was applicable this year to the reimbursement of purchase of the domestick debt: no more than 17, 517 dollars 61 cents were offered at market price, and accordingly purchased. The reimbursement of the navy 6 per cent. stock, amounting to 711,700 dollars, was therefore effected on the 30th day of Sept. last, and that of the 5 1-2 per cent. stock, amounting to 1,847,500 dollars, is advertised for the 1st of Jan. next. The payment of the last mentioned sum will be made by the treasury in the course of this month. Although a more than usual portion of the appropriation for the callendar year, 1806, falls, for that reason, on the last quarter, it appears by the statement (D) that the payments on account of the principal of the publick debt, have, during the year ending on the 30th day of Sept. 1806, amounted to near three millions two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Dollars. It appears by the same statement, that the payments on account of the principal of the publick debt, have from the 1st of April, 1801, to the 30th of Sept. 1806, amounted to The payments on the same account to be made by the treasury in the course of this month, are For the reimbursement of the five and a half per cent. stock, 1,847,500 21,203,903 50 For the annual reimbursement of the six per cent. and deferred stocks, Amounting together, to 993,389 19 2,840,889 19 24,044,792 74 And making the total of principal of the publick debt, reimbursed from the first of April, 1801, to the first of January, 1807, more than twenty-four millions of dollars. During the same period there have also been paid to Great-Britain, in satisfaction and discharge of the money which the United States might have been liable to pay in pursuance of the provisions of the sixth article of the treaty of 1794, two millions six hundred and sixty-four thousand dollars; and to the holders of bills drawn by the minister of the United States, at Paris, on account of American claims assumed by the convention with France a sum not exceeding three millions and fifty thousand dollars; neither of which sums is included in the preceding statement of debt redeemed. As the only parts of the publick debt which the. United States have a right to reimburse during the year 1807 consist of the annual reimburse.' ments of the six per cent. and deferred stocks, estimated at 1,540,707 dollars; and of the four and half per cent. stock, amounting to 176,000 dollars, it will not be practicable, unless purchases can be effected within the limits prescribed by law, to apply, during that year, the whole of the annual appropriation of eight millions of dollars. The unexpended balance, together with appropriations for the year 1808, will enable the United States to reimburse, on the 1st January, 1809, the whole of the eight per cent. stock, which is irredeemable before that day. But in order that congress may have a clear view of the situation of the publick debt, after the year 1808, and be enabled to decide on the propriety of making further legislative provisions for that object, it appears necessary to state distinctly: 1st. The operations which will take place in relation to the debt during the years 1807 and 1808: 2dly. The several species and aggregate of debt, which will have been extinguished between the 1st April, 1801, and the 1st January, 1809: 3dly. The several species and aggregate of debt remaining unpaid on the last mentioned day: 4thly. A comparative view of the revenue and annual payments on account of the debt after that day. I. The payments to be made during the years 1807 and 1808, on account of the principal and interest of the publick debt, consists of the following items, viz. Interest and reimbursement of the six per cent. and Dollars. deferred stocks, 6,688,296 08 Of which interest, is 3,512,337 83 And the reimbursement of principal will amount to 3,175,958 25 6,688,296 08 Interest and charges on all the other species of debt, 3,529,457 50 stocks, 16,756,153 58 This sum exceeds, by only 756,000 dolls. the sixteen millions appropriated by law for those 2 years, and that difference may be supplied, according to law, from the surplusses of revenue already accrued, which are suf ficient for that purpose; and which it will be eligible to apply in that manner, in order that the United States may not continue to pay an interest of eight per cent. any longer than they are compelled to do it by the terms of the loan. 24,44,792 74 II. The amount of debt redeemed from the 1st April, 1801, to the 1st of Jan. next, has been already stated to be And the principal which will be reimbursed during the years 1807 and 1808, amounts by the preceding statement to 9,714,358 25 Making together, more than thirty-three millions seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, reimbursed betweenthe 1st of April, 1801, and the 1st of Jan. 1809, Which sum consists of the following items, viz. The whole of the loans formerly obtained from the bank of the United States, and of the navy six, five and a half, four and a half, and eight per cent. stocks. Annual reimbursement of the six per cent. and deferred stocks, Payments in various species of stock for publick lands, stock purchased, and unfunded debt reimbursed, 33,759,150 99 10,236,108 05 12,537,600 10,631,575 67 353,867 27 33,759,150 99 III. The debt remaining unpaid on the 1st day of January, 1809 will consist of the following species: Unredeemed amount of old six per cent. and deferred |