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��and learning. There is, however, a commission composed of three commodores of the ^^reatest abi- lity and reputation, for the direction of every thing that relates to the navy: they make the contracts. for timber and other requisites for ship building; they recommend to the Secretary the inspectors, whose duty it is to attend to the building; of vessels, the promotion of officers, and such ordinances as the good of the service requires; and the Secreta- ry, with pei^ect impartiality, recommends to the President, who gives his sanction. To this board of commissioners, and to its extraordinary organi- zation, the navy owes its present brilliant standing. In the English service, it is alike unusual to have a professional man at the head of the marine.

��National Revenue.

The first branch of the revenue of the United States is the product of the Customs, which con- sists of the duties upon foreign importations, and the tonnage duty. This revenue amounted in the year 1815, to 37,695,625 dollars; but this was more than it had ever before produced. In 1814^ it yielded only 4,415,382 dollars, and at present, its product may be estimated at about ten or twelve millions at most. Another branch of great impor- tance, is that of publick lands in the States and Ter-

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