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REPORT. In commercial navigation, a paper delivered by the masters of all ships arriving from parts beyond seas to the Custom-house, and attested upon oath, containing an account of the cargo on board, &c. — (See antè, p. 669.)

REPRISALS. Where the people of one nation have unlawfully seized and detained property belonging to another state, the subjects of the latter are authorised, by the law of nations, to indemnify themselves, by seizing the property of the subjects of the state aggressing. This is termed making reprisals; and commissions to this effect are issued from the Admiralty. (See PRIVATEERS.)

RESPONDENTIA.

See BOTTOMRY AND RESPONDENTIA.

REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE. Though not properly belonging to a work of this sort, we believe we shall do an acceptable service to our readers by laying before them the following comprehensive Table of the revenue and expenditure of the United Kingdom in 1840, 1841, and 1842. (See pp. 1057, 1058.) It contains more information in a brief space than most parliamentary papers. It was originally framed according to the suggestion, and printed upon the motion, of Mr. Pusey; and there are not very many members who can refer to so useful a memorial of their parliamentary career.

RHUBARB (Du. Rhubarber; Fr. Rhubarbe, Rubarbe; It. Rabarbaro, Reo-barbaro; Sp. Ruibarbo; Rus. Rewen; Arab. Rawend; Chin. Ta-hwang), the root of a plant, a native of China and Tartary. Three varieties of rhubarb are known in the shops; viz. Russian, Turkey, and East Indian or Chinese rhubarb. The first two resemble each other in every respect. They are, in fact, the same article, being both derived from Tartary. The portion destined for the Petersburg market being selected and sorted at Kiachta, acquires the name of Russian rhubarb; while the portion that is sent from Tartary to Smyrna and other places in Turkey is called Turkey rhubarb. The best pieces only are sent to Petersburg; and according to the contract with the government, on whose account it is bought, all that is rejected must be burnt; and that which is approved undergoes a second cleaning before being finally packed up for Petersburg. The best pieces of Russian and Turkey rhubarb are roundish, and perforated with a large hole, of a reddish or yellow colour on the outside, and when cut or broken exhibit a mottled texture, and alternate streaks of red and gray. Its odour is peculiar, and its taste nauseous, bitter, and astringent. It should not be porous, but rather compact and heavy. East Indian or Chinese rhubarb is in oblong flat pieces, seldom perforated; has a stronger odour, and is more nauseous to the taste, than the other; it is heavier, more compact, breaks smoother, and affords a powder of a redder shade. -- (Thomson's Dispensatory; Ainslie's Mat. Indica, &c.)

Of 95,701 lbs. of rhubarb imported in 1841, 43,640 were brought from China, 8,349 from the Philippines, 7.290 from the East Indies, and 33,710 from the U. States. Only 1,462 lbs. were brought from Russia. The entries for consumption amounted to 42,230 lbs. The duty on rhubarb is 3d. per ib.

RICE (Fr. Riz; It. Riso; Arab. Aruz; Hind. Chawl), one of the most valuable of the cereal grasses, the Oryza sativa of botanists. It is raised in immense quantities in India, China, and most Eastern countries; in the West Indies, Central America, and the U. States; and in some of the southern countries of Europe. It, in fact, occupies the same place in most intertropical regions as wheat in the warmer parts of Europe, and oats and rye in those more to the north. Forming, as it does, the principal part of the food of the most civilised and populous Eastern nations, it is more extensively consumed than any other species of grain. It is light and wholesome, but is said to contain less of the nutritive principle than wheat. When rough, or in its natural state in the husk, it is called paddy. There is an immense variety in the qualities of rice. That which is principally exported from Bengal has received the name of cargo rice. It is of a coarse reddish cast, but is sweet and large grained, and is preferred by the natives to every other sort. It is not kiln-dried, but is parboiled in earthen pots or caldrons, partly to destroy the vegetative principle, so that it may keep better, and partly to facilitate the process of husking. Patna rice is more esteemed in Europe than any other sort of rice imported from the East. It is small grained, rather long and wiry, and remarkably white. But the rice raised on the low marshy grounds of South Carolina is unquestionably very superior to any brought from any part of India. may, perhaps, be worth mentioning, that rice, like wheat, oats, and barley, is not indigenous to America. It was first raised in South Carolina from seeds brought from Madagascar, near the end of the 17th century. Its culture increased so rapidly that in 1724 no fewer than 18,000 tierces, or barrels, were exported. — ( Pitkin's American Statistics, 1835, p. 100.) According to the returns under the census of 1840, the total annual produce of rice in the U. States may be estimated at 80,841,422 lbs., or above 36,000 tons, of which about 3-4ths are raised in South Carolina. The value of the exports of rice from the U. States amounted, in 1839, to 2,460,198 dollars; in 1840, to 1,942,076 dollars; and in 1841, to 2,010,107 dollars.

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The produce of lands naturally or artificially irrigated is, as far as rice is concerned, from 5 to 10 times greater than that of dry land having no command of water: and hence the vast importance of irri

An Account of the Public Revenue and Expenditure of the U. Kingdom in 1848, 1849, and 1850, exhibiting in detail the various Items embraced in the one and the other.

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•No part of this income is at present paid for the use of King Leopold. The trustees, after discharging certain annuities and pension to the establishment of the late Princess Charlotte, repay the balance of the annuity to the Exchequer; the sum so repaid in the last year was 36,000.

gation in all countries where this grain is cultivated. But it is worthy of remark, that, owing to the not unfrequent occurrence of severe droughts, there is a greater variation in the crops of rice than in those of any other species of grain. Those who, like the Hindoos, depend almost entirely on it for subsistence, are, consequently, placed in a very precarious situation. There can be no doubt that famines are at once more frequent and severe in Hindostan than in any other quarter.

A few years ago, England was principally supplied with cleaned rice from Carolina. Latterly, however, the imports of Carolina rice have been much reduced. An improved method of separating the husk. which throws out the grain clean and unbroken, has been successfully introduced into this country; and as the grain, when in the husk, is found to preserve its flavour and sweetness better during a long voyage than when shelled, large quantities are now imported rough from Bengal and the U. States. Unquestionably, however, the late oppressive discriminating duty of 148. a cwt. on American and other foreign cleaned rice did more than any thing else to increase the imports of rough grain; and the fact of the duty on paddy from Bengal being only 1d. per quarter, while that on paddy from Carolina was 2s. 6d. a bushel, sufficiently accounts for the increased imports from the former. But the duty on foreign cleaned rice having been reduced in 1842 to 6s. a cwt., and on rice in the husk to 7s. a quarter, it is probable that the imports from Carolina will be materially increased. Independently of duties, the consumption is materially dependent on the price of wheat, increasing when its price increases, and falling when it falls. In bad seasons, when wheat is soft and damp, it is usual to mix rice with it in grinding.

Account of the Quantities of Rice imported into the U. Kingdom during each of the 7 Years ending with 1841, specifying the Countries whence it was brought, and the Quantities brought from each.

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Account of the Quantities of Rice (in the Husk) imported into the U. Kingdom during each of the 7 Years ending with 1841, specifying the Countries whence they were brought, and the Quantities brought from each.

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RIGA, a city of European Russia, the capital of Livonia, on the Duna, about 9 miles from the sea, lat. 56° 56' 5" N., lon. 24° 0'4′′ E. Population in 1838, including garrison, 71,228.

Harbour. A light-house has been erected on Fort Comet, on the western side of the mouth of the river. It has 2 lights: the first, elevated about 104 feet (English) above the level of the sea, may he seen, under favourable circumstances, at the distance of 4 leagues; and the second, elevated about 24 feet, may be seen at the distance of 24 leagues. The bar at the mouth of the river has usually from 12 to 13 feet water; and vessels drawing more than this frequently load and unload part of their cargoes by means of lighters at Bolderaa, a small town on the west side of the river, near its mouth. There is a fairway beacon without the bar, in 5 fathoms water; and within, the channel is buoyed with black and white buoys; the black being left on the right or starboard side when entering, and the white on the larboard. Vessels bound for Riga take pilots at Bolderaa, who carry them to their anchorage. No ballast is allowed to be discharged, except at Poderague. Regulations as to clearing, &c. similar to those at Petersburg. (Coulier sur les Phares, 2d. ed.; and Regulations published by the Russian Authorities.)

Trade. - Owing to its advantageous situation near the mouth of a great navigable river, the trade of Riga is very extensive; being, of the Russian towns on the Baltic, in this respect second only to Petersburg. The trade is chiefly carried on by foreign merchants, particularly by the English. The principal exports are flax and hemp, linseed and hemp seed, timber, corn, tobacco, hides, wool, tallow, &c.; the imports are salt, sugar, coffee, and groceries of all sorts, herrings, indigo, dye woods, cotton and cotton twist, silks, wines, &c.

The mast trade is extensive. The burghers of Riga send persons who are called mast brokers into the provinces to mark the trees, which are purchased standing. They grow mostly in the districts which border on the Dnieper, are sent up that river to a landing place, transported 30 versts to the Duna, when being formed into rafts from of 50 to 200 pieces, they descend the stream to Riga. The tree which produces the largest masts is the Scotch fir. Those pieces which are from 18 to 25 inches in diameter are

called masts; under those dimensions, spars, or, in England, Norway masts, because Norway exports no trees more than 18 inches in diameter. Great skill is required in distinguishing those masts that are sound from those which are in the least internally decayed. They are usually from 70 to 80 feet in length.

The best kind of flax shipped from Riga is grown in White Russia, and is called Druana rakitzer; its colour is very white, and the threads long, fine, and loose, but it has sometimes black spots; the next quality, coming from the province of Trockic in Lithuania, is called Lithuanian rakitzer, and is very little inferior to Druana, but its colour is a little brown; of this kind the best sort is Thiesenhausen. The best kind of Courland flax shipped from Riga is Marienburg; that grown in Livonia is inferior. There are two kinds of linseed: that of the last crop, which is used for sowing; and that of former years, for crushing. To prevent deception, the year of its growth is stamped on the barrel by sworn inspectors (brackers). Hemp-seed is mostly shipped for Holland. Riga wheat is inferior to that of Dantzic. Two descriptions are shipped-one the growth of Russia, the other of Courland; the last is the best, being larger bodied and of a brighter colour than the Russian; still, however, it makes but indifferent flour. Oats are of a good quality, and are largely exported, peas are also occasionally exported.

In shipping masts, the rest of the cargo generally consists of deals and wainscot logs; the latter are much exported to England, and are very superior.

Money. For the monies of Riga, see PETERSBURG.

Weights and Measures. The commercial pound is divided into 2 marcs, or 32 loths; and also into halves, quarters, &c. It contains 6,452 English grains. Hence 100 lbs. of Riga = 92-17 lbs, avoirdupois ➡ 418 kilog. 86-32 lbs. of Hamburg = 84·64 lbs. of Amsterdam. The lispound = 20 lbs. ; the shippound == 20 lispounds.

The loof is the measure for grain : 49 loofs = 1 last of wheat, barley, or linseed; 45 loofs = 1 last of rye; and 60 loofs = 1 last of oats, malt, and beans. According to Kelly, the loof=1·9375 Winchester bushels; and, consequently, the last of wheat = 11·625 quarters. Nelkenbrecher does not value the loof quite to high as Kelly.

The fuder, the measure for liquids, is divided into 6 ahms, 24 ankers, 120 quarts, or 720 stoofs. The anker 10 English wine gallons.

The foot of Riga = 1079 English inches. The ell = 2 feet; the clafter 6 feet.

The following accounts of the trade of Riga have been taken from the official statements given in the excellent articles on Riga, published in the Supplement au Journal de Interieur for 1843 (pp. 33-48.) a detailed official account of the imports into and exports from Riga in 1841 will be found in the art. PETERSBURG.

Account of the Value of the Imports into and Exports from the Port of Riga during each of the 19 Years ending with 1842, and of the Number and Tonnage of the Ships engaged in its Trade during each of these Years.

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Account of the Exports of Corn from the Port of Riga in the Year 1817, and during each of the 19 Years

1,065

159,110

1,243

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Statement showing the Quantities of the principal Articles of Merchandise imported into Riga during each of the 4 Years ending with 1841.

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