the Senate of the United States_:

I herewith transmit a report from the Secretary of the Navy,
communicating the correspondence called for by the resolution of the
Senate of the 25th of February, 1845, between the commander of the East
India Squadrons and foreign powers or United States agents abroad during
the years 1842 and 1843, relating to the trade and other interests of
this Government.

JAMES K. POLK.

WASHINGTON, _February 18, 1846_.

_To the House of Representatives of the United States_:

In compliance with the request of the House of Representatives in their
resolution of the 12th instant, asking for information relative to the
Mexican indemnity, I communicate herewith a report from the Secretary of
State, with the paper accompanying it.

JAMES K. POLK.

[A similar message was sent to the Senate in compliance with a request
of that body.]

WASHINGTON, _March 23, 1846_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:

I transmit, for your consideration, a correspondence between the
minister of Her Britannic Majesty in Washington and the Secretary of
State, containing an arrangement for the adjustment and payment of the
claims of the respective Governments upon each other arising from the
collection of certain import duties in violation of the second article
of the commercial convention of 3d of July, 1815, between the two
countries, and I respectfully submit to Congress the propriety of making
provision to carry this arrangement into effect.

The second article of this convention provides that "no higher or other
duties shall be imposed on the importation into the United States of any
articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of His Britannic Majesty's
territories in Europe, and no higher or other duties shall be imposed on
the importation into the territories of His Britannic Majesty in Europe
of any articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United
States, than are or shall be payable on the like articles being the
growth, produce, or manufacture of any other foreign country."

Previous to the act of Parliament of the 13th of August, 1836, the duty
on foreign rough rice imported into Great Britain was 2s. 6d. sterling
per bushel. By this act the duty was reduced to 1 penny per quarter (of
8 bushels) on the rough rice "imported from the west coast of Africa."

Upon the earnest and repeated remonstrances of our ministers at London
in opposition to this d