Done at the city of Washington this twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-two, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-sixth.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

By the President:

WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, May 12, 1862.

REGULATIONS RELATING TO TRADE WITH PORTS OPENED BY PROCLAMATION.

1. To vessels clearing from foreign ports and destined to ports opened by the proclamation of the President of the United States of this date, namely, Beaufort, in North Carolina; Port Royal, in South Carolina, and New Orleans, in Louisiana, licenses will be granted by consuls of the United States upon satisfactory evidence that the vessel so licensed will convey no persons, property, or information contraband of war either to or from the said ports, which licenses shall be exhibited to the collector of the port to which said vessels my be respectively bound, immediately on arrival, and if required, to any officer in charge of the blockade; and on leaving either of said ports every vessel will be required to have a clearance from the collector of the customs, according to law, showing no violation of the conditions of the license. Any violation of said conditions will involve the forfeiture and condemnation of the vessel and cargo and the exclusion of all parties concerned from any further privilege of entering the United States during the war for any purpose whatever.

2. To vessels of the United States clearing coastwise for the ports aforesaid licenses can only be obtained from the Treasury Department.

3. In all other respects the existing blockade remains in full force and effect as hitherto established and maintained, nor is it relaxed by the proclamation except in regard to the ports to which the relaxation is by that instrument expressly applied.

S. P. CHASE,

Secretary of the Treasury.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., Mary 12, 1862.

Honorable GALUSHA A. GROW,

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report, dated the 10th instant, from the Chief of Engineers, in response to a resolution of the House of Representatives of thn the subject of changes which may have become necessary in the materials and construction of forts and other means of defense.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

[Inclosure.]

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,

Washington, May 10, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, on the 22nd of April, of the resolution of the House of Representatives, of the 15th