18 COMPTROLLER'S REPORT.

aggregate amount of each, and also of the entire State. This
amount, $261,243,660, when compared with the assessment of
1841, exhibits an increase of $64,492,515,—being nearly thirty-
three per cent, advance on that valuation. Than this statement,
no stronger evidence could exist of the increasing wealth and
prosperity of the people of Maryland, and it is most satisfactory
to observe, that this enviable condition is restricted to no particu-
lar locality, but appears to be generally diffused throughout the
State.

Additional legislation will be necessary to secure all the benefits
arising from the late assessment. From none of the County
Commissioners of the several Counties, except Allegany, have
returns of the incorporated institutions, within their limits, been
received; and I recommend the passage, of a law, imposing upon
them the annual performance of this duty.

In order to carry out the provisions of Chap. 444, of 1853, a
circular was addressed to each of the Clerks of the Circuit Courts,
the Courts in the city of Baltimore, and Registers of Wills, in-
structing them to transmit to this Department an account of all
the emoluments and expenses of their Offices for the six months
preceding the first day of December, particularising as far as
practicable the receipts of the Office, and also "the sums paid for
Stationery, Official or Contingent Expenses, Fuel, and other
things," stating the purpose for which said expenses are applied;
also a list of the number of Clerks employed, the duties which
they severally perform, and the amount of compensation allowed
to each.

These instructions have been generally complied with, but were
received too late to collate and arrange properly, during my official
term. Sufficient information, however, has been gained to autho-
rize the belief, that no considerable addition to the revenue will
be received from this source, and that none whatever may be ex-
pelted, except from the Clerks of Courts and Register of Wills
in Baltimore city, and the Clerks of the Circuit Courts of Balti-
more and Frederick counties.

The 4th Section of Chapter 381, of 1853, providing for the
erection of an additional Tobacco Warehouse in the city of Bal-
timore, directs that the cost and expense incurred under its pro-
visions, shall be charged in the Tobacco Fund, and a detailed
report thereof made to the Legislature, within the first ten days
of the next session. The amount paid on this account, to the
date of this report, is $8,379.23, of which, as appears by the
drafts of the Commissioners, $6,000 was for purchase of lot,
$239.62 for tearing down Warehouse and cleaning bricks, $1,-
606.50 for driving piles and logging, and $533.11 for flagging
and stone masonry. The expenditure of this sum leaves a balance
to the credit of the Tobacco Fund of but $4,566.81.