The Sun.
London, England, 1821-12-25 00:00:00

SOUTH AMERICA.

[From the Gazetta de Santa Martha of October 27.1
GENERAL CONGRESS OF COLUMBIA.

LAW ON THE DUTIES OF IMPORTATION TO BE PAID IN

THE PORTS OF COLUMBIA:

The General Congress of Columbia, considering-
1. That the Republic being single and undivided, the duties
on imports should be Uniform in the different ports appropriated
for importation in Columbia.
2. That this uniformity being calculated to contribute very
powerfully to the encouragement of commerce, external and in-
ternal, by facilitating the operations of the custom-houses, and
preventing the commission of- fraud and the depreciation of the
revenue, which • has occasioned the confusion and inequality
hitherto experienced, it has been thought fit to decree and is
hereby decreed :
Art. 1. All the duties of entry formerly recognized under
various denominations are henceforth consolidated in one, under
the name of thity of importation.
2. Five per cent. shall be paid on the importation of bar iron,
plate, tin, and copper ; also paper of every kind ; all sorts of
medicines, and instruments of surgery : tackle, pitch, tar,
cables, cordage, and a'•,,rs.
3. n,
Seventeen and a half per cent. shall be paid by every kind
of cotton nierchandize, woollen, linen, hemp-seed, and yarn—
that excepted on which a heavier duty is imposed by the sub-
sequent articles.
4. Twenty per cent. shall be. paid on beaver, woollen, or silk
hats; wax or spermaceti, either manufactured or in paste ;
wine, vinegar, and acid of every kind ; sold and silver watches,
lace, riding-saddles; every kind of earthenware of Europe and
Asia, and glass and crystal of every kind.
5. Twenty-two and a half per cent. on every kind of silk of
Europe or Asia, precious stones, jewels, thread and silk lace,
point handkerchiefs, artificial flowers, feathers, looking-glasses,
perfumes, essence,, and scented waters ; spiceries from India
or elsewhere, dried fruits, or-the expressed juice, capers, &c.
6. Twenty-five per cent. shall be paid on shoes for, men or
women, and boots ; every kind of household furniture ; uten-
sils in copper, bronze, iron, steel, and tin ; .tallow in the lump
or manufactured ; flour; salted meat, and every kind of foreign
eatables.

7. Thirty-five per cent. shall be paid on spirits and other
foreign liquors from the grape, the sugar cane, or any other
material.

8. The other kinds of merchandise, liquors, and commercial
articles, not specifically included in the preceding articles, shall
pay 20 per cent. on importation.
9. The above-mentioned duties on importation shall be de-
ducted from the value fixed by the tariff approved at Cartha-
gena on April 22, 1817, and its supplements, until the neces-
sary alterations be made.
10. The rate of duties imposed by the preceding articles
stall be applicable solely to the cargoes of national vessels.
11. The merchandise imported by the vessels of neutral' or
friendly states shall pay five per cent. over and above the pre-
ceding duties, unless it he otherwise stipulated by particular
treaties of commerce.

12. An abatement of 71 per cent. shall be allowed on the
cargoes of national vessels, and 5 per cent. on those of foreign
vessels, provided they proceed directly from European ports to
Columbia.

18. This abatement shall be made with reference to the per
centage duties payable by merchandise and articles of trade ac-
cording to the preccdin,, articles, from article 2 to 8.
14. All decrees, regulations, and laws, in opposition to the
present, are revoked and annulled.
16. This law shall begin to operate from the Ist of January,
1822.

Sept. 25, 1822. (Signed by the President of the Congress.)
Ordered to be executed, J. M. DEL CASTILLO,
Sept. 28, 1822. Vice-President of the Republic.
A subsequent decree excepts from the above duties books in
every language, maps, charts, philosophical apparatus, paint.
inns, sculptures, engravings, implements of agriculture, and
all instruments useful in navigation, or in any of the arts and
sciences.

A law hag► also been passed for establishing a college in each
province ; and primary schools for teaching Spanish and Latin
graniniar, the principles of rhetoric and philosophy, and the
most useful branches of mathematics.