Star.
London, England, 1814-08-20 00:00:00

CUSTOM-HOUSE ALUSE:;.

The subjoined document presents such a view of
the practices of the Custom-House at the Pct of
London, as welt as the Out-ports, as we believe the
inland public is but little acquainted with. It is pro.

ceedings, such as these, that cause people to he dissa-
tisfied with the Government which gives them protec-
tion. The conduct of the Lords of I:is Majesty's

Treasury, on this eccasion, deserves the highest praise,
and furnishes a complete refutation of the assertion of
many, that those who are oppressed by Custom-House
Officers and Tax-gatherers, have no remedy but to
submit to the imposition. The-very circulation of

- -
such an unfounded statement is calculated to do the

greatest mischief, and we rejoice at such a practical
contradiction as it has received on the present occasion.
We cannot avoid, on the present occasion, suggest-
ing to their Lordships, that there is another branch of
Revenue which deserves their particular attention—
we mean the Assessed Taxes. The complaints and

murmurs which arise frem the real or supposed ex-
tortions of the surchargers are of a much more damp-

roue completion than abuses connected with the trans•

actions of the Rich Merchant. On Monday we shall

state more explicitly what we mean, and we doubt not

that it will receive attention.
L" TREASURY CHAMBERS, AUGUST 11.

" GiNTLZMJEN-I am commanded by the Lords
Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury to inform
you, that they have recently bad under their consider-
ation representations from various merchants, com-
plaining of unjust seizures and vexatious detentions
by the officers of your departments.
In some of these cases my Lords have observed,
that the precise letter of Acts of Parliament framed
many years ago, in time of peace, and of more cir-
cumscribed commerce, have been rigorously applied
amidst all the difficulties incident to war, and against
the manifest spirit of the Acts themselves, the penal-
ties of which were directed for the punishment of
fraud or culpable negligence, and not for accidental
or trivial omissions.

" To four cases which will serve as examples of
many others, 1 am commanded to draw your special
Attenticll :

6, The first is the seizure of twenty hogsheads of
sugar, entered with the mark RS instead of R.S.:
these hogsheads were seized by the officers of your
department, at Bristol, merely for the omission of
the small intervening mark ; and a satisfaction has
been demanded for the restoration of each cask of
one guinea.
4, It is quite manifest, from all the circumstances
of this case, that no fraud could have been intended.
To grant a satisfaction, therefore, to the seizing offi-
cer, could tend only to encourage similar seizures for
trifling irregularities ; and, therefore, my Lords, can-
not sanction the payment to the seizing officer of any
satisfaction whatever, but direct the immediate re.
storation of the goods.
44 Another seizure at the port of Bristol, which has
particularly attracted their Lordships' observation is,
that of two hogsheads of sugar imported in the ship
Ruth, in the month of April, and seized by the officer,
as he declared, for being an excess upon the report
of the cargo, against the earnest remonstrance of Ihe!
owners, who contended that the cargo entirely cor-
responded with the report. After nearly four months
detention, and vari_ras reports and correspondence,
the owners were enabled, from the accidental cir-
cumstance, of no part of the cargo having been sold
until the whole was delivered, to prove that there was
no ground whatever for the seizure, and the very irre-
gularity which was the pretence for the seizure, was
traced to the officer himself.
" A third case at the port cf. Bristol, is that of the
sugars imported in the Anna Maria, a part of which
has been seized, because the marks do not entirely
correspond with the report ; but as the whole contents
of the cargo, as reported and delivered, agree, there
is no ground to suspect any fraud, and the irregula-
rity is not of an extent to call for any penalty. My
Ltrds, therefore, desire that the sugar may be forth-
with restored, without any satisfaction whatever.
66 A fourth case, now before their Lordship's is,
that of the Perseverance, in the port of London, which
vessel and her cargo have been seized under circum-
stances so extraordinary, as to demand their Lord-
ships' immediate interposition.
4, It appears that this ship brought some came of
sugar from Gibraltar, and, under the existing laws,
was not liable to seizure, but the owners were at li-
berty to send the vessel and cargo again from this
country. They applied, however, to their Lordships
for leave to land and warehouse the cargo ; and
whilst this application was under consideration, your
officers construing such application into an intention
to hind the goods for warehousing, seized the vessel
and cargo.
66 The application to their Lordships for permis-
sion to warehouse being refused, the memorialist then
applied for an order to tranship the cargo into another
vessel, for Gibraltar, • the petitioner being subject
to heavy demurrage for detaining the vessel;' to
this request their Lurd.,iiips were pleased to accede,
and your Board was apprised thi.reof on the 6th ult.
and desired to give immediate directions for that
purpose.
~ The vessel Perseverance, and cargo, having,
however, been seized by your officers as above stated,
yon have requested your Lordships' directions, sub-
nnting, ' that should their Lordships he pleased to
oiler the delivery of the goods and vessel, the seizing
officer might, according to the practice, be entitled to
a satisfactions' but you beg to submit how fir their
Lordships, under the circumstances, Ina; think he
has any claim to the same.
4, According to the view which my Lords at pre-
sent take of this case, the original seizure appears to
have been most unjust; and any practice which would
entitle the officer to satisfaction, cannot be too much
ceasured, or too soon abolished.
4, In cases like this, my Lords expect, from the
discriminating judgment of your Board, the prompt
and vigorous execution of the powers vested in yoti
by law ; and you may confidently rely, without tl.e
delay of previous reference to their Lordships, which
is 11 itself a heavy punishment to the merchant, upon
their Lordships' full support in whatever measures
nue be necessary for the punishment of Oppressive or

contamleo—, orrrers. This, my Lords, feel to he

due to thu it ,Alest of the fair merchant. and to tfie
character of t! Gcveriment. both of which are aftv-
ted by such trai.sactions as those adverted to in this
letter.

64 Already my Lords have instructed you to en-
join your officers to refr.lin from acting urn any new
const-uctions of laws.coutrary to the past practice,
and to refer all such doubts, in the first instmce, to
your Board ; ani in cases of great importance or dif-
ticulty, you will apply to their Lordships' de'ermina-
tion. As the penalties contained in the vaiinus la•ao
of Customs were intended for the punishment of
fraud, and not of accidental or trivial omissions, the
Officers of .the Customs must cease to consider such
mistakes as sources of advantage to themselv” ; for
my Lords are determined hereafter to mark with
their decided displeasure every detention that shall
appear to have been made upon such vexatious pre•
tences.
gi In order tosremove every doubt of their Lord-
ships' intention upon this subject, I have it in
command to desire, that if upon ;he delivery r f car-
goes of vessels, it shall appear that any packages,
which may be erroneously marked, do, in substance
and contents, correspond with the report and the ma•
nifest, neither such goods or vessels shall be deemed
liable to seizure on account of such error.

a I am, Gentlemen, you; obedient tervant,
(Signed) a S. R. bawl:Gam&
Cominissioihrs Cogan's."

BRIGNION, AUGUST 18.

The dinner party at the Pavilion last n:ght, con-
sisted of the REGENT, the Duke of CLARYNCE. Sir
WILLIAM KFPPEL, the Rev. Mr. &mum% General
BLOOMFIELD, General THORNTON, and Mr. QUIN rAtm.
During dinner, his Royal Highness's hand played in
their best style. The carriage containin the Rs-
GENT'S Grooms of the Chamber, Mr. D g_U
PARQUIZR
and Mr. TUART, did not sctch this place until tuil
six hours after the arrival of his Royal Highness, its
consequence of an accident on the road. One of this
horses fell between this place and Cucklield, and
broke two of his legs, and they were detained until
another horse cou.d be procured.