The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-08-28
A FURTHER SEIZURE OF SMUGGLED
GOODS

n VI t"O sIUCe we mentioned the SeIZuTe
by custom house officer from New York, of
large quantity Of woolIen cloths, that had
been consigned TO Commission house in
Frout street. We regret to be called upop to
state that another seizure Of cloths, and 10 a
very considerable amount, which rumor varies
nom S6O,OOO to 100000, took place on We'd
nesday al one OF the ware rooms Of Phladel-
phla importing house-a house that has here
loiore done very extensive business. We
withhold all names for the present, and trust
that the matter will. in the end. turn out less
culpable to the parties implicated than the first
statement would seem to infer.
The story is. that New York Custom
House officer communicated his suspicious TO
the Philadelphia Custom House; that an atfi-
davit was made before one Of our Aldermen,
and warrants granted to search certain prcmi-
ses On reaching the principal ware house Of
the tirrn in question, the suspected goods could
not be discovered. A further inquiry led TO the
examination of an apartment in another build
ing, where the cloths were found. seized, and
taken in drays to the Custom House-It is
the belief of some Of our merchants, that a
speculation to the cxtent of ef500,000 sterling
IN woollen cloths has been entered into in
Yorkshire for the purpose Of introducing them
| at reduced duties and under false invoices into
this conn,ry-chiehy at New York, PL.'adel-
phia, and Boston.--The goods seized here. and
now libeIled. are said to form portion of that
great speculation while those lately seized in
! New y ork and Boston, constitute other por-
tions.
Too much credit cannot be awarded to the
efforts of the New York Collector. He has
gone into this business in earnest, and in the
proper spirit. Had the affair succeeded and
escaped detection, (presuming the charges TO
be true,) the injury to honest importers and A
mercan manufacturers would have been serious
indeed.--Phit. Inquirer.
! Further seizures of fraudulently imported
goods have been made in Philadelphia to the
amount Of 100000 to Sl20,GG0 and lot has
also been seized in Baltimore of about $4,000
value. The total amount of seizures in Phila-
delphia is said to be not far short of S500,00o.
/ The Philadelphia Inquirer gives the follow
ing account of the modus operandi practiced in
cases of SINUS Cling. or evading the revenue laws.
1T is said that in some instances, the cloths
are wound inside large piece Of flannel. the
/ selvages OF the flannel and cloth being identi-
cal. The flannel might be worth two shiIlings
per yard. and the cloth twenty. The flannel
:. duty in such cases is paid for the whole.
\ In other instances. fine cloths are packed in
bales or cases OF worsted stutfs, the stuhs being
uppermost aud around them. Thus the whole
OF the cloth duty is evaded.
Ia other instances again. cloths worth 20 or
90 shillings. are iuvoiced at only l2 or 10 sh'i-
lings. In others. the prices oi cloth measur-
irg - or % yards, are marked as measuring
only IL or l3 yards. + inc cloths worth 20 or
2S shllings per yard. are so mixed up with
coarse goods. worth only or 8 shllllngs. that
r the du,iss are evaded but il not having been
customary for Custom House officers 10
undo and examine every piece, case or bale
hut on the contrary. depending partly on the
h,n' r and oaths Of importers aud insoce m;
kers. frauds have been practised with species
o mpuniiy ia a variety OF shapes.
We do not say tha, these modes have been
. practsed in the recent instances. We merely
give them rs among the rumours Of the day "a
relation to smuggling in general; aud still
, cherish hope that less eulpabiliiy will be ds-
. covered on a more thorough aminatiooso so'
the matter, than would appear a, the hrs'
glance"