Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-01-17
CIRCULAR INSTRUCTIONS

TO COLLECTORS AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS.
Treasury Department, Dec 81, 1s49.
In view OF the specific sum appropriated by Congress-
to defray the expenses of collecting the revenue from
Customs as contained in the 4th section of the act
OF sd March, lS49, to wit: the sum of one million five
hundred and sixty thousand dollars per annala and in
by law OF such expenses within said amount becomes
the imperative duty Of the Department to make such
curaiment and reduction of existing expenses of COL
Letting the from the customs as will conform to
the requirements OF the law, to take effect on and after
the lst OF January, 1850
In accomplishing this object it has been the wish and
endeavor OF the department 10 apply the curtaiment
and reduction of expenses 10 objects and services
deemed least likely to affect the security OF the revenue
or produce Inconvenience and embarrassment TO The
branch OF public service in question.
Upon careful consideration OF the entire subject the
Department has, under the pressing necessity before re-
teTed to- concluded to apply the reduction of EXPENSES
to the following enumerated objects and services:
LIST. For the present, and until otherwise ordered to
discharge the crews OF the cutters and Law m
the vessels
On this point specific instructions will be Immediately
given to the COLLECTORS OF districts where revenue cutters
are now employed.
3D. Under the existing restriction by law in reoard IN
expenses attending the collection OF the revenue from
customs, It becomes necessary to detray the entire
expense OF the wafehousng system Of the receipts
from storage; 1t being evidently the intention of Com
gress, in granting the facilities OF that system that il
should not become charge upon the revenue. Won
will, therefore, be careful to adopt such course as will
NC sure ~ d" INC Tor rent lR60g cart
and Tor the services OF sorekeepers clerks and all
other persons employed in the public warehouses at your
port
Sd. The 9TH section of the Tariff act of 3Oth JuIv.
1916, provides That IN certain therein specified
weighing, guaging, and measuring shall be performed
at the expense OF the owner, agent, or consignee
Whenever may become necessary for the appraisers
to have any merchandise weighed gagged or mea-
sured with view OF verifying invoices on appraisement
the expense incurred therefor must be borne bv the
owner, agent or eonslgnee.
In eases, also, where if may become necessary to
weigh measure, or gauge, in order to ascertain detc-
ency damage during the voyage of importation, on
the application OF the importer, such expense must be
betrayed by the owner, agent, or eonsipnee
Whenever II becomes necessary, under existing laws
or regulations 10 "eig gauge or measure any article
OF merchandise IN order to ascertain the dutabe value
has been receiped the expenses connected with the
same will be duly noted and collected with the duties
4th The expenses attending the advertisement of
merchandise, such as labor, carriage storage &c must
hereafter be paid by the importers, and will be charged
upon the goods and collected before delivery thereof
9Th There must be withheld proportion of The com.
pensatons of all officers OF the customs and other per
employed in the collection Of the revenue from
CUSTOMS until the result OF the curtaimcnt and reduc-
ton herein proposed shall have become known to the
Department; and IN making remittances to collectors
&C., the Department will retain such per cenage on
the amount Of their estimates may be deemed neces
sary TO accomplish the object proposed in these nstruc
tons
In conclusion, the Department must impress upon col
lectors and other officers OF the customs the necessity
Tor reduction OF the contingent expenses of their re-
spectve offices to the lowest practicable amount dis
pensng with such objects may not be ndispensably
necessary tor the prompt discharge OF the current bust
ness of their offices. WIN. M. MEREDITH,
Secretary OF the Treasury
Transmitted 18th January, 1867