The southern press., 1851-10-04
[NEw SERIEs-No. GIL
Circular Instructions TO Collectors and other
Ofiicers Of the Customs.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Sept 10, 49,

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Sept 10, 1851.
In view of the embsrraSsments existing nj
some of the principal ports, and the want OF
uniformity in the practice of assessing duties
upon merchandise invoiced in deprecated for
eign currencies, il is deemed proper TO establish
some uniform regulations on the subject for the
future government Of the officers of the Gus.
TOMS
The law requires invoices Of all imported
merchandise, subject 10 an ad valorem duty, TO
be made out in the currency Of the country or
place from whence the importation Is made.
The basis Of value upon which the duties are
10 be assessed Is the true market value IN the
principal markets of the country at the period Of
expectation 10 the United States, exhibited IN
such foreign currency at it, intrinsic value, con.
yerted into money Of the United States accord.
ing TO the rates Of value at which said currency
NAV have been determined aerteably TO law.
Congress has fixed the value Of some Of tn
FOREIGN euuencies at specific rates; but where
the invoice cost Of goods, wares, or merchandise.
is exhibited in a deprecated currency issued
and circulated under the suihority Of any foreign
government, the President Of the United States
is duly authorized by law 10 cause 20 be estab.
Iisbed ht and proper regulations" for estimat-
ing the duties on any such goods, wares, and
merchandise. fft
In al cases, therefore, where the foreign cur.
rency is deprecated, lis value in money Of the
United States is 70 be ascertained in the mode
prescribed by the circular instructions issued
by the department by direction Of the Presi-
dent, under dates Of the l4th May, and 18th
August 1881, and 18th October, 1882. Al
though the consular certificate required by said
instructions Of The value in United States
r. r.. =
ordinarily 10 be received and taken a. evidence
of such value, yet IL is not 10 be deemed con.
elusive in cases where facts or Circumstances
may exist producing rational belief that man.
ifest error attaches TO such certificate.
Where Congress has fixed the value in Amer.
lean money Of any foreign currency, Il !. 10 be
understood that the value Is TO attach in all cases
in estimating that duties; and should any Of
said currencies become depreciated, either by
the issue Of government paper money or other.
wise, the collectors nevertheless viii make no al
teration in The value IN estimating duties, with.
out the previous authority Of the department,
which authority viii be promptly gwen in ell
cases, 80 soon rs the fact Of such depreciation Is
automatically brought 10 its knowledge. Such
information has been received AZ regards the
Austrian form, which, until further Instructions
on the subject, the collectors will consider az
deprecated currency, and levy the dniies ac-
cordinQly on invoices stated 10 IL The foreign
currencies alluded TO above, the value OF which
is fixed by various acts Of Congress, are noted
at foot for your information and government
IL frequently happen. that invoices stated IN
the currency Of the county Of shipment have
expressed on the face Of them. in the currency
OF another country, the amount for which bills
Of exchange msy have been drawn In payment
OF the goods, or for other cause. In cases where
both currepcies have specie basis, any differ
ence which may exist between the two amounts
thus exhibited, is presumed TO arise from the In.
terest on the sight Of the bill, or regular DIFF.
ference Of exchange between the two points
and where the currency Of the country Of ship
ment Is deprecated. similar difference may ex-
ist between The specie yalue Of the foreign cur,
rency thus expressed on the face Of The invoice,
and the consular certified specie value Of the
local deprecated currency, in which the invoice
is stated. As the law provides that the duties
shall be estimated on the specie value Of the
currency Of the country from whence the ship
meut Is made, that mode, rs general rule, will
therefore be adopted; yet where the difference
between the value Of two eurencies expressed