The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-01
Secretary of the Treasury.
NEW SERIEs-No. GIL
Circular Instructions TO Collectors and
other Officers OF the Customs.

other Officers OF the Customs.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Sept. 10, 1851.
In view of the endorsements existing at some
of the principal ports and the want Of uniformity
in the practice of assessing duties upon merchan-
disc nvoiced in deprecated foreign currcncics, it
is deemed proper to establish some uniform regu-
ations the subject for the future government of
the officers Of the customs.
The law requires invoices of all imported mer-
chandise, subject to 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 to be assessed
is the true market value in the principal markets
of the country at the period of expectation to the
United States, exhibited in such foreign currency
at its intrinsic value, converted into money of the
United States according to the rates of value at
which said currency may have been determined
agreeably TO law.
Congress has fixed the value of some of the for
egn currencies at specific rates; but where the in
voice coat of goods, wares, merchandise, is ex-
hibited in deprecated currency issued and circu-
lated under the. authority of any foreign govern
mcnt, the President of the United States is duly
authorized by law to cause to be established "fit
and proper regulations for estimating the duties
on any such goods, wares, and merchandise.
In all cases, therefore, where the foreign cur
rency is deprecated, its value in money of the
United States is to be ascertained in the mode pre-
scribed by the circular instructions issued by the
Department. by direction of the President under
dates Of the l4th May, and 10th August, 1881, and
9th October, 1882, Although the consular GER
cae required by said instructions of the value in
United States money of any foreign deprecated
currency is ordinarily to be received and taken as
evidence of such value, yet it is not to be deemed
~t,re,.r e.
may exist producing rational belief that manifest
error attaches to such certificate.
Where Congress has fixed the value in American
money of any foreign currency, it is to be under.
stood that the value is to attach in all cases in esi
mating that duties; and should any of said cur
rencies become deprecated, either by the issue of
Government paper money or otherwise, the Col
lectors nevertheless will make alteration in the
value in estimating duties, without tho previous
authority of the Department, which authority will
be promptly given in all cases, 80 the fact
Of such depreciation is automatically brought to its
knowledge. Such information has been received
as regards the Austrian form, which, until fur
Their instructions on the subject, the Collectors will
consider as deprecated currency and levy the du-
ties accordingly on invoices stated in IL. The for
egn currencies alluded to above, the value of which
is fixed by various acts Of Congress- are noted at
foot for your information and Government.
1t frequently happens that invoices stated in the
currency ofthe country Of shipment have expressed
on the face of them, in the currency of another
country, the amount for which bills of exchange
may have been drawn in payment of the goods, or
for other cause. In cases where both currencies
have specie basis, any difference which may ex
ist between the two amounts thus exhibited is pre-
sumed TO arise from the interest on the sight of the
bill, or a regular difference ofsexchange between
the two points; and where the currency of the
country OF shipment is deprecated, similar diff
ference may exist between the specie value of the
foreign currency thus expressed 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 tho specie value of the
currency of the country from whence the ship
ment is made, that mode, as general rule, will
therefore be adopted, yet where the difference be-
tween the value Of two currcncies expressed upon
the face OF the invoice ia so great to excite a
we-founded belief that eithsr deception or error
exists, the appraisers required to investigate
the facts and if they ascertain that there hae been
error, either in the consular certificate in giving
the specie value of deprecated currency, or that
otherwise the true specie value in currency of the
United States has not been correctly set forth, it
will become their duty to correct said by adj
vancing the cost value given in the invoice or
on entry, either in the price of the goods or the