The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-23
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.


WAsHMaros, July %, 1858.
The following is ths circular instructions to
collectors, to which referred day or two since.
ss.No 6.--Genersl hsslstctioms to Collectors 9nd
other Officers Of the Customs uMder ths act Of
Sd .Nssrh 1881, regulating the apprasement Of
imported nssFehan1jss.
TREASURY DEPARrMENr, July 20, 1853.
"Your special attention is called to the follow
ing instructions III relation to the appraisement of
under the act of Sd of March, 1851
additional to or in modification of the circular in
structions from this Department dated 9th
March, 1851:
1.-The invoice cost Of foreign merchandise, sup
ported by the oath required by law, will be held
and taken as the importers declaration of value
at the port and time of shipment, and conclusive
against the importer; unless, before entering the
same, the said importer. his consignee, or agent
shall declare in writing, under oath, on the in
voice, decline in value between the time Of such
purchase and the date of shipment and the
amount thereof; in which case, such declared
value shall be conclusive against the importer
but in either case the appraisers will determine
and Fix such additional value as the law and the
GAMES GUTHRIE,
Secretary of the Treasury"
To fully understand the object and force of the
above, il should be borne in mind that under Mr..
Corwin's administration, when foreign merchan-
disc was supposed to have declined in value at
the port of shipment after its purchase by the i'm
porter and before its shipment, the importer was
permitted to throw upon the United States APP
praisers entirely the duty of fixing the valuation
upon which the duties should be levied. If this
valuation happened to be favorable to the impor-
ter, of course he had motive to dispute it; but
ii, on the other hand it was likely to give Uncle
Sam more than the importer valuation would,
he had still the opportunity representing his proof
to secure reduction in the valuation The object Of
the above instructions is to change the system of
certaining valuations such cases and under them,
it will be seen, the ssinvoice cost, or a sworn
statement of the ssdepreciated value" of foreign
merchandise, sat the port and time of shipment, "
is made conclusive against the importer in all
cases. In other words, the importer must furnish
one or the other of these evidences of valuation;
but in either case the United States appraisers
may still increase the rate of valuation if they
deem it required by law.
The Board of Visitors to West Point Military
Academy made their report to the War Depart
ment on Monday last They were much pleased
with the progress of the students, and make a
for the increase of the course to five years; and
another for the increase of the number of cadets
by the addition of two from each State.
am happy to learn that the rumor of Mr..
Walkers intended declination of the mission to
China is entirely without foundation. 1t is still
his determination to proceed on the mission un-
less prevented by utter physical prostitution. No
thing more definite, however, is yet known as to
the time of his departure.
MIR. Soult will not leave for Europe until the
30th, on which day it is understood he will posi-
lively take his departure.
John M. Daniels, esq.,, editor of the Richmond
Examiner, has been appointed charge d'affaires to
Sardinia, rice Richard Kidder Meade, of Virgil
mia, declined. 1t was-reported that Mr.. Daniels
came on here to fight duel; it is certain he has
made very good shit to say nothing about
the shot.
NJ Bodisco, the Russian Minister, is said to be
very much displeased with the article on Turkey
which appeared in the Union on Tuesday last. ]
suppose the Union, in despair, will send for Mr..
Pryor again, to keep up the 'sbalance of power''
by another edition of the Russian article.
Daniel T. Gregg, of Illinois, and said to be
quite young man, has carried off the prize so
long sought by ten Governors, twenty Colonels,
and forty ex-M. C. 's-the Sandwich Islands Com
missione rship.
Hon. Duncan r. McRae, Consul at Paris, has
been invested with the powers of charge d 'af-
flares to the Court of St. Cloud. By the way
it is rumored that Minister to France was agreed
upon several days since. Who is he? Please to
show him up, Mr.. President. ZEKE.