The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-04-02
WORKING OF THE NEW TARIFF.
Scenes at the Custom House Yesterday-
The Merrill Tariff Put In Operation
Troubles and Annoy anoes OF the Mer-


The day was busy one at tho Custom House.
The act allows goods which the duties lcsseDed
to be wi hdrs~n from bonded warehouses pay Of
the duties therein provided Importers not been
IN finding out this provision, and the consequence has
been thai the goods on which reduced duty s to be
levsed have been hurried public stores during tho
past month tho principal articles thus warehoused
are sugar, molasses, Manila hemp and indigo.
But yesterday was The lat Of April and these goods could
then be withdrasn for the hret time the rate I'm
porters who had delayed their sales until then made
largo Withdrawals Of merchandise under the
About $50 600 worth Of sugar and molasses thus
withdrawn. Tho work Of passing tho Withdrawals is
more thsn double, and Consequently time
sumed in getting the entries through This gave rise to
much dis atisaccn the part OF the importers But
they must be patient and wait their turn for with the
present force of clerks they cannot expect to
get their goods as on ss heretofore.
Many and many more Of tho newly fedged merchants
of this city have voted tho Custom House %,
bore, inextrcable maze, unconquerable trouble.
If such their opinions during the administration Of
the tariff Of 1867, what their opinions yesterday
might have been gathered from some Of tho expetlyes
which in many rather expressive than
elegant II IL supposed that to make out sentry
qures little experience and perhaps IT docs but when
find custom brokers, whose business has been for
years to attend to such matters completely at oss it
certainly shows that the present Implications com
pcated indeed One Of these brokers yesterday took an
entry to the proper desk with the satisfaction that all
was visible his face when TO his horror he
was told il not made out according to law "wny,"
said he, 81 several hours making out and
II must be correct "Correct2 No the you
have your sugar molasses ana melado the
try The duties al different, and yet you do not spe
city them in a different manner the entry had to be
made ont afresh IL another the value of the mo
lasses specified but not the quantity. This was
other source OF trouble because the duty could be
estimated while the entry in that state. One case
came up whore two different duties mad been specified
in the new tariff We have received no instructions
in this CASE" said the clerk SO the entry must lay
over q But how lonsa' inquired the merchant
but definite could be obtained to tho query.
Tn regular nuisance" said the merchant. "Can't
help it, said the clerk; without instructions, we have
administer the tariff TO the best OF abilities but
when difference of rates like this occurs the entry
must lay by And lose the sale Of goods in the
meanwhile !" the merchant ntmated-" nice work tru
y' The only reply was, Can't help it," In another
case where the invoice had stated all the particulars
necessary pass tina entry under the tariff the
clerk said, {" / must have II stated both ways"
"But how get at these particulars? II is not stated
on the invoice 'well then, the entry must lay
side; / cannot pass it," "But how TO know2''
asked the merchant sCant say said the clerk; ''bu
you are responsible" Hero was another OF grum
bling, but grumblipg did good One anxious indiyi-
dual wished know II he to specify the entry
that the fastened down with wooden screSs
there specific duty upon them. The deputy col
ecors and clerks the Naval Office asserted that the
government would cse by the present operation, all
goods paying lower duties than formerly were being
passed yesterday, but nothing paying higher rate
Nearly every person asking Of his fellow he knew
what the aw regarding this that the other, but
seemed TO know any thing certain about 10. An
inquiry made relative TO some article specified in
the tariff at two rates. "wel, enter IL at the lower
one," was tho reply "Tow ~ "Take Peruvian bark
for instance. If you enter it Peruvian bark you
will have TO pay ten per cent but II you enter II
as Bark, Peruvian there be no duty charged
thereon in accordance with the tariff With regard to
horn bonc &c.. il you manufactures of horn
bone &c, you viii pay thirty pcr cent but you enter
as horns bones. &c, manufactured is only per
cent Do you tS But be your invoices are 80
made OUT One person said TO tho entry clerk after
having heard explanations him. that he would
not be bothered making out the entry in SUCH as he
thought, ridiculous Well, can't compel you
to do but will not pass your entry" These entries
the merchants great deal OF trouble and loss Of
time and where, former occasions, the work all
finished within al hour So II now requires days. both
at home and at the Custom House One large mercantile
house in the dry goods business this city has had
take ten other clerks bookeepers In consequence
Of the extra calculation required by the tariff.
More than double the former calculation required
the Custom House, and great deal Of extra labor
will be thrown upon the amendment desk for il will he
totally impossible TO enter correctly ali the
ticles in Eported therefore the duties viii have
to be paid as deposit, to be refunded added
to- as the case may be, when the goods are
appraised. But this appraisement win take great
length Of time. The articles 10 be weighed gsuged
measured the threads be counted the quality and
quantity determined Sc., ard then the Duties can be
definitely fixed To show eome OF the expected troubc,
our reporter entry yesterday made out FOR goods
paying nineteen per daty the appraisers returned
the quality Of the articles being Mixed and subject
twenty.four per cent duty. The difference had there
fore, TO be calculated at this desk On another entry
found "labes entered paying fifteen por cent. the
appraiser returned them as "paper" paying a much
higher duty II such occurred under the old
tariff, what must be the likely trouble under the new
one, which to puzzle all the officers Of the customs
from the highest ~ the lowas2
The Office Of the Collector was yesterday visited hS
large number Of merchants dcsrous OF having his views
upon certain portions Of the tariff which they could
not understand. We give below the Secretary Of tho
Treasurys instructions relative TO how the tariff is
10 be administered
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, March, 20, 1861.
sR-As numerous inquiries have been made respecting
various provisions Of the tariff act OF March 1861 Is
deemed proper 70 state for your information and govern
ment M well as the norpaton OF others concerned the
views In part entertained BY this department the sub
Jcct
All questions Of liability 10 duty, exemption there
from, OF merchandise Imported under the provisions Of
the tariff and questions TO the rates Of duty there
on, will be determined In accordance with the provisions
OF the th section Of the tariff act OF 1857 which section
will, In the opinion Of this department, still remain
force on and after the lst proxmo unrepealed and
modified.
Tho clause in the Tariff act Of 1891 repeating such Of
existing laws repugnant 70 It's provisions is
considered TO change modify the warchousing ap
praisement laws and regulatons force except
particular which 10 that where bill OF adng
presented showing the day of actual shipment, certt
fed toby consular officer o. the United states such date
IN lieu OF tho period Of exportation' presented by
stng laws, shall be the date At wnch the foreign market
value Of the merchandise Fha be estimated a. ascer
aned Tho appraisers In order TO the Of ad
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