The New York herald., 1862-08-08
THE TARIFF.

Duty-The New TartM-The Tariff
Question-The Work ON the Subject by
=. h. Bigelow-The System fn the
Waited states and Great Britain-The
Duties Imposed I'm the Two Countries
Chc Customs Revenue OF Great Bri.
tsin-Interesting statistics. Ssc., &c.
The amount Of business transacted at the custom
House Of this port since the beginning or the present
nonth has been much smaller than during tho few
weeks preceding. The tariff act had the effect
% business during the latter part Of
the month Of July, and to render the receipts much
heavier than in ordinary mcs Tho last day in which
importers were allowed avail Of tbs old rates Of duty
was the most busy one ever known at our Custom
House, the receipts being more than double
those of any other day since the government was
established with the exception or the one preceding.
The Custom House has seemed quite dull since those
Who then witnessed the crowds Of importers paying
tes. Tho recepts though greatly inferior TO those OF the
days towards the end OF July, still quite large No
estimate DO formed from them however concerning
the probable effect Of the tariff importaons
she business Of the country Tho will not be fully
= eject until three months have elapsed from the date
On which most Of Its new provisions took effect, mas
much goods entered for warehouse previous August
may be withdrawn payment OF the old rates at any
time before the expiration Of the three months for
which they were originally bonded The arrival, too,
q vessels despatched from various foreign pors heavily
laAed which may have been detained the passage but
which, arriving late, have failed obtain exemption
hem tho new for tho goods board, may have
had the OBJECT 70 temporarily increase the receipts,
which, during the first FIVE business days Of August
ansuntsd about s7o0 0o Before long we may expect
she revenue TO fall of considerably when unusua
reason exists the receipts for duty at this very
snail. On many days Of last summer they reached NO
greater than % 900 So 0o0 while during the pro-
Ssne they have ranged from 800 70 900
psr diem.
1he new tariff will undoubtedly cause tho importations
= this country diminish rapidly for the present The
nsosasty Tor outstanding during the war; and
~ patriotic purpose Of many 10 expend for the
bsnens Of our noble soldiers the money usually
lavishsd On themselves, win cause this. But AZ
soon . great and decisive victory has been
ashssved by arms and the people understand that
~ end Of the hand and believe that they
WIN much longer be called 10 aid their friends and
osfendors IN the field, business will 10 its usual
channels and the mportations again increase. Az the
Anerent Southern States recovered by armies
ths demand for the articles Of which their inhabitants
have long been deprived will induce heavier importa
eons and in consequence increased customs revenue
mus before the year has passed we shall derive much
e the money necessary to deray our unusual expenses
Gem this our ordinary source Of revenue.
u has been really amusing to people IN tbs country TO
peruse the comments Of the English press
tariff From reading the London Times one unac-
luainted with its character and with the state
- the manufactures OF England and America
would believe that the United States would in the inter-
mission Of mpor tions from abroad be destined TO 60
pesdy into decay ard to suffer all manner Of ills and in
sc0venience That unhappy sheet seems TO doubt whe
tAer not will survive the ruin impending from the
aAopon Of the tariff act OF last month Let 1t be at
zAe people OF the United States better afford pa
Great Britain and venture to say, would be better and
more economically supplied commercial intercourse
with that country entirely cut Of.
The revenue at this port B at present derived in great
measure from the duties sugar, tea and coffee, Of tho
consumption Of which few persons have any conception
s i from these that very large portion Of the
money received at the Custom House since last December
has been obtained Previous to the LIST Of August the du
siss paid were mostly on liquors, dry goods and
miscellaneous articles which had been warehouse for
some time. The difference the Of duty imposed
by ths laws in effect when many OF these goods
stored and under which they allowed to be with
drawn, and those levied by the act, is very great
Many Of them imported under the tariff Of 1867,
under which Of the merchandise imported paid but
Shirty twenty four nineteen fifteen and four per cent
a valsrsm. These rates have been increased by the
various laws Of last year and by tho just enacted
nail they equivalent in many instances 70 100 per
Ssns "a valorem, and even more.
1hs subject Of the tariff has been more than usually
Interesting during the past year. The financial schemes
osvssx have been more important than BEFORE and
Ne tarhas been carefully examn amended several
tnss with the object OF yielding revenue as basis for
uss Of notes. and to pay the current expenses Of the
government The questions relative 10 free trade, pro-
1scaion, revenue, &C. which have often agitated the
osunty, and have formed the basis Of radical political
nivhons, have all settled themselves and that, too,
without causing the slightest III feeling complaint
amongst people. The importance Of this subject has
Alled forth from tho pen Of Mr.. Erastus b. Bigelow
work which he has entitled
THE TARIFF QUESTION,
= which Aessrs Little, Brown Co., Of Boston, the
Dsblkhers, and the Appe,ons ,he New York agents
xhs question considered In regard to the policy OF Eng
land and the Of the United States. In his intro
auction the author states that "it t time 10
present the question OF customs duties not as has too
sfsn been presented In theoretical partisan aspect,
- In . practical manner, and under tho clear
light Of facts and experience" This has been his on
asavor the result Of his labor has been the produc
sion Of exceedingly valuable book. The questions
which have often arisen concerning the reatiye merits
doctrines Of free trade and protection discussed
and The assigned by the adhsrents each given
complete history Of the system in the United States
also found In this work.
oome Of It's most interesting pages devoted to
explanation Of the tariff policy Of England, review Of
which given, in which 10 be found many interest
NJ facts and statistics We indebted TO Mr. Bigelow
Ssr ths following valuable statisiics:-Tne imports ana
experts OF Great Britain for the year 1860 amounted
n value 81 ssl lso (s5 being taken the squva
Isn't Of the pound sterling). OF coin ane bullion that
year, she imported and exported S242 ,5o4 $780, making
shs vast aggregate Of her foreign trade less .
shan q 24 el $780, The annual exports British
n,ssurers now amount 20 $3.50, 900 600.
Ths mean annual gross receipts Of customs duties in
nrsat Britain have been as folows:-
Mean annual amount collected In the four
years, from 1888 TO lssi inclusive. s11o, ,e45, $50
RoSer. Peeis iariG reform 1l2,sa ,alS
is4s and is44 | . - Iis, 1885,, ,72o
Mean annual amount collected In the years
ls45 and 1916, the years Of Sir Robert