The New York herald., 1862-01-29
Tho Duty ON Tea.

IMPORTANT DECISION or SECRETARY CHASE.
An important decision has just beon rendered BY Secre
tary Chase which will set at the hopes Of those i'm
portes Of tea who hoped obtain possession Of the
merchandise shpboard before the passage Of the rs
act Of December payment Of tho Of duty levied
on the subject:--
LETTER IRON O. ". Bxxsos.
WASHINGTON, Jan %, 1862.
10 che Hon SALMON CHASE Secretary of tho Treasury
SRI have tho honor request to be informed whether
teas shipboard prior 10 December a. 1861 and afte
August g. 1861 dutiable under the act Of Decembe
a. 1851 Very respectfully your most obedisnt servants
@. W. BENSON.
SECRETARY cHAsxs REPLY.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, jan -, 1852.
SmI am in receipt Of your letter OF tho 22d instant
"requssting TO be informed whether teas shpboard
prior TO December a. 1851 dutabe under the act o.
December "a, 1861.
The act Of December -, 1851 increasing tho duties
tea coce and sugar. makes exception in favor
chandse subject duty under the Of August s. 1851
and shipboard bound to the United States prior 10
the act Of December consequently al shipped after
the passage Of the act Of August g. LIABLE mpor
tatou to duty At the rate of twenty per pound
am, very respectfully,
S. P. CHASE, Secretary Of the Treasury.
G. W. BENSON Esq, No. 80 South street, New York.
Chase to Collector Barney 1t has been procured on
application at the Department in order correct IN
erroneous statement, recently published
LETTER FROM SECRETARY CHASE TO COLLECTOR BARNEY.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Jan. II, 1862.
SRI have under consideration an appeal from your
alleged decision that certain imported from Canton
per bark Penguin by Messrs. A A. Low & Brothers
dutiable under the acts Of December "a, 1851,
the appellants claiming that ssid teas are entitled
to entry froe Of duty under tbs provisions OF the
sixth section OF the act Of August D. 1861 The twenty.
third section Of the act OF March O. 1861 exempts from
duty tea when imported direct from country Of pro
ducon in American vessels in foreign vessels entitled
TO the same privileges as American vessels.
The fifth section Of fho act Of August g. I161 provides
that all goods, wares and merchandise actually on ship
board and bound to the United States the date OF tho
passage Of this act shall be subject pay such as
provided by law before al tho time Of the pas:
sage Of this act
Thus shipboard and bound the United States
the 5th Of August last entitled to entry on i'm
portaton free Of duty under the act August g. 1851
The act Of December "a, 1861, provides thai from
and after the date OF the passage Of this
act lieu Of the duties heretofore imposed by law on
articles hereinafter mentioned, shall be collected
and paid the following duties and Of duty that to
sayFrst all tcas twenty cents pound, and tho
question N presented whether tea shipboard on
the 9Th d August last and bound to the United States
from the country OF produocn in vessel cf the United
States entitled 70 tho privilege accorded by the NTH
section OF the act OF August 1861 and entitled entry
Tree Of duty II he terms "n lieu Of the duties hereto
fore imposed" had been omitted from the act Of Decem
ber "a, all teas imported without exception would
have been Liable TO the duties imposed by IT, the
insertion Of thcee terms Indicate the inten-
tion the part OF Congress to leave free the tea
ao st,n nc
August g. 1sd and thus avoid discrimination between
shipments already received and admitted from near and
shipments from rsmots localities, also on shipboard On
the 9Th Of August last but not yet arrived. arm Of the
opinion therefore, the merchandise in question will be
entitled to free entry shall be shown 70 your salts
fac,on that toe teas this actually ship
boar and bound to the United States from the country
OF growth or production before the passage the
&C, Of August 8, 1861. am, very respectfully,
s. P. CHASE,
Secretary Of the Treasury
HIRAM BARxsY, ESQ, Collector &C., New York.