The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-21
FROM THE CAPITAL.
An Important Decision by Secretary
Boutwell-The Duty on Brass.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
a Plea for Religious Equality in Ire
land-Female Suffrage Agitated
In England Insurrectionary
Troubles Anticipated in
Spain-Irish Church
Bill-American
Vessels Off
Cuba.
Decision of Secretary BOutwcII-The Duty on
stamped Brass Goods.
Dnalnn I'll 10 La Ln..n. Il

Decision of Secretary boutwell, The Duty on
Despatch 10 the Associated Press
WAsHrNGToN, July 21.-The following deci-
sions have recently been made by Secretary
Boutwell,
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, July H. 1SS0.-
Gentlemen;-I am in receipt of your letter of
the 23d ult, complaining OF the action of the
Collector of Customs at New York in assessing
duty of forty-ive per cent. dd UdiOrenl on six
cases of stamped brass goods imported by you
per steamer Bremen in May last. The duty in
question, il appears, was assessed under the act
of February "a, 1869, which provides that all
manufactures OF copper, or of which copper
shall be component of chief value, otherwise
provided for, shall be subject to a duty of forty
five per cent. dd UdLOre1n.
The collector having decided that on all
articles made of the composition usually known
as brass copper is the component Of chief value,
The goods imported by you were subject TO duty
under said act. | have reason for believing that
the position taken by the collector is correct in
regard to the materials of which brass is COM
posed, and as the law in question includes all
articles OF which copper is the component of
chief value, his action in assessing said duty
was correct. The fact that brass and many
other articles, of which copper forms the prin-
cipal part, have other distinctive names, and are
never known as manufactures of copper in the
commercial world, cannot be deemed to affect
the question under the very comprehensive Ian
guage of the act referred to-
am, very respectfully,
GEORGE S. boutwell,,
Secretary Of the Treasury.
To Messrs Fisher IL Ritterhaus, New York.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT July 19, 1S69-Sir:
Your letter of the 9th ult. is received, submit
ting the appeal-S66'91- Messrs. Julius Cher
man u Co., from your decision assessing duty
at the rate of 45 per cent. dd UGloren on GER
tain duty metal and bronze powders imported
iuto your port per Main, June LIST last as
manufactures of which copper is the component
of chief value, under the act of February 2t,
1869. From your report, it appears that the
appraiser returned the Dutch metals as copper,
chief value ID per cent, and the bronze pow
ders as manufactured from species of brass
known as Dutch metal, 20 per cent; and that,
deeming the return of the latter erroneous, you
assessed duty thereon at 45 per cent. The ap-
praiser in his report, states that in his opinion
copper is not the component of chief value in
articles made from Dutch metal, basng this
| opinion on the assertion that a new metal is
formed by the union of copper and tin in the
Dutch Metal, though, at the same time he report
Dutch metal as manufacture of which copper
is the component of chief value, thus restricting
the operations of the law to articles
manufactured in whole or in part
of the metal-cOpper and to alloys composed in
part of that metal, while articles manufactured
! of such alloys even where, copper is the compo-
nent OF chief value, would be liable to duty
under previous acts. The language of the act
of February "A, 1869 is very comprehensive, and
in the opinion of this department, embraces
every manufacture OF which copper is the COM
pOnent of chief value, whether the copper be
the simple metal or in the form of alloy or com
bnatiOn, chemical or otherwise, with any other
articles. 1t is the duty of the appraiser to de-
termine the facts in each case. This decision is
cOnfirmatOry of the departments decision of the
18th instant. Your decision is hereby confirmed.
Very respectfully, GEORGE S. BoUTwBLLi
Secretary of the Treasury.
To NJ. II. Grinnell, Esq, Collector of New YORK
Naval Orders.
l.,VV I,,l., No..
mander r. S. McCook is ordered to the receiv-
ing ship New Hampshire, at Norfolk. Com
| marder James NJ. Watson is detached from duty
as Lighthouse Inspector at Astoria, Oregon, and
| placed on waiting orders. Commander X. r.
| Breese is detached from ordnance duty at Wash
| ington Navy Yard, and granted leave of absence.
Lieutenant A. V. Reed is detached from the
Jamestown and placed on waiting orders Sur
| geOn James c. Palmer is detached from the
| Naval Hospital at New York and placed on
| whiting orders.