The New York herald., 1871-02-04
CUSTOM HOUSE AFFAIRS
The Tonnage Tax on steamships- What Collector
Murphy Is Going to Do in waahington-A
Legal Puzzle Propounded-A Congressional
Oversigbt-Its Effects Upon the Ar
dent Spirits OF the Liquor Dealers

For the last few years N steamship hines
had all their way In Washington An act 70 amend
existing ang to the internal for other
purposes approved March 1867 contains under section 50
the following resolution
sand be further enacted that the tonnage duty now I'm.
Pose1 ny law on AL SHIPS vessels or steamers engaged in
or domestic shall be levied but within
further onnage tax shall be collected within year
This regarded by many virtually subsidy to the
foreign steamship lines Up to the time of the passage Of
tins act they had pay the thirty cents ton every
time one Of their steamers entered the port of New York
Now they pay
THU TONNAGE TAX
line thu. has steamship arrivals Of 5000 tons each
every week a. prescn, only enpends hundreah or
w ss %Sch Se hun
THE TnrAs0RY 10 OUT pooGrT
IA. FOR
81 the former tonnage tar In 1861 Tor hs
oans a,,s anu onrdensome to ths people
He ~ ss vson S s a.
Wisconsin, in order g secure the q the bill for
drawn at the last Indianapolis convention This bill
grafton, giving full emigration affairs
LII b ,. law should be passed during this session
wants OF the community ms understood by him Collector
proposed election biz which now under the consderaon
OF Iongress pationai law 1t 10 to be enacted for the
.ooo, rSnI,rIso y n AND AND REGULATING ELECTIONS.
joved
legal question: about which tho Custom House auihor
ies are now cndseng their brains arisen from the
Congress OF july Ia is O. reia ns 10 the ne rate
oil nuty on wines importei In cases. reads foliows:
twenty-five cent OF alcohol and valued exceeding
forty cents gallon (duty twenty-five per gallon
Per Gaon valued at over dollar dollar gallon and
IN addition thereto twenty-five per cent ad (oi tho
Bu, herein lies the cuery:-
ION wines o. all kin imported bottles and other
wise herein provided Tor the same rate per gallon
impor ed in casks but all bottles contllnns quart
con,an quart all bottles conrinng one pint or less
mai be he'd to contain oae pint and shall pay In addition
or dsentanse from The confused wording of the law
-Four quarts ga lon The law says iha, four bottles,
each containing pint and half shall be determined each
gallon The o. WINE over one dollar per gallon
and pays the duty Of dollar per gallon and Twenty-Five
eusion" Do these four bottles containing pins
pay the duty which the exacts eight pnts or one
How is the Deputy Collector whose business is to clas
siy mportatons, to nterprc; this provision
aet3 According to al nooas right importers should
rive within the limits Of he port Yet ne Collector Is bound
G The .;s, Of the law e exact the payment OF duties
of ne wise men a s xb5s. .,or
to the decision OF the Secretary Of the treasury
pes eo could Roes nevsr
have put 10 motion w.hoa, the assistance Of these faith
to suit the Interests OF their vendshave much with
MURDERS, CRIMES AND CASUALTIES
that come within frequent notice. E they receive due at
point By oversight Congress had in the construction of
he tariff e the rate Of anty on run, Gin and whskey on
CONFEDERATION PREVAILED
era days the ears the puzzled House oalcas
were the receptaces OF anxious INQUIRIES Word sent
adjust the and the Collectors Of the ports have
been TS e esy only two doas per gallon on @
satisfaction Of the jubiiant pubicans.