The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-07-25
Duties ON Shipbuilding materials.

The following from the Washington cores
pondent of the Journal of Commerce more full
ly explains the recent act of Congress and the
Department decisions -- T..
Probably no paragraph in the tariff bill has
been SO little underrtood as the ship building
section. The regulations of June 10Th for car
rying it into effect took the view that it related
tured goods only. But modification of those
regulations have already set in. In regard to
lumber, timber, hemp Manila, and iron and
steel rods, bars, spikes nails and bolts, and
copper and composition metal used in the con-
struction and repair of American vessels en-
gagged in the foreign trade, the Treasury De-
partment has just decided almost as the manu-
facturers want it. The manufacturers could
not see how they would be able to furnish the
material, unless they could withdraw raw goods
Company of Boston were the first to test the
matter on positive case. They represent that
they have large amount of copper in bond,
which they desire to manufacture into sheath
ing, bolts, nails, hatch-plates, latches kettles,
and many other articles used exclusively in the
construction, equipment and repairs Of Ships
They cannot always when they begin to man
ufacture, tell the name of the ship, because
ships are seldom named till nearly complete,
and they are obliged to keep stocks of all cop
sudden use on ships. They apply for permits
sion to withdraw this copper in bond, as they
want it, to manufacture for usual shipbuildinS
stock, the bond to be cancelled on proof that
the stock has actually been used for the pur-
poses indicated in the law. -f.r
The Department considered the matter fully,
and seemed entirely willing to grant the request
II there was any way of getting at it, with due
regard to honest collection of revenue where it
should be collected. So they get around in
this way. They answered the Revere Copper
Company to-day, that they could withdraw
their copper from bond as they want it, and
manufacture it into any article necessarily used
IN construction, equipment or repair of vessels
engaged in the foreign trade. But they must
pay the duty when they withdraw it from
bond, and upon proof that it, or anything
manufactured from it, has been used in the
construction, equipment or repair of vessels en-
gagged in foreign trade, they would be entitled
to refund of the duty paid. This principle is
clearly set forth in few words: Pay the duty
on your raw material, manufacture it, and af-
ter it goes into the ship apply for refund of du-
ty on the raw material and get it.
This modification of the regulations, though
it does not go as far as the manufacturers hop
ed, will reach every class of shipbuilding mate
rial exempted by the law. The finest and cOars-
est woods can be imported and manufactured
into any part of ship. The ropem.ker, the
anchor and chain and wire-rope maker, can al
so get free raw material ON the same conditions
as the man who makes copper sheathing. II is
to be hoped that doubling the tariff on wire-rope
and giving the manufacturer of it his raw ma
terlal duty free, in the same act of June 6, 1872
Will satisfy the hungry monopolies of Worces-
ter and San Francisco, whose profits on that
largely used commodity have heretofore been
enormous Wire-rope is superseding cordage to
considerable extent in shipbuilding and re-
pairing, and is very important item. q Il
a...I .4 a-sT...e,s 80 w. PC.