The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-08
CUSTOM HOUSE AFFAIRS.

The New Order for Clearing Decks OF
Goods While Vessels Are Unloading
The Responsibility OF the Collector
Importers Must BE Protected-sO Must
the Government-Seizure OF Struggled
GOods-Arrest OF a Female Contra
bant,ist.
In relation to the order issued by the Acting
Surveyor of Customs Mr.. James L. Benedict in
structng all his inspectors who are assigned to
discharge steamships to enforce the regulations to
clear docks while vessels are unloading, &C., and
which appeared in yesterdays HERALD, few
facts have since been ascertained which will not
prove altogether uninteresting at least as far as
the general public is concerned.
According to an act OF Congress passed March
2, 1899, the Collector is compelled ito assume
charge OF goods remaining on board OF ship i've
days or more" which act was amended March
8, 1854, providing that whenever merchandise
shall hereafter be imported into any port OF the
United States from any foreign country in vessels
propelled IN Whole or in part by steam or other.
wise, and it shall appear BY the bills OF lading that
&C., 1t shall be lawful for the Collector
OF such port to take possession of such merchan-
house."
The Collector OF the Port is responsible for two
classes OF gOods-1rst, those designed for the pub
lie store; next those for the general order ware
houses II merchants fail to pay the duty on their
importations, and thus miss making their entries
content to allow their wares to 60 into general
orders" The goods for the public store must 60
there whether or no, inasmucn as the law requires
samples to be sent to the Appraiser for examina-
ton ana appraisement after which the same are
Calling for the sa%e poded the duties have BEEN
regularly paid. The designation OF general order
warehouses; where imports are to be stored is not
made by the Collector, but by the steamship CON-
panies; hence there can be no favOritism shown in
selecting any. particular warehouse to please the
owner thereof.
The order referred to says-
Complaints having been frequently made to the Col
ector that the regulations in relation clearing docks
resarded are noed that said Regulations
ay e 'srs
d e this DUTY they the facts
The following are the regulations referred to -
TO- The carts trucks lighters designated by the i'm
porer must be at the vessel ready to take the merchan
Inspector waiting reasonable time, viii send
dray or lighter available for the work.
s BE GST % s dCss
goods Goods where
stamped 5p d for carts car s. al sc
fore the closing OF the store and warehouse
that he will not allow them to shift the responsibility of
his reg%aS"ns upon dock esrk Gus
OF the regulation aforesaid.
This order is not relished by the majority OF the
Inspectors as 1t interferes somewhat with certain
little douceurs they occasionally receive to keep
packages OF merchandise back few hours SO as
not to be taken to the warehouse that day.
Merchants, after entering their goods, are anxious
to have the ordered packages" sent at once to the
public store as they are prohibited by their bond
from opening or dispOsing thereof until the eX-
amined parcel has been reported upon by the APP
praiser. The goods, as soon as passed by the In
spectOr ON the dock, instead of being placed in
pile by themselves In order that the cartman can
take them instantly to the store have repeatedly
chandse In an inextricable confusion. In hume
rous instances merchants have complained that
their cases or bales have remained thus for two
weeks and more.
The prompt delivery of imports is everything to
the importer for these very goods may have been
sold to arrive. Collector Arthur Is determined
that the importers shall receive every facility to
transact their business with precision and de-
spatch, even II IT should cause the removal of all
his officers.
SO far the order seems to take well, and on one
of the docks there was not package remaining at
any time during the day, the cartmen carrying
away the same as fast as unloaded.
Late in the afternoon several custom House In
spectors seized quantity Of silks and kid gloves,
the Hamburg steamship Frisia, which arrived yes.
terday. The officers received the information that
the cOntraband goods were on board, and on the
arrival OF the vessel had no difficulty in capturing
the struggled wares. AS no one claimed the pack
ages no arrests were made and the hapless owner
can console himself that although ''hls wealth is
gone," yet his liberty remains. Not so lucky, how
ever, was q lady passenger who arrived here last
Wednesday. she attempted to introduce about
twenty-five hundred dollars worth OF Honiton, point
d'appnque thread and other laces without contrib
uting the necessary moety towards paying Uncle
Sans running expenses and liquidating the
national debt. The penalty OF the law In such
cases which is meted out to offenders, not for
smuggling, but for being caught at TT. e., an
the portion OF this female contrabandst, where
she Still lingers