The New York herald., 1874-07-02
CUSTOM HOUSE AFFAIRS.
The Duty Fruit Re-enacted-Em-
barrasstng Controversies.

The Duty ON Fruit Re-enacted--Em-
barrasstns Controversies.
Whenever the national lawmakers wish TO
create confusion in trade they enact law to In
crease or levy some particular tax on some specific
article, and by this means the largest amount OF
trouble is entailed upon the Custom House off,
cials. This theory was amply verified yesterday,
in the new tarin OF twenty-five per cent ad
valorem on green fruits, tropical and semi
tropical-viz, lemons, oranges, pineapples, ban
anas, &C., which heretofore were admitted in Gus
tom House parlance '.constructively free.n Ac-
c0rding to rulings OF the Treasury Department the
duties on cargoes accrue at the rate in operation,
"at the time Of arrival OF the vessel within the
collection district with intent to unlade her
Cargo.n
A case in point arose yesterday. The steamship
Spain, from Liverpooi, arrived at this port on
Tuesday evening. By six O'Clock the captain
reached the Custom House TO enter his ship. bat
IL was too late. General Arthur. the Collector,
had ordered his deputies to remain at their posts
three hours after three O'Clock to facilitate entries,
but this captain arrived too late. The amount In.
voived in his cargo Is 900 and upwards. Seve-
raj smaller cargoes arrived later, but before twelve
O'CLOCK OF the 30th ult., likewise claim the atten
ton OF the oficials and yesterday Special Deputy
Collector John r. Lydecker was besieged all day
with the opportunities Of the importers to allow
their entries to pass under the old rate prior TO
July
Mr.. Lydecker referred all these gentlemen to the
instructions of the Treasury Department. OF which
the following is copy
CIRCULAR TO COLLECTORS OF CUSTOMS.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, I
WARRINGTON ID. e., May n. 1874.
The following IS copy OF an act approved May
9, 1874, entitled "An act in relation to the customs
BE 1t enacted Dy the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatives OF the United ctates OF Amerca In
Treasury is HEREBY directed to suspend the repay
ment OF all duties heretofore paid on imported
sns the same an s, or until the nsi decision Of the
Supreme Court, except in cases where suits IN
Secretary OF the treasury. And the error In pune
tuat10n OF the clause relating to fruit plants,
ne Sn c rec sae acd o S
to reduce internal taxes and Tor other purposes"
Of inserting comma instead Of 9 hyphen alter the
snail read as folows:-"FruitPlants, tropical
and semi mi-troplca. or the purpose OF propagation
BY virtue OF this amendment shall not be levied or
collected upon fruits entered for consumption Of
II viii be observed that this act makes two
onanRes In the existing laws-one Is that the only
the tha & esn Gs seoton o ss as act du
June 8, 1872, are those having fruir.bearing
qualities. and which are tropical and dsem-tropical
and are intended for propagation or cultivation;
the other is that the duty upon fruits is remposed
Ct the rates provided for by the laws existing be-
The duty upon fruits, however does not take
sfiect until the lst q July next. while the clause
its approval-to WIT, May 9, 1874 am, very re.
spectfully, WILLIAM A. RICHARDSON,
Secretary.
Complicated questions under the new Moiety
bill have already arisen. Section provides that
"of personal effects accompanying passengers no
importation exceeding 500 in dutlable value shall
be admitted without duly certified invoices except
personal eflects.u
Entries may be made on invoices made out in
the United States and sworn to, which reverses
the practice heretofore in vogue as TO appraise-
Ments.
When entries have been liquidated after one
year from entry in the absence OF fraud and the
absence OF protest, such liquidation shall be final
and conclusive on the importer and the United
States. This also reverses the practice which has
been in practical operation for years with profit to
the government
Mr.. F. Knowland, General Agent of the Union
and Central Pacific Railroad, has entered In the
Custom House over 5000 chests Of tea, which ar
rived overland from China, via San Francisco, in
tnirty-f0ur days, by the steamship VascO de Cana,
Of the new steamship route. The steamer Van
s sasd anu nv oher neW age Hesses VIII i
in opposition to the Pacific Mail Steamship Com