New-York tribune., 1877-08-23
WASHINGTON.
ARTIFTCIALLY CoLoRED SUGARS.

EXTENT TO WHICH TaE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF DRAWBACKS OVER DU-
TIES RECEIVED.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBuSEt
WASHINGTON Aug 22.--The letter of instructions
from the Treasury Department to the Collector of
Customs at Boston. published in THE TRIBUNE of
Yesterday relative 10 the future treatment of art-
ficially colored sugars imported into the United
States has been the occasion of considerable excited
discussion among those most directly interested
in the subject. The information on which the
department has based its action In this matter
is said TO be of the most conclusive character Ihe
centrifugal sugars imported TO he refined nave
been found to contain from 90 TO 9S per cent OF
pure crystallized sugar, while natural sugars
on which the same rates of duty have been col
lected. contain only 80 per cent of crystallized
sugar In order to enable the former to be entered
As below No duties standard in color, an artificial
coloring has undoubtedly been resorted to- Inc
substance used is commonly known as caramel
and although it may be produced from cane
supar bv oyerheating il is entirely different SUD-
stance and NAV be manufactured with equal facility
from several other articles, such as potato starch
grass roots etc. This substance contains mucn
more carbon than sugar, from which IN its chemcal
composition il entirely differs. The centrifugal
sugars that are artihcally colored with caIsnel
would without this preparation, rate as No. 10 OF ~
duties standard, and in some cases even hgher'
The artificial coloring is not mixed with
sugar, but simply covers the crystals on
the outside, and may easily be removed by
pouring clear water on the sugar. Throwing
il on piece of blottng-paper, artifcally colored
centrifugal sugar may easily be distinguished from
natural raw sugar by who is not an expert, and
no reason for changing it's color can be imagined ex-
eept desire To evade duties. Some idea OF the ex-
tent to which artifcially cOored sugars have been
imported into this country during the past
few years may be obtained from the TACT
that while in 1875 the amount OF raw
sugars entered at the port of New-Iork was
75.OOO,OOO pounds less than during 1870 the
amount of refined sugars exported was 5o,ooo'ooo
pounds greater. To produce this 95,OOOOOO pounus
of refined sugars from 100000 to 74,OOOOOO
pounds of natural raw sugar would be needed
When Collector Arthurs attention was called to the
astonishing fact and he was requested TO make an
investigation and report on it to the Treasury De-
partment he referred the matter 10 Surveyor
Sharpe who replied that having examined
the weigher's department, he was convinced that
no frauds had been committed there, and that the
only explanation he could make was that on ac-
count of the depression of business and the conse-
uuent hard times the domestic consumption OF SUI
gars in the country had fallen Off The explanation
was not considered at the Treasury Department
satisfactory one, If, however, centrifugal sugars
are artifcialy cOOred and containing ninety
seven or ninetv-eght per cent of crystazed
cane sugar had been largely imported during 1876
in the place of equal weights of natural raw sugars
containing only about fifty per cent OF crystal
lied cane sugar imported in 1875, the remarkable
circumstance already referred TO would be easily
explained. What those most interested IN this
subject are unable TO understand Is WHY
this fraudulent evasion of n portion Of duties,
which the Treasury Department by its letter
TO the Collector of Customs at Boston fully
recognized should be winked at from now to the
lst of October. If the artificial cOOnng Of sugars
for the purpose Of cheating the Government Is ile-
gal at all, it is just as illegal during August and
September as during October; aud those who are
guilty Of it should be held TO just strict account
now as after that date. The Government has al
ready lost millions of dollars by paying to sugar i'm
porters than twice much IN the form OF draw
back as it collected on the same sugars when they
were imported in the form of duties; and people
whose interest it is to have the duty collected are
unable TO understand why the fraudulent practices
that have been discovered should not subject those
guilty of them to punishment. On the other hand,
some of the New-York importers who have large
quantities of the arifcially cOlored sugar on hand
entered as they claim, IN strict accordance
with the letter of the law as coored standard are
greatly dissatisfied with the decision of the Treas
ury Department. Some of them have already
served notice upon the Government officers through
their agents that they contest every attempt either
TO seize OF reaSsess the duties upon the sugars
already in the custody of the Custom House officers
or which NAV arrive after October 1.