Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-12
Just to Oblige q Friend.
EXTENSIVE SMUGGLING BY Z. s. Ma

EXTENSIVE SMUGGLING BY U. s. NAVAL
The officers of the United States schoolshp
st. Mary's have been setting another bad eX-
ample to the seamen under their care and to
arrived at New London, Conn, a day or tvs
ago, "a days from Madeira, and was imm L.
ately boarded by the revenue officers on tn
lookout for smuggled goods. A large lot Of
valuable articles subject to duty were found
carefully slowed away between decks, among
them being 81 dozen pairs of kid gloves. col!-
signed to a New York house. table cloths,
turkish rugs and towels. costly dry goods,
Italian bronzes, ladies' underclothing in great
variety, Madeira wine and carpets. They are
now safely stored at New London awaiting
appralSement. Commander Phythian could
make no better defence than that he was
bringing the goods home to oblige brother off,
GERS on foreign station, and that he was
IGNORANT OF THE LAW
he was breaking.
Article II, chapter 164 of the articles for the
government of the United States Navy says:
under any pretence, import in public vessel
any article which is liable to the pay .nent of
duty.
are specified as cashiering, suspension, loss Of
pay. etc. The seizure or detention of dutiabie
goods found upon naval vessels by customs
O11cers Is comparatively new provision for
protecting the customs service, and was first
lnaugurated under Collector Simmons man
agement 1t had, from time immemorial, been
CONSIDERED the correct thing for naval officers
taclt, though unexpressed, understanding that
no objection would be raised. Captain Snow,
OF the Boston revenue department., had fire.
quently expressed his conviction that the OIL
GERS OF man-of war had no more right to i'm
port goods free than had the captain or mate
OF merchantmen, and in this opinion he was
test the matter (the law previously quoted not
having then been in existence.) Collector SIM
mons brought to the notice of the department
at washington the case of the SiOOp- of-War
Juniata, which had on board small Quantity
OF dutiable goods intended for other persons
than the officers themselves. The goods were
appraised, and the Smugglers released upon
payment OF duties as cost. On the Both of De-
cember, 1877,
THE sLoOP OF-wAR KEARsARGE
arrived at this port, ard it was discovered that
table goods, consisting of valuable Turkish
rugs, silks, satinS, OctaveS of brandy and wine,
cigars, Japanese Lacquer work, fine decorated
china, etc. In addition to all this nearly every
man on board had an elegant punch bowl, be-
sides large number of articles which were
sent home by officers at the Asatic stations.
AZ these goods were retained by the officers,
and legal seizure was made on the 4th day of
February, 1873. The seizure, it will be remem-
bered, caused intense excitement and cOmmo-
tlon In naval circles, as, up to this time, no
ment ship or enter navy yard i'm search OF
dutiable goods. The goods seized On board
the KearSarge were
VALUED AT ABOUT $4,000.
and a release was effected by the payment of
duties, by the order of the Secretary of the
Navy. A standing order now exists to the
effect that all government vessels shall report
to the collector of the port, or the proper Gus.
toms officer, Immediately on entering any
harbOr.
AS an instance of the wholesale smuggling
which was carried on, it is shown that the
duties on a large number of octaves of bran
dy taken from the Kearsarge amounted to SO
per package, while one man had in his cabin
hve Turkish rugs, which were appraised at
$40. 1t is estimated that this phase of high
toned smuggling, dating as it does almost
from the establishment of the foreign naval
service, has deirauded the government out of
Herald 9Th