New-York tribune., 1878-12-03

he is satisfied that additional legislation ia necessary IN
order TO place within the control OF this Department tne
under any system Of customs duties are likely to arise
There appearsto be necessity Tor the adoR,l3m -,
by Congress TO secure greater encleney
and uniformity in apprasements of imported merchan
disc .
Under the present system each local appraiser Is nde
pendent and has knowledge Of the action taken py
at other ports the articles % wnen i ne
found the various ports not at all times uniform
upon the class OF goods It'll also matter OF re
auent that merchandise Is classified under
rate OF duty at port, while at other ports Is
entered by different name, and subjected to different
the proper committee OF Congress TO remedy this and
other defects the present machinery for collecting the
Every possible effort has been made during the past
year reduce the expenses Of collecting the revenue
many customs districts however, which might be abo
ished aud in which the interests OF the Government
could be well protected by subordinate officers connected
with the more important districts in the region OF
country, and with considerable saving OF expense.
Under section 253 Of the Revised Statutes the secre
tary of tue Treasury may discontinue any port OF de-
livery, the revenue received at which does not amount
TO the sum OF $4,000 year. IL Is recommended that
authority be given Also to abolish ports OF entry where
the receipts do not amount to the sum speced placing
subordinate officers, II necessary at sucn ports 70 %
attached TO collection disricts or to consolidate
two or more Districts should 1t be found desirable
Attention is called the report OF the Chef OF tne
Special Agents showing the and character OF the
duties performed by them during the past year Ihe a
portance OF this service s manifested economy ana
efficiency produced by the efforts OF tse agents, who
being generally familiar with the customs service are
able discover and check Irregularities, and 70 detect
and prevent frauds.
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
The gold values of the exports of merchandise from
the United States and imports of merchandise into the
United States during the last fiscal year. as appears
from returns made to- and compiled by, the bureau OF
Statistics, are as follows:
Txports of domestic merchandise $3.50 709 2BS
Exports OF foreign merchandise. l4lOo,4eo
Total exports of merchandise. o94 S65 788
Imports OF merchandise soooI'oo|
Excess OF exports over imports OF merchandise 25sI423
Compared with the previous year, the importatons
are less by S14 594 aud the expectations greater
by S0239O,546.
The annual average of the Of imports over ex
ports OF merchandise for the ten ended June 3d.
1873. was S1Oi.7O6,922; but, during the last three
rs follows: i'm Is76 S7o6 3,4sI; in 1877, $751; 152
O9i, and iii 1879, $257. .8l4, ,23I
The total amount OF exports and imports OF specie
and bullion during the last fiscal year, has been as
follows:
Exports Of specie and bullion I25
Imports OF specie and bullion %'o%i'oAf
Excess OF exports over imports S39lssll
The importation OF specie and bullion was less than
for the preceding year by S10,953l00 aud the expor'a
ton less than the preceding year by $22,422,112
The excess OF such exports imports has decreased
from $7l 23l 425 in 1875, to S39lSS1l In 1878, as
above stated.
The excess of exports over imports Of merchandise
amounted to ISL 41ji77, and during the corresponding
months OF the last h.cal year TO only S342o5 07G.
During the first four months of the last fiscal year
there OF exoOrts over imports OF coin ana
bullion amounting to S3,43O757. whereas during the
first four months OF the current fiscal year. there mas
been an excess imports exports of coin and bull
lion amounting TO S3,3j0,SS making changc IN tls
respect OF SG,786,669.
Tho total gold value OF exports OF domestic merchan-
disc from the United states, has increased from S269.
$50 900 IN 1868, to 07O9,26S IN lsIS-an increase
With one or two unimportqnt exceptions, the United
States stands alone among the commercIal @ & vi
the GLOBE with respect to the excess of exports over m
ports. x.o,.,,- -, hrooc
manufacturers OF roD copper and OF cop
per- manufactures OF cotton leather ana manufactures
S Sporiaon of the manufactured articles referred
to- Increased from s1A2s74s6 in 1868, to SS72oo'oeZ
Many bighly wrought products Of American manufac-
i Il p So d edpSrSa pproabe % in oresn
tries and GER ain OF these commodities are now being
they were largely imported into United states.
Many branches Of industry are now feenns tne
auckening influences OF foreign demand ana tne POS
sbity Of successfully competing in the markets or the
world with some OF our older commercial and
manufacturing rivals Is source OF the highest encour-
agement and OF confidence In the future
OF the exports OF domestic merchandise, aurng tne
and exceeded the entire value OF our imports of al
classes OF merchandise from foreign countries. s.eo
s5as4a ISs sTHSris ISL isss and
tied only by the demand therefor.
In connecton with the increase Of our exports, aten-
ton is invited TO decrease Of imports OF merchan
their maxmum. to SI3705l532 for 1s1s-a decrease OF
This decrease OF imports consisted chiefly OF manufac-
lures OF cotton fax ana silk, OF wool and manufactures
OF WOOL and OF and steel and manufactures thereof
OF the latter, the importation of railroad bars Of
iron and steel decreased from S95S2l tons SIN IN
5sa2 ds92 % ito the H. fSni Tned states G from
205s 141 TONS during the five years from 1867 to ISL
1871 and from this product has been supplied the de-
mand such bars necessary for the extension anu re-
newal OF railroads, OF which there are In operation
10000 miles
Amcable relations have generally been sustained be-
tween the Indians and whites in the Territory OF Alaska
dnrnp the past year Some outrages have, however,
occurred and the Collector Of Customs at sitka states
that bloody outbreaks may be apprehended at any time
I'm consequence OF the existing for producing
intoxicating liquor and from the lack OF any organized
government in the Territory.
Its recommended that authority be conferred upon
this Department to prevent the shipment to that Terri
tory OF molasses other articles from which ntoxlca
ing liquors are ordinarily made The condition OF affairs
there also demands the establishment OF some form OF
government competent restrain disorder and insure
the safety Of the inhabitants No expensive system Is
necessary; but the establishment OF some supreme
authority for the Territory would tend to en-
courage immigration, ana insure protection 10
those who may go there. At present, the only
oricers exercising any authority on the main land
ara the Collector OF Customs at Stka, and his suDordi
mates and their authority confined TO the execution OF
the customs laws. There Is but little customs business
transacted in the Territory and possible that the ad
ditonai authority necessary might be wisely conferred
upon these officers. -,
The Alaska Commercial Company, under Its lease OF
the seal islands taken during the present season the
number of 100000 skins allowed wed oy o Jaw: upon
which the tax due the Government Is S26zoOo, whcn,
with the rental Of 1000 will make tota revenue OF
S3I7, 800 derived from that source The Alaska Com,