The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-10-07
A CASE OF BRIBERY.
BY LUKE SHARP.

BY LUKE SHARP.
In the centre companion way of most
Atlantic steamers there is framed pub
lie notice which attracts good deal of
attention from the passengers on the way
over. 1t is published by the British Gov
ernment, and is to the effect that any
person offering a bribc to one of Her
Majesty'scustoms officials will be heavily
fined. The amount of this fine is men
toned, either $40 or e1OO or something
of that sort. The contemplation of this
notice for nine or ten days every time
person goes up the centre companionway
is calculated to give that person very
great respect for the unbribability of the
Liverpool customs offices. The Ameri-
can Government has no such notices
posted up anywhere that I ever saw.
Whether it is because it is so well known
that the American customs officer never
under any circumstance accepts a bribe,
or whether the government fears that the
public would regard the posting of no.
tice as joke, l have not been able to
ascertain.
have never met anyone yet who would
bribe Liverpool customs officer. The
penalty which has stared him in the face
during the voyage is apt to discourage
all such attempts. However, there are
few things which a person could take
into England on which duty is axacted.
| I believe the customs officers have a
prejudice against dynamite, against pi-
rated reprints of English books, against
tobacco and some things of that sort,
but, as general thing, the American
traveller carries nothing with him on which
duty could be charged.
Our big steamship reached Liverpool
late one evening last summer. The Gus
toms authorities pcnned us all up in the
several rooms of building on the land
ing. Here there was a good deal of fuss
and showing through a passage way that
was very narrow, and the hand
baggage was examined as WI
passed out. This was very slow
and tedious arrangement, anc
it was nearly II o'clock at night before
we were through with it, and even at
that time the trunks had not been looked
at. We were then passed up into room
which we reached by long incline. o.
climbing up this incline we entered
large building seemingly containing
only one immense room. 1t was wei
lighted, and the scene was one which
once looked upon person would moi
forget in hurry. On the right hant
side were piled trunks, bags, valises, hant
satchels and baggage of every descrip,
tion. On the left ran long, low counte
on which trunks were being examine'
BY the uniformed custom house officers
while, bending over their open baggag
were the owners, generally talking rapid
ly to the imperturbable officer. All owe
the room were some 100 excited pas
sengers running wildly hither and thithe
trying to collect their luggage. Trunk
that were marked with names were al
ranged in alphabetical order. The set
tions Of the building wei
lettered with the alphabet painte
large and conspicuous along th
right hand side, but as the grea
majority of the trunks had no name, tt
owners had to run about in quest I
them. Porters were there with the
short jackets and numbered caps, dra!
ging the trunks about under the owner
directions, and as soon as one trunk ha
been examined it was taken away by
stalwart porter who called a cab, an
its place was filled by another trur
slammed down by another stalwa
porter. 1t was scene of bewilderir
confusion. As always travel as ligl
as possible, endeavoring to compress n
belongings into a satchel that can
carried by hand if necessary, my troubl
were over, and so l strolled along wi
comparative indifference, enjoying Il
strange and bustling appearance of Il
place. was able to give some assis
= ance here and there to companions
the voyage, and rather put on airs
being an old traveller with some c
perience of that sort of thing, don't y
know, and plumed myself on having I
t baggage examined long ago.
At the further end of the room were
couple o. ladies who were travelli
alone. One of them had large trun
and the trunk had new-fangled loc
the latest of American patent. A CT
toms officer was vainly trying to unlo
this trunk, and the owner was looki
, on with much concern at his ineffectl
attempts. She had triel herself,
seemed, and had been unable to open
a. "You are not doing it rightly" So
10 the second young lady. 'Yuu have
;" push this clasp that way, then turn I
. . key half way around, push the els
bach and give the key another turn a
+ho,, 10 ,vtII unloct. "