New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-25
MAILS FROM ABROAD.
EXAMINING THEM TO PREVENT SMUGGLING
HOW THE CUSTOMS OFFICERS SEE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT GETS ITS DUTIES

III" mails Oncr such an obvious tcnpta'loh "
would be smugGer' that it is often asked what steps
the Government authorities take for preventing the
u>e OF them for the importation of goods free Of duty
rs matter Of fact not few people have an idea that
they get ahead of the customs officials by sending
dutabc articles from abroad through the mails. but
when they act this belief they in virtually every
| Instance arc d,abu>cd Of this mistaken impression
To make this lesson the effective, the Govern
| mcnt, whenever the intent to smuggle is clear con
iNcateS the articles although when the goods arc sent
into this country through evident Ignorance of the
Law, the simple pay ment Of the duty is all that IS
| necessary 10 secure possession of them.
To understand fully Uncle Sans plan for getting
hi, Just dncs, one should follow the mails from the
time they leave the big Transatlantic liner to the time
they reach their destinations. When incoming
sci first sighted word is the Postofce. II
the ship reaches Quarantine before sunset in time 10
c Inspected by the Health officer his assistants, the
mat, not landed until the ship her pier.
Then the pouchcs. hundred, in number. are hurried
ashore Those for inland points are dispatched BY
the various railroads. while letters, newspapers parcels,
etc. for New York City. and It's vicinity sent to the
General Po,oilicc
GETTING THE MAILS ASHORE.
IT, however, the ship reaches Quarantine at night
and is compelled 10 remain there until after sunrise.
tugs in the service of the Postoicc up to it and
take of the mails. The pouches for other places arc
forwa ded by the earliest trains while those for this
CITY. in the other case sent t. the PoStohlcp
here a. quickly a, possible. Nearly all the parcels
that to contain books other dutlablc goods pass
through the New York Postonce. even If they arc
directed to distant points in the United states This
{, the only OF mail matter for places far from this
| cty which suffer, delay here.
In the meantime three Inspectors of the POStofice
Custom, Bureau have been sent for at their homes.
| that is, If the mails arrive when the not at
! their work. and no matter what the hour tho
ttn, ,,v ,Io b. e., 4ho Do hon ths
pouchc, arrive there they are opened in the presence
If the custom, Inspectors. Every letter parcel
that looks If 10 m-ht contain books. ctchingS litho
graphs jeclry or other dutiabc good, is picked out
II tie heap, Of mail matter and stamped. II. for in
stance. the parcel l. made mp Of silk handkerclrf>,
which be seen through holes in the wrapping
paper. IL IS stamped. subject to duty" If the pack
is -,curcly wrapped. that it, contents In
visible. supposed contain goods subject t. duty"
D., stamped it. The employees Of the PoStoilce who
handle the mail, aid in picking ont parcels likely to
contain dutiallc article.
An idea Of the task Of the customs will be
GAINED from few figure Of the mail brought by thu
Sorvia from Liverpool few day before Christmas.
she carried about 1850 pouches, containing in thu
neighbour cd q i50ooo letters, papers, par'cl- etc.
| To-, VA, the largest amount ever brought to this
port by q vessel. Ncarly onc-thlr Of it all for
thi- city.
CERTAIN PARCELS PICKED OFT.
ont tho parcels with dispatch. About 5000 suspicious
looklnc letters. ETC.. we're taken in hand by the
custom, officers. az th- number. perhaps 90 per cent
contained books or other printed matter which may.
under the , be imported through the mails. These.
! cNcrp; the few which sealed and therefore sub
jet To- letter ra",. sent to the big room Of tho
Custom, Bureau on the nth floor Of the PoNtolic,
Building. together with the other uu-ealed parcels.
\ force 4 men At once to work examining these
package every one # which j, opened II the books
are more than twenty year, old. or printed IN foreign
lan-uacc or addressed to Institutions OF learning, they
arc admitted free Of duty and at once forwarded.
Newer one, are appraised by men who have become
expert, at it.
The dntilnl book, addressed 70 persons in this city
ar, handed over to the Po>tocr employees. together
with a ~- statement and entry" giving the appraised
y.lue of the book and the duty levied il. The
postal officer, deliver thr books on payment Of the
dnt, which they turn over to j. " Burke. who j. ut
the head u 'hc Customs Bureau In The Po,tohcc.
Every saturday morning Mr. Burke send, the money
he hi, thu, received O., Collector Erliardt If mo
took, are consigned Ia places outside Of this city they
are sent to- the postmaster Of the town or city, with
statement aud entry. and he collects the duty on
them.
\ G,vorc trick of wouI-b' ,muS-lcr~ i, 10 cut out
the heart Of a hool, and pack conr1hand goods IN It,
number of such book. have been conii,cat'd within
. the la. month or six wcci~. some contained val
narlc lac. Others. silk haudkcrchief-. glove.
icwrlrv and the like II i, sheer nonsense to
attempt hi, farm of smuggling. because all books are
examined aud the detection is certain.
THE WATCH ON SEALED PACKAGES.
The custom, officials have apparent dhiculty
to face i'm the ca~' Of sealed parcels supposed h. con
tain dutiabc goods, The law that sealed mail matter
shall BE- opened by no one except the person to whom
il il addressed must be obcycd 10y Government en-
ployc~ q, WI a, by other p'r.ons. In flc. an in
.,,tf hall Ia, t.pt,n az INN n
Thu, custom, people however. get past thi some wall
easily While they cannot open III" sealed letter or
parcel they can compel the person to whom It is ad
dressed to open It in their presence. This is Just
what IS done. The postmaster sends notice tn tho
person to whom parcels for this city are addressed 10
call ON Mr. Burke whose office Is the mczzanno
floor Of the Po,toflcc Building. and open the sus-
pcctod piece Of mail matter A. soon * the man
OPENS il Mr. Burke examines its contents. and II they
are dulia and Of than trlinG value he has
them appraised either by on of his men or by some
one at the Custom House. Should the man refuse to
open the parcel it is returned forthwith the sender.
VIOLATING THE POSTAL LAWS.
There is no parcel, post between the United States
and European countries rs there is between it and
Mexico and many other countries of tie three Americas
The importaion Of merchandise except books and other
printed matter and samples having no commercial
valuc through the mails is forbidden but the law IS
disrcgardcd when there is no evident Intention to
smuGgc and the duties are paid. faIceS supposed 10
contain articles subject to taxation Tor places else
where in the United states. are sent TO the customs OF
cals There or If there is none Of them to the post
MASTER who Is constituted agent OF the secretary of
the Treasury for the emergency. In every case the
Package must be opened in tho presence Of one of
these officers.
The customs men must exercise discretion In deiain
Ing pieces OF mail matter. and take various clrcuu
stances into consideration. II the address Is IN
Maiden Lane for instance. it Is likely that the parcel
even II a small one contains iewelry. II it Is for "A
firm I'm wall or Broad st. IT probably contains coupons
and nothing more. Again. the same articles may
Lee dutiable under certain conditions. and free under
Others For example, pieces OF six even ~ yaTd
sqnar, If addressed to big drygood' hIn are sam
- 40 moi .ubicct 10 duty. Addressed to retail
dealer I'm mems furnishing goods, the same articles
arr, likely 10 he intended for mnflers. nccIc, or nana
Icrchief. and must therefore be appraised ana taxed
SEASON