The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-08-11
CHEATING CUSTOMS.
VARIOUS WAYS OF DEALING WITH
THE INSPECTORS.

New Hampshire Man who Was Little
Near"-At the Ports of Some Foreign
Countries"-C Costly Tobacco In France.
On the promenade deck of an Atlantic
steamer, westward bound, one often sees
groups of passengers engaged in CONVERSE
ton of apparently more than ordinary gray
ity. The same is noticeable in the smoking
saloon and tween decks. Certain charac-
teristics of such conferences Enthusiastically
betray their subjects. Old ocean travellers
say they can tell it at glance. They would
much sooner take chances on guessing
Alright in such case than the pools on the
ships run, for there is certain wistful
peering into the future about it, a mixture
of nervous apprehension and bravado that
is always present. Once correctly dag
nosed the symptoms seldom fail. In such
a conversational group it's 10 to its mem
bers are anticipating their experiences in
the customhouse.
On the eastward trip the subject is of lit
tie Importance People carry little to the
other side, and the search at English ports.
at least, is not very rigorous Bound for
an American port, however, the case is
vastly different. The trunks below are
filled with brc-a-brac and treasures from
/
in European stores, and it becomes the try
ing question of the moment how the Gus
toms officers shall be passed.
| 1t is inevitable that some such advice as
! this will be heard: Put a S. bill in an en-
/ velope and lay it on the top of the trunk
which you intend to have first opened. See
! that that particular trunk is the first one
to be examined. Then when the officer lifts
the cover he will see the envelope, and with
the remark, I'm glad to see you know the
usages of this port will pocket it and put
his hierogyphics on your baggage without
any further trouble"
A very sensible little pamphlet distrib-
uted on most of the north Atlantic steam.
ers gives this advice: Don't attempt to
NEEDLE with the customs inspectors 1t
don't pay"
Nevertheless it is one of the commonest
things aboard ship to hear asseverations of
such things being done, and that it is ex-
pected by customs inspectors. Peculiar
difficulty is encountered in pinning such
a statement down to credible basis of
fact, however, and it is undoubtedly true of
most persons coming to United States
ports that they neither bride nor attempt
to do so.
A fairly creditable story of New Hamp-
shire man is told, apropos of the bride the
DRY. In the popular parlance of his native
place, he was one of those kind of men
who habitually are little near"-that is,
penurious. He was rich and had become
so by saving. Shrewdness on the side of
economy was his financial system. 1t was
told of him that having bought 81 street
car tickets for 81, he would sit at the head
of the car and when the cent fares were
passed up from hand to hand he would
pocket the money and put tickets in the
cashbox. Thus he would make cents on
every dollars worth of tickets The story
has been told of good many besides the
New Hampshire man, but it serves just as
well to illustrate this individuals charac-
ter.
He was bound in to New York from
Cuba. When he went on shore he followed
in the wake of a man who, as alleged,
slipped bank bill into the hand of the
inspector, saying, "I've got quite guam
an early train home to-
"All right" the inspector is alleged to
have replied, and, chalking the mans bag
gage, he went on his way rejoicing.
The New Hampshire man had observed
the affair, and, approaching the same in
spector, he said, I've got about the same
quantity of cigars that man had; Pm in
just about as much hurry as he, but
haven't any money" The story goes that
his luggage was passed quite as perfume
torily as that of his predecessor, and that
he took the train for the Granite State con
gratulating himself that New Hampshire
Yankee is as good as a New York customs
inspector any day.
Whatever the facts may be, there is an
impression quite generally prevalent on the
other side that a gratuity judiciously pre-
sented obviates annoyance at the custom
houses on this side very materially. Such
opinions, however, have usually come to
the speaker second hand. He has not
learned the fact of personal experience A
careful observation of the operations, es-
pecially at New York, where by far the
larger portion of passengers from Europe
are landed, strengthens an impression to
the contrary of the above opinion. There
is certainly no port on the other side where
a disagreeable duty is performed with
greater courtesy or with more apparent
honesty than in New York. There is moth
ing in the looks or behavior of the men to
suggest corruption. Their work is certain
ly performed more thoroughly than at any
frontier in Europe, save possibly that of
Russia. The search is made quietly, intel
Igently and with much patience and tact.
Across the water the customs regulations
do not greatly bother the average traveller.
At British port he is asked if he has any.
thing to declare, and his luggage is exam
ined in most perfunctory manner Liq,
uor and reprints of English books are
mostly sought. At French and Italian from.
tiers, lies douaners" ask for 'tabac." The
temptation to take tobacco into these coun-
tries is very strong In both countries the
government holds monopoly of the man
ufacture and sale of tobacco Havana eli
CARS are obtainable in Paris at enormous
prices, but pipe tobacco, the good old Vr,
ginia leaf that Americans like, is unobtain-
able for love or money.
The French government permits half
pound to be brought in if declared. But if
one is caught smuggling a duty of IA francs
per pound is levied, and fine of several
times the value of the goods may be infiict
| ed bright A American who Should have