The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-20

OF the holes increases.
Recently A portion of these facts be-
came public because the custom-house
Rexperience OF new publication TN Cam
bridge which had bought an American
press and American paper came To the
knowledge Of some ono on the London
Daily Mail and he wrote this story on Oc-
tober 22d:
IAN instance Of custom-house methods
I'm London which IS amusing, except to
the sufferers, has just occurred
~ new daily paper-the Cambridge
Gazette-ordered from the Condor
Agency, . Bridewll place. Il. c.. null
tipress' printing machine and some
paper, and the order was sent TO New
York. The paper was late In getting 70
the steamer, so that the machinery came
by one steamer and the paper followed
by the next.
THE press was duly passed through the
customs, but the webs of paper were de-
tanned by the customs authorities at the
Albert Docks
Mr.. Stone, the managing director OF
the Condor Agency. went down to the
docks and was informed that before the
customs would release the webs of paper
they would have to bore through them
10 see that nothing c0n,rabsnd was con-
pointed
that 70 bore the paper would ruin IL.
ana after some argument the customs
people took their 'spts' and ran them
down through the core Of the webs at
each end. But the two splits being only
% inches long each and tho webs beinp
60 Inches long. there obviously remained
10 inches in the center which had not
been reached. The customs people seem
TO have suspected that the webs had
been purposely constructed Of a length
that would defy their 'spits' TO reach
the centers. and that tbs centors there
fore must be composed ~ tobacco They
seized the paper and told Mr. Stone he
must make formal application 10 the
board OF customs
Mr.. Stone accordingly wrote 10 the
board 70 assure them the webs contained
nothing but paper. TO be converted into
newspapers for Cambridge. and he sur-
gested that II any suspicion remained
tho board should depute an officer from
the customs Office nearest 10 Cambridge
10 90 10 tho newspaper Office and watch
the webs being converted into news
papers. The replay was ass follows:
october o. 1875.
" Gentlemen: Re your application Of
18th instant-rolls OF paper * menominee
removal 10 Cambridge Tho boards or
der IS Granted in charge OF an officer AZ
applicants expense and under Official
seals
Your obcdient servant JPARKS'
ION Saturday Mr.. Stone went TO point
out 10 the customs people that the paper
would take some six weeks TO exhaust.
and that the cost OF an officers fare TO
Cambridge and hotel bills for six weeks
would he pretty expensive But the Off
cials were obdurate. Nothing else would
satisfy them.
Mr. Stone next suggested that they
should pick one Of the webs-the choice
10 be left 10 the customs. Of course
and bore through that. He was pre-
pared to submit 10 the ruin Of one web
I'm order 20 get the rest Of the paper re-
leased. This suggestion was declined
Then pitch the whole Of the paper
in the river. AMI be done with it, said
Mr. Stone greatly disguised
We can't do that replied the Gus
toms. II Is not our business
Mr.. stones company should he well
known 10 the customs as a trading con-
Germ. for it receives from two ~ sixty
cases on every steamer Of the Atlantic
Transport Line and IT. is regularly in
vited TO subscribe 70 the Ftevedores' re-
gattas. the dockyards' regattas. tho dock
labOrers' rcgattas. and the football and
o,ha, clubs I'm connection with the docks
But the company. for au that. cannot
get ia paper. and the customs won't
throw ~ away.
"Do incidents ike this throw any light
upon tho statement we published on Sat
urdav that New York has lust passed
London AM has become the first seaport
I'm tho world the position London held
for centuries"
The Daily Mail 81 November ith states
that the customs department has recon.
ridered its action and given orders for
the delivery ~ the paper aiding that IN
any future similar case. II notice 81 In
tended importation be given arrange
ments will De made for dealing with 1t
with as lille delay and trouble as possi-
BILE