New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-10-11
No DUTY on WELSH COAL.
CUSTOMS OFFICERS THINK SECRETARY
SHAW'S ORDER HAS THAT EFFECT

The practical effect OF Secretary Shaw's recent
instructions 10 collectors Of ports and other Gus
toms officers facilitate much as possible the
importation Of coal al the present time viii Le
10 admit Welsh hard coal free OF customs du
ties. Customs officers in this city take the Sec
retary's letter 10 mean. reading between the
lines, that. while they are carry out the tariff
law in regard 10 the collection OF duties on coal
where there is a chance 10 construe the law
literally they 10 do so.
a liberal construction Of the law I'm regard 10
coal VIII admit Welsh coal free for il IS a ques-
ton Of but a few hundredths in the test as TO
fixed carbon that puts il in the dutiable or free
list. And the customs authorities will not be
overzealous, while the people Of the country are
in need OF coal. 10 md that imported coal is
lacking in IT. percentage OF carbon.
Collector Nevada y. Stranahan OF this port
was asked yesterday in what way he purposed
10 facilitate" the passage Of coal imports dur
inG the crisis. He replied that a numbe: OF DAYS
could be saved. under the instructions Of TIE
Secretary. by putting the coal importations at
the head Of the list. The coal could be exam
ined al the dock and passed right through with
out delay, while other imports FOR which the
public are not IN such hurry. could 20 through
the regular time-requiring routine He had al
ready given instructions. ne said TO the officers
fast as possible
ny. Stranahan VAS asked IL IN the process Of
Eurrying coal through IN tins way the exami-
nation might not be so cursory as TO admit duty
free some coal below the required test The law
IN regard 10 coal. which fixes unvarying duty
on bituminous coal. charges 90 cents a ton OF
2-@o pounds on anthracite and hard Goals that
have less than % per cent OF fixed carbon
ana admits duty free the ccal passing higher
test.
Well replied the Collector smiling ~ We
are 10 put coal through in a hurry some may
get in that doesn't lass test II an importer puts
IL on his papers as above % per cent We can't
put shioloads 81 coal through n chemical analy-
sis. think the Secretary intends that We shall
take that chance In the present coal situation"
An officer OF the Customs Department who
has had long experience in the service Judge
Suachenbush, Of the Second Division. was
asked about the percentages Of fixed carbon
I'm various Goals
Il don't believe said he that 70 an the
coal that comes 20 New-York were tested coal
from our mines and imported coal IL would
ooihe up 10 the ~ per cent test. I mean that II
80 Vi, OF coal In a load were examined
A load OF coal varies considerably and while
one part may ties, ~ per cent, lot Of II tests
Welsh coal is generally thought n t.s,
niue below the ~ per cent hut n win test
ahoNe mat ngure IN certain parts ~ the loads
~ tiiiS Impairment We have nothing do
with determining the test II an iD,rorter ,urs
y IN ms papers as ~ per coal. We let II go
-hrough duty free. The Appraisers Departments I
tests the coal and II a report comes 10 ms that I
me coal didnt pass collect a duty OF I
curse no order could he issued TO let coal go 4
hf"ush AZ test below that required by law
nat would render Us liable % impeachment
We are all expected TO be jealous IN seeing tina,
The law is lived up to-"
= NeNeitheieSs the opinion among customs Of
1cers Is general that II is the desire 81 The .
v ashington oneials that the importation OF coal I
ne made as quickly and as cheaply as possi,Ia /
lust now. The soft Goals OF Canada csnnot
ne put through tin the Law is Changed for the .
aw is inhexible in regard 10 them. Inn, il,
making the tests OF Welsh coal some degraa 20 1
iberality can he exercised In estimati1g tn
average run OF the coal and I'm making a mil
'hemical analysis, so that coal USUALLY re
sarded as below test may come in without 4
NEWCOMERS having To pay an additionaJ ~ .
,cnts ton. ~