The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-25
DUTY on HALF PEARLS FINED.
Customs Onicials Bothered by Japanese
Ing enuity Applied TO the OYSTER.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24,-Japanese inge-
nuity in compelling pearl-bearing oysters
to yield pearls artificially has been giving
the United States customs appraisers con-
siderable trouble. The question Is, how to
classify the pearls so that the rate OF duty
may be determined.
The method OF producing the pearl is to
bore hole in the shell Of the oyster and
insert plug of mother-of-pearl so that
the rounded end shall project slightly into
the interior. The oyster is then put back
into its native element.
To protect itself from the irritation
caused by this foreig n substance, the oyster
coats the end Of the plug with successive
layers of nacre in the same manner that 1t
forms the natural pearl around grain OF
sand. After this process has gone on for
two years the oyster is fished up and
opened and the pearl which has been
formed Is sawed Off
The product is known as a half pearl,
and although Of excellent quality, is in
ferior to the pearl produced by natural
means, and can readily be distinguished
by an examination of the base. These pearls
are used in manufacturing jewelry, and
when set have every appearance of the
real article.
When it came to classifying the pearls
for the assessment of duty there was great
diversity OF opinion among the surveyors
OF customs at the several ports where they
were imported, and it required the deci-
sion of the Board of General Customs APP
praisers to settle the question.
The surveyor at Cincinnati, holding
that they were split half pearls, assessed duty
m ,-t, 81 ;nxrn ali T1,n
importers, on the other hand, commended
the duty should be only 10 per cent, as
pearls in their natural state, and appealed
from the surveyors classification. On a
consignment imported at New York the
surveyor there held that the duty should be
IS per cent, as manufactures Of mother-of-
pearl. and from this the importers like
wise appealed.
! The Board Of General Appraisers decides
| that both surveyors are wrong. The
pearls could not be classified as jewelry
or parts of jewelry, General Appraiser
Starretts holds because whatever might
be the rule applied to pearls which by a
process OF labor had been cut in half, thus
increasing their value. it did not apply to
Japanese pearls that had been cut from the
shells to which they were affixed and were
subjected to no subsequent process OF
advancement either in value or condition,
, Neither could they he classified as manu-
factures OF mother -of-pearl.
Pearls made naturally, although induced
by human initiative, Nr. Sharretts says,
could hardly be included within the mean
ing OF the term manufacture rs defined by
the Supreme Court OF the United States
At any rate, the value Of the mother-of-
pearl was but triaing part Of the value
Of each OF the pearls in question. and there
fore they could not be classified as manu-
features OF mother-of-pearl, or articles OF
which mother of-pearl ia the component
OF chief value.
The contention Of the importers that the
pearls are those in their natural state is
accordingly sustained, and hereafter they
viii pay duty Of I0per cent. ad valorem.