Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-15
AUTO|STS. MEET
WITH RED TAPE
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS OF
FRANCE CONFUSING
Consul General Sends Comprehensive
Report In Order That American
Motorists May Avoid Con-
fct With Officials

American automobllists who take
their cars to France for touring pur-
poses or who go abroad intending to
buy a car there will find the customs
regulations of the Gauls abounding in
red tape, which Is confusing.
TO prevent visitors from the states
becoming unnecessarily ensnarled
therein very com prehensive report on
the subject was sent from Paris re-
Gently by Consul General Frank II. Ma
son to the departm ent of commerce and
labor at Washington.
Some of the more salient points in
this report are as follows: "An auto
mobile vehicle imported into France,
Tor Whatever purpose, is subject to
specific duty, which varies according to
the nature of the motor. whether steam,
electric or hydrocarbon. and also
whether the country from which it
comes Is or is not entitled by treaty to
the minimum tariff on imports into this
country.
Subject to Maximum Tariff
America, unfortunately, has no such
treaty, and, therefore, motor vehicles
originally made i'm the United States
are subject to the general or maximum
tariff rate, viz: Automobiles, for per-
sons, weighing 273 pounds or more,
$l1.5S per 22O pounds; motor bicycles,
etc. weighing less than 275 pounds,
$2S.05 per 220 pounds.
Electric automobiles are taxed as
above on the vehicle and motor, and
S4.14 per 22O pounds on the accumula-
tors which they carry. When imported
for touring or other temporary pur-
poses, the duty so paid on a motor
vehicle will be refunded at the frontier
when the vehicle leaves France on pre-
sentation of the receipt given by the
customs officer at the port of entry
"As means of avoiding the payment
of this deposit at the frontier many
Americans and other foreigners avail
themselves of the special privileges of
| the Touring Club de France, a power
full organization founded in $780, which
has now nearly 100000 members and
central headquarters at 65 Avenue de
la Grande Armee, Paris.
"A foreign member of the club wish
| ing to make tour with his automobile
| in France may obtain from its central
office permit for the temporary i'm
portation of his machine. The appIi-
cation for this permission is made on a
prescribed form, accompanied by a. de-
| post of the amount of duty, and the
permit is at once issued under it's au.
thority, the club becoming, so to speak
responsible for it's member during his
sojourn in France.
Complicated License
"This license for free international
circulation is known as lie trlptyque
being printed on three leaves or sec
tions, each bearing the same seria
number.
"Ths first leaf is detached for the
customs officials at the point of final
departure of the car from France, and
the third section is retained by the
member to be presented finally, per-
sonally or by mail to the touring club
whereupon his deposit Is refunded al
once without the delay and inconven-
ience which so often attend repayment
of such deposit at the custom house.
"Among the other advantages of the
triptyque for an American Is that he
can obtain it by correspondence in ad.
vance, and then on landing he is en-.
abled to pass the custom house at once
with his auto without annoyance OF
payment Of money"