ovr cargo.
We have been asked to publish the following statement by the native piece good merchants of Shanghai respecting a Customs regulation requiring shut-cargo to be taken to the Custom House for examination. The practice which has hitherto prevailed is fairly set forth in the memorial. The new regulation will undoubtedly cause a considerable amount of inconvenience and extra expense to shippers in general, not only as regards piece goods, but every other kind of merchandise; and the native piece goods m reliants intend by combination to try and make foreigners the sufferers. Other trades will probably follow. their example; therefore it would seem to be of importance that foreigners should take steps to have the regulation modified or rescinded entirely.
The memorial is as follows Translation.
A respectful notice issued by the undorsigned dealers in foreign goods (Piece Goods).
Sines the commencement of foreign trade, the demand for foreign goods has steadily increased, the imports from and to foreign countries being very Foreign piece goods are shipped by us per steamers to all the treaty ports, and in accordance with existing Customs regulations they are exempt from duty on being exported, When shipping such goods, it is necessary to fiat make out a customs application giving the description,
shipped; passes are issued by the foreign maria, ete, of the various Kinds to firma who'sell the goods, which, with the applications, are sent' to the Custom louse, and on examination, if they are found to agree and are correct, the goods are written off on the passes and the application stamped and permit granted to ship.
It is the rule that all the goods must first be cleared at the Customs. If any of the goods (cleared) are found to be damaged or spoiled by mildew, they are not shipped It sometimes happens that goods that have been passed at the Customs are stored in godowns under other merchandise and cannot be got at in time to be shipped by the steamer they were cleared for; and in case of bad weather itis difficult to engage cargo-boats to convey the goods to the steamer. Again, it sometimes occurs that the steamers cannot take all of the cargo which has been passed at the Customs. In all cases of shut-out goods particulars are sent to the Customs authorities the same day, so that the amount shut out can be noted on the passes, and returned to the shipper to use. when shipping. at another time. The above regulations have been in force for a long time, and we have found them to work very sati that the Customs new regulation to the effect that "goods ed at the Custom House and not shipped by the steamer for which they were cleared, the quantity shut out must be brought to the Custom House the next day to be examined before the passes will be returned to the shipper, and that no pass will be returned to any shipper failing to comply therewith."
In our opinion the above regulation has been issued with a view to preventing any imposition or fraud on the Customs, but these authorities cannot be aware of the fact that we (piece goods dealers) have no design to defraud the revenue; furthermore, foreign piece goods are not liable, to the payment of duty on being exported hence it would be useless for us to misropresent articles (lit: passing pears for peaches), This new regulation will subject us to very many inconveniences, some of which we will here enumerate.
First.—It frequently happens after buying a lot of various kinds of piece goo from the foreign merchant that there are some bales damaged or spoiled by damp and mould, which is only discovered (after the goods have cleared the Custom House) and are taken delivery of for shipment. When goods are so damaged they are either returned to the seller or an allowance is made by reducing the price. This, however, cannot be settled at once, and when cases of this sort occur, will the foreign merchant be willing to send the goods (if they have been cleared at the Customs and not shipped) to the Custom House to be examined, and after this is done arrange
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.