Previous to the war it was iuimaterial to the German Customs authorities whether the duties on imports were paid in paper or in gold or silver, since the former could always be exchanged for the latter on presentation at the bank.
When on the signature of the armistice a flood of articles of every description, in many cases. wholly superfluous, was thrown into Germany by neutral and former belligerent countries protective legislation became necessary, and in view of the depreciation of the mark and the consequent loss to the Government by the payment of duties in paper it was decided to demand such payments in gold, and the cor-
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.