Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/289

This page has been validated.

accordingly, and the duties upon such goods shall be estimated agreeably to such appraisement or valuation: And in respect to such damaged articles as are charged with a specific duty, by number, weight or measure, the said appraisers shall certify what in their judgment would have been their value, in case they had not been so damaged, and there shall be an abatement in the duty in proportion to the difference in value.and the latter kept by the collector until the invoice arrives, if the owner chooses. Provided, That if the owner or owners, consignee or consignees of such goods not accompanied with an original invoice, shall choose to wait the receipt thereof, in such case the said collector shall take into his custody the said goods, and shall keep or cause the same to be kept with due and reasonable care, at the expense and risk of the party or parties, until the said invoice shall arrive, or until the said party or parties shall consent to the valuation thereof.

Ships or vessels compelled by distress to make entry and protest,Sec. 38. And be it further enacted, That if any ship or vessel from any foreign port or place, compelled by distress of weather or other necessity, shall put into any port or place of the United States, not being destined for the same; and if the master or person having charge or command of such ship or vessel, together with the mate or person next in command, shall, within twenty-four hours after her arrival, make protest in the usual form upon oath before a notary public, or other person duly authorized, or before the collector of the district where the said ship or vessel shall so arrive, who is hereby empowered to administer the same, setting forth the cause and circumstances of such distress or necessity, and shall within forty-eight hours after such arrival, make report to the said collector, of the said ship or vessel and her cargo as in other cases. And if it shall be made appear to the said collector,and collector may grant a permit to unload their cargoes, by the certificate of the wardens of the port, or other officers usually charged with, and accustomed to ascertaining the condition of ships and vessels arriving in distress, if any such there be, or by the certificate of any two reputable merchants, to be named for that purpose by the said collector, if no such wardens or other officers there be, that there is a necessity for unlading the said ship or vessel, the said collector shall grant a permit for that purpose, and shall appoint an inspector or inspectors to oversee such unlading. And all goods so unladen shall be stored under the directionwhich shall be stored under his direction, and the perishable part sold by his license,
the duties being first paid, and the residue reladen.
of the said collector; who, upon request of the master or other person having charge or command of such ship or vessel, or of the owner thereof, shall grant a license to dispose of such part of the said cargo as may be of a perishable nature (if any there be) or as may be necessary to defray the expenses attending such ship or vessel, and her cargo: Provided, That the duties thereupon be first paid. And the said goods, or the remainder thereof, may afterwards be reladen on board the said ship or vessel, and the said ship or vessel may proceed with the same to the place of her destination, free from any other charge than for the storing and safe-keeping of the said goods.

Rule for estimating the ad valorem rates of duty at the place of importation.Sec. 39. And be it further enacted, That the ad valorem rates of duty upon goods, wares and merchandise at the place of importation, shall be estimated by adding twenty per cent. to the actual cost thereof, if imported from the Cape of Good Hope, or from any place beyond the same; and ten per cent. on the actual cost thereof if imported from any other place or country, exclusive of charges.

Rates of foreign coin and currency.Sec. 40. And be it further enacted, That all foreign coins and currencies shall be estimated according to the following rates: Each pound sterling of Great Britain at four dollars and forty-four cents; each livre tournois of France at eighteen cents and an half; each florin or guilder of the United Netherlands, at thirty-nine cents; each mark banco of Hamburg, at thirty-three cents and one-third; each rix dollar of Denmark, at one hundred cents; each rial of plate of Spain, at ten cents; each milree of Portugal at one dollar and twenty-four cents; each pound sterling of Ireland, at four dollars ten cents; each tale of China at one