CUSTOMS.

(T. D. 32127.)

Values of foreign coins.

[Circular No. 1.]

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 1, 1912.

In pursuance of the provisions of section 25 of the act of August 27, 1894, I hereby proclaim the following estimate by the Director of the Mint of the values of foreign coins to be the values of such coins in terms of the money of account of the United States, to be followed in estimating the value of all foreign merchandise exported to the United States during the quarter beginning January 1, 1912, expressed in any such metallic currencies.

Entries of merchandise liquidated upon the values proclaimed herein will be subject to reliquidation upon the order of the Secretary of the Treasury whenever satisfactory evidence shall be produced to him showing that the values in United States currency of the foreign money specified in the invoices were at the date of certification at least 10 per cent more or less than the values herein proclaimed.

FRANKLIN MACVEAGH, Secretary.

ESTIMATE BY DIRECTOR OF THE MINT OF VALUES OF FOREIGN COINS.

The exchange rates shown under this heading are recent quotations and given as an indication of the values of currencies which are fluctuating in their relation to the legal standard. They are not to take the place of the consular certificate where it is available.

400

365

22710-VOL 22-12- -1

1

ESTIMATE BY DIRECTOR OF THE MINT OF VALUES OF FOREIGN COINS-Continued.

(T. D. 32128.)

Transportation of dangerous articles.

Promulgating regulations issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission relative to the transportation of dangerous articles.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 2, 1912.

To collectors of customs and others concerned:

The department has placed in the hands of the chief officers of the customs at each port a copy of the regulations issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission relative to the transportation of dangerous articles. These regulations may be consulted by parties interested at any time.

In this connection attention is invited to the provisions of the act of June 10, 1880, prohibiting the entry of explosive articles for immediate transportation.

Particular attention is invited to the provision in item e, paragraph 1807, page 33, of said regulations, which reads as follows:

When dangerous articles as defined herein are in foreign shipments forwarded in interstate commerce in bond, the forwarding agent of the foreign shipper must file with the originating carrier a certified shipping order (see par. 1814) and must see that the packages are properly marked and labeled. (See general rule M and pars. 1811 to 1813.)

Care should be taken that nothing shall be done by any officer of the customs to cause a violation of such regulations.

JAMES F. CURTIS, Assistant Secretary.

(T. D. 32129.)
Manifests.

Manifests covering shipments of goods forwarded under transportation entry shall show the initials and number of the car.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 3, 1912. SIR: The department duly received your letter of October 31, 1911, further in regard to T. D. 31244 of January 25, 1911, which requires that the bonded transportation company's way bill number shall be placed on the carrier's special manifests and the transportation entry number shall be placed on the waybill.

As the transportation companies represent that it is impracticable for them to place the waybill numbers on the special manifests for the reason that the said waybills, in some instances, have serial numbers and are not made up until 12 to 48 hours after the cars are loaded and manifested, the said decision is hereby modified so as to only require that the manifests shall show the initials and number

of the car into which the merchandise is laden. Inspectors will see that the manifests contain this information before certifying to the lading of the goods.

Stipulations for the disposal of protests before the Board of United States General
Appraisers to be signed on behalf of the Government by the Assistant Attorney
General in charge of customs cases.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 4, 1912.
SIR: The following resolution was adopted at a meeting of the
Board of General Appraisers held on November 27, 1911:

Resolved, That after a protest has been transmitted to this board by a collector or surveyor of customs, under the provisions of section 14 of the customs administrative act, the board will not recognize any stipulation relative thereto except when the same is signed by the importer or his authorized representative and the Attorney General, his assistant, or deputy having control of said case for the Government.

This resolution meets with the approval of the department, and you are accordingly directed to communicate with the Assistant Attorney General in charge of customs cases when, in your opinion, it is desirable or proper to make stipulations affecting the disposal of protests which have reached the board.

Respectfully,
(92668.)

COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, New York.

(T. D. 32131.)

St. Etienne ribbons.

JAMES F. CURTIS,
Assistant Secretary.

Decision of the Board of United States General Appraisers of October 30, 1911, G. A. 7293 (T. D. 31970), involving the classification of silk ribbons known as St. Etienne ribbons, to be limited to ribbons of the character the subject of the said decision.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 8, 1912. SIR: The attention of the department has been invited to the decision of the Board of United States General Appraisers of October 30, 1911, G. A. 7293 (T. D. 31970), wherein it is held that certain silk ribbons known as St. Etienne ribbons, which were assessed with duty as silk trimmings at the rate of 60 per cent ad valorem under

paragraph 402 of the tariff act, were properly dutiable under paragraph 401 of the said act as silk ribbons not exceeding 12 inches in width having fast edges and not embroidered in any manner.

In this regard, I have to advise you that while the department is of the opinion that the decision of the board with respect to this particular merchandise is in harmony with the law, it is deemed advisable to invite your attention to the fact that during the litigation under the tariff act of 1897 involving the dutiable classification of certain narrow fabrics known as galloons and trimmings, which litigation finally resulted in favor of the Government in the cases of Naday v. United States (164 Fed. Rep., 44; T. D. 29252) and Loewenthal v. United States (2 Ct. Cust. Appls., —; T. D. 31592), the importers inaugurated a practice of having these galloons and trimmings invoiced to them under the name of "St. Etienne ribbons," which practice it appears has continued up to the present time.

The decisions of the court referred to control in the classification of galloons and trimmings irrespective of their invoice description, and you are accordingly directed to assess duty upon such merchandise under paragraph 402 of the tariff act, notwithstanding they may be invoiced as "St. Etienne ribbons."

Appeal directed from decision of Board of United States General Appraisers of November 27, 1911, Abstract 27215 (T. D. 32046), involving the classification of metal or bronze statuettes with marble bases.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 9, 1912. SIR: The department is in receipt of your letter of the 27th ultimo, relative to the decision of the Board of United States General Appraisers of November 27, 1911, Abstract 27215 (T. D. 32046), wherein it is held that certain metal or bronze statuettes with their marble bases, and also bas-reliefs in bronze, which were assessed with duty at the rate of 45 per cent ad valorem under paragraphs 193 and 115 of the tariff act of 1897 as manufactures of metal and marble, respectively, were properly dutiable under paragraph 454 of the said act at the rate of 15 per cent ad valorem as metal statuary, cut, carved or otherwise wrought by hand from a solid block or mass of metal. In view of the importance of the issue, you are hereby requested to file, in the name of the Secretary of the Treasury, an application with