50 
WAREHOUSES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
STORAGE OF GOODS. 
The kinds of goods chiefly stored are wines, liquors, coffee, tea, 
spices, tobacco, cotton yarns, and a great variety of imported textile 
merchandise, but the list includes to a greater or less extent every 
kind of dutiable merchandise that is imported to Germany. The 
average length of storage is stated to be about three months; the limit 
is five years. 
All nationalities are treated exactly alike by the administrators of 
the warehouses. Americans use them like the rest. The bonded 
warehouses in the free zones at Hamburg and Bremen are used more 
by American merchants doing business in Berlin than are the ware 
houses located here. American houses in Berlin import mainly shoes, 
tobacco, cigarettes, typewriters, machinery, cash registers, pianolas, 
etc., which are generally wanted even before they can be received and 
are taken out of the custom-house immediately upon arrival. Such 
American merchants in Berlin as do an export trade to Russia, 
Austria, Switzerland, and other European countries generally store 
goods on arrival in the bonded warehouses at Hamburg and Bremen, 
where they are separated from those coming to this city and reex 
ported directly from the port of first arrival. But, if desirable, the 
whole shipment from America or other foreign country may be 
brought to Berlin and a portion here set apart and reexported with 
out payment of duty. 
CUSTOMS SUPERVISION. 
The care and supervision exercised over goods stored in bond are 
very complete and comprehensive. The whole premises arc carefully 
inclosed, admission being granted only to persons with papers or 
other evidence showing that they have business there. The ware 
houses are in charge of superintendents with an ample force of 
watchmen, clerks, and porters, most of whom are uniformed and 
trained employees of the State. 
HANDLING OF GOODS. 
Porters and workmen who handle and assist in opening, weighing, 
repacking, and loading freight after assessment of duty are paid by 
the owner of the merchandise at the rate of GO pfennigs (15 cents) an 
hour, but the owner may bring his own men and wagons to perform 
such services in presence of himself or a responsible agent. 
The facilities for handling goods from boat or car to the ware 
house and vice versa include stationary and movable cranes, winches, 
trucks, industrial tracks with cars, and steam, electric, or hydraulic 
elevators. 
CHARGES. 
The schedule of Government charges at the bonded warehouses in 
Berlin, assessed in compliance with the statutes above quoted, are as 
follows: (A) Storage fees per 100 kilograms (220.46 pounds) per 
month: (1) For beer, liquors, vinegar, wines of all kinds, stored in 
covered rooms, 6^ cents; (2) for all other merchandise stored in cov 
ered buildings or sheds, 4£ cents; (3) for merchandise of all kinds