108

WAREHOUSES  IN  FOREIGN  COUNTRIES.

times  much  longer.  Tobacco  deteriorates  if  left  in  bond  longer  than
one  year,  but  the  length  of  time  in  which  it  does  remain  in  bond
varies  according  to  the  class  of  tobacco,  the  kind  of  leaf,  etc.  Two
years  may  be  said  to  be  the  maximum  period  during  which  any  kind
of  tobacco  remains  in  bond.
Americans  make  very  little  use  on  their  own  account  of  Liverpool
warehouses,  whether  for  dutiable  or  nondurable  goods,  as  most  of  the
importations  from  the  United  States  into  Liverpool  are  either  owned
by  or  are  under  the  control  of  British  merchants.  While  this  is  the
largest  foreign  market  in  the  world  for  American  tobacco,  on  which
there  is  a  high  rate  of  duty,  the  tobacco  is  owned  by  British  subjects.
Some  years  ago  Americans  used  to  send  American  whisky  here  to  be
stored,  but  this  is  not  done  now,  as  there  is  little  or  no  market  in  this
country  for  American  whisky.
All  nationalities  are  treated  alike  in  Liverpool  by  the  customs
authorities  and  by  those  owning  the  warehouses,  including  the  Mersey ­
  Docks  and  Harbor  Board.
All  merchandise  is  removed  from  the  ship  to  the  warehouse  by
means  of  carts  or  lorries  drawn  by  horses,  as  a  rule,  although
recently  steam  automobile  wagons  have  been  coming  into  use.  The
carriage  of  goods  in  Liverpool  is  a  serious  item  of  expense.  The
horses  used  are  claimed  to  be  the  strongest  draft  horses  used  anywhere—certainly ­
  the  loads  they  haul  are  immense.  There  are  ample
cartage  facilities.  The  cost  of  haulage  varies  so  much  that  no  approximate ­
  figures  can  be  given.  Some  of  the  warehouses  are  in  close
proximity  to  the  docks,  and  the  cost  of  transportation  is  comparatively ­
  small.  Others  are  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  docks,
and  then  the  cost  is  materially  increased.  There  is  a  railroad  running ­
  the  length  of  the  docks,  and  quite  close  to  them,  which  does  considerable ­
  haulding  of  goods  in  transit  from  one  dock  to  another.
Negotiations  are  now  pending  between  the  dock  board  and  the  railroad ­
  companies  with  the  view  of  having  tracks  run  right  to  the  docks
to  facilitate  the  transfer  of  goods.
In  the  large  bonded  warehouses  customs  officers  are  Continually
stationed  during  official  business  hours.  At  the  smaller  warehouses
customs  officers  attend  only  when  their  services  are  required  or  at
times  they  deem  advisable.  Tn  all  cases  bonded  warehouses  or  rooms,
as  the  case  may  be,  are  fitted  with  what  is  known  as  a  "  Crown  lock,”
to  which  the  key  is  held  by  the  customs  officer  in  charge.  The  warehouses ­
  or  rooms  are  also  fitted  with  a  duplicate  lock,  the  key  of  which
is  held  by  the  ow  ner.  Thus  the  owner  of  the  warehouse  or  room  can
not  gain  admittance  during  unofficial  hours  without  the  attendance  of
a  customs  officer.
Occasionally  the  customs  officers  challenge  the  stock  in  a  bonded
warehouse.  The  customs  officials’  record  contains  entry  of  all  goods
stored  and  removed  from  a  bonded  warehouse.  If  the  customs  officer
has  any  doubt  about  the  quantity  ,  say  of  wines  or  spirits  contained  in
a  particular  cask,  the  contents  are  measured.  The  quantity  found
therein  is  then  compared  with  the  official  record.  A  warehouse  owner
or  keeper  must,  before  the  warehouse  is  approved  by  the  customs
authorities,  give  a  bond,  and  this,  together  with  the  fact  that  his
license  will  be  forfeited  if  any  pilfering  is  found  out  or  any  infraction
of  the  law  takes  place,  makes  him  very  careful.  The  result  is  that
there  is  very  little  pilfering  from  bonded  warehouses  in  Liverpool.