England: Liverpool. 
107 
LIVERPOOL. 
(From United States Consul Boyle, Liverpool, Encjland.) 
Warehouses for storage of merchandise in transit or in bond in 
Liverpool are of two classes, (1) warehouses in general and (2) ware 
houses owned and operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbor Board. 
WAREHOUSES IN GENERAL. 
The dimensions of the warehouses here vary, but the inside meas 
urements of the largest are about 400 yards. The Liverpool Ware 
housing Company is the largest owner of the warehouses under 
discussion. The bonded warehouses are owned by private firms and 
public companies. Reference should be made here to the warehouses 
owned by the Mersey Docks and Harbor Board, discussed below. All 
Warehouses used for bonding purposes must be approved by the cus 
toms authorities, and the owner of the warehouse has to give a bond 
in accordance with the customs regulations before the warehouse is 
approved. When goods arrive at this port the warehouse companies 
collect them from the dock, quay, or wharf, and cart them to the 
Warehouse for storage. The proper entry of the goods (whether 
dutiable or not) is made by the importers at the custom-house, and 
the examination and warehousing of the goods follow in the ordinary 
course, if they come under the customs duties. The “ administra 
tors ” are the warehouse owners or keepers, who are responsible for 
the safe custody of all goods placed in bonded warehouses. The 
°wners of the warehouses let the whole establishment, or a part 
thereof, as may be required, or a storage charge is made for each 
Package. Spirits are gauged by the regular port gauger, appointed 
by the customs authorities. 
“ Wet goods ” (wines, spirits, etc.) have to remain in bonded ware- 
, house at least twelve months. The charge for storage on a puncheon 
cf wine or spirits is 3 shillings (72 cents) per annum ; on a hogshead, 
2 shillings (48 cents), and on a barrel, 1 shilling (24 cents). The 
charges on “ dry goods” (that is, all goods not of a liquid or moist 
character) vary considerably, according to the class of goods; as, for 
example, the charge on sugar is lj pence (about 2^ cents) per ton per 
^cek, for one month at least. The charge on dry fruits runs to 5 
ai *d G pence (10 to 12 cents) per week, for one month at least. 
The only expenditures made by the customs authorities are for the 
oncers stationed at the bonded warehouses for supervising. The cus 
toms authorities do not receive anything from, or on account of, these 
bonded warehouses. In addition to the charge for rent, the owners 
of the warehouses make a charge for carting, housing, etc.—removing 
L'om the cart to the warehouse, piling or packing in the store, and 
delivery to the carts on removal from the warehouse. The charge for 
carting from the warehouse is borne by the buyers. 
All imaginable classes of goods, both dry and wet, are stored in 
these warehouses, with the exception, of course, of certain prohibited 
ai ’ticles, such as dynamite, gunpowder, explosive oils, etc., for which 
there is special provision. The length of time goods remain in bond 
yepends upon the kind of goods. “ Dry ” goods remain in bond at 
jeast a month, as a rule, and sometimes longer. “ Wet ” goods remain 
111 bond a long time to mature—generally twelve months, and some-