BELGIUM: ANTWERP. 
15 
pigs, plates, blocks, cane, metal plate, hoops, wool in bales, myrobolan, 
nuts in sacks, rice in sacks, saltpeter, sulphur in blocks and packed, 
soda, natron, sulphate of iron or copper, wine in barrels, anchors, 
chains, iron wheels, scrap iron, and cast iron. 
If goods, besides being removed from the crane to the quay, as 
sorted there according to bills of lading and marks, and then placed 
on wagons or cars, are also weighed, the total charge is 12 heller (2.4 
cents) per quintal. Hydraulic cranes are used for transferring goods 
from ship to warehouse, and vice versa. The following is the tariff 
for the use of cranes of 15 quintals (3,307 pounds) capacity : Eighteen 
crowns ($3,654) for an entire day; 10 crowns ($2.03) for one-half 
day; 3 crowns ($0,609) per hour (daytime), and 5 crowns ($1,015) 
per hour (night). For cranes of 30 quintals (6,614 pounds) capacity 
the charge is 20 crowns ($4.06) for an entire day; 12 crowns ($2,436) 
for one-half day; 3.5 crowns ($0.7105.) per hour (daytime), and 6 
crowns ($1,218) per hour (night). 
The charges for transferring goods from the wharf or hangars to 
the warehouses, or vice versa, are 6 heller (1.2 cents) per quintal. 
CUSTOMS RELATIONS. 
When requested, the administration of the warehouses pays all cus 
toms and octroi duties, and charges for such service a commission of 
one-half of 1 per cent and interest at the rate of 5 per cent per 
annum on the amount advanced. 
As the warehouses are the property of the Government and are 
located within the Punto Franco, or free zone, the supervision exer 
cised over them by customs officials is only nominal. 
Fredk. W. Hossfeld, Consul. 
Trieste, Austria, October 14, 1904. 
BELGIUM. 
ANTWERP. 
(From United States Vice-Consul-Qeneral Haine, Antwerp, Ticlgium.) 
The bonded warehouses of Antwerp are known as the “ Entrepot 
Poyal,” and are situated in convenient proximity to the docks and 
quays and railroad terminus. On June 5, 1901, they were, with the 
exception of one wing, totally destroyed by fire, but by January, 1903, 
they were fully reconstructed and ready to receive merchandise. The 
reconstruction of the destroyed buildings was undertaken under con 
tract for the sum of $343,800, to which a supplementary amount of 
$45,000 was added for miscellaneous improvements. These ware 
houses are the property of the city, but are under the control of the 
customs authorities. They cover an area of 39,000 square meters 
(46,644 square yards), and can contain 78,000 tons of merchandise. 
The Entrepôt Royal at Antwerp renders very valuable service to 
the trade at large, offering the greatest facilities to merchants and 
commission brokers as well as to foreign houses sending their goods 
on consignment, and the Belgian customs officials give every possible