34

WAREHOUSES  IN  FOREIGN  COUNTRIES.

From  the  storage  charges  there  is  a  discount  of  10  per  cent  for  all
merchandise  of  which  the  storage  in  the  bonded  warehouses  is  obligatory, ­
  and  a  discount  of  25  per  cent  for  merchandise  which  by  law  can
be  stored  in  a  private  warehouse  (entrepôt  fictif)  under  the  surveillance ­
  of  the  customs  officials.
For  goods  which  have  been  released  from  the  custom-house  by  payment ­
  of  the  duties,  or  for  goods  on  which  there  is  no  duty,  the  storage
charges  are  given  in  the  right-hand  column  of  the  foregoing  table.
When  the  goods  are  handled  without  weighing,  for  collecting  the
charges,  part  of  the  goods  will  be  weighed  to  ascertain  the  general
average  weight.  The  charges  for  repacking  and  recoopering  are  fixed
per  package.  No  charge  can  be  less  than  1  franc  (19.3  cents)  for  handling ­
  cargo  and  weighing;  0.5  franc  (9.65  cents)  for  handling  cargo
without  weighing;  0.5  franc  (9.65  cents)  for  recoopering  or  repacking.
If  the  merchandise  is  received  in  bulk,  when  the  rate  in  the  tariff
is  fixed  per  package,  the  charges  are  increased  25  per  cent.
Charges  of  all  kinds  are  paid  in  cash  after  each  operation  is  finished. ­
  To  avoid  delays,  however,  the  company  will  open  running
accounts  with  merchants,  provided  the  latter  will  deposit  with  the
company  a  sum  of  money  sufficient  to  guarantee  the  charges.  Statements ­
  will  be  sent  to  the  offices  of  the  merchants  after  each  operation,
and  the  accounts  are  settled  monthly.
Charges  for  unloading  and  delivery  on  the  quays  are  paid  by  the
captain  of  the  vessel,  or  by  the  consignee,  and  when  there  is  no  consignee, ­
  by  the  ship’s  broker.  All  other  charges  are  paid  by  the
owners  of  the  merchandise.  Storage  charges  commence  the  day  the
first  package  is  received.  Merchandise  stored  for  less  than  fifteen
days  will  pay  for  half  a  month,  beyond  fifteen  days  and  up  to  thirty
days,  for  a  whole  month.
A  transfer  of  ownership  of  stored  merchandise  may  be  made  upon
the  written  order,of  the  grantor,  indorsed  by  the  grantee.  In  case
of  a  transfer  the  former  owner  is  held  responsible  for  the  storage
charges  until  the  expiration  of  the  half  month  in  which  the  transfer
of  ownership  was  made.  The  transfer  charges,  when  the  merchandise ­
  is  not  displaced,  are  20  centimes  (3.86  cents)  per  1,000  kilograms
(2,204.6  pounds)  ;  but  in  no  case  can  the  charges  exceed  5  francs
(96|  cents)  or  be  less  than  1  franc  (19.3  cents).  These  charges  are
paid  by  the  grantor.  When  merchandise  is  damaged,  after  an  official
report  of  its  condition  has  been  made  by  the  custom-house  officials,  it
is  transferred  at  the  expense  of  the  consignee  to  a  special  warehouse
where  public  sales  are  made.
Stored  merchandise  intended  for  shipment  in  sealed  or  unsealed
cars  may  be  loaded  in  the  yards  of  the  company  and  sent  to  the  freight
station  of  the  Western  Railway  over  (be  connecting  lines  of  railway  of
the  port  of  Havre  at  a  cost  of  1  franc  (19.3  cents)  per  metric  ton
(2,204.6  pounds),  or  from  the  freight  station  to  the  company's  storehouses ­
  at  the  same  rate.  In  the  precincts  of  the  bonded  warehouses
are  6^  miles  of  tracks  belonging  to  the  company.
If  the  owner  of  stored  merchandise  refuses  to  pay  the  storage  or
other  charges,  the  company  holds  the  goods  until  (lie  claims  are  liquidated. ­
  In  case  of  dispute  as  to  the  amount  of  charges  the  owner  may
withdraw  his  goods  by  depositing  a  sum  equal  to  the  amount  in
question.