96

WAREHOUSES  IN  FOREIGN  COUNTRIES.

The  receipts  vary  considerably,  and  I  have  been  unable  to  obtain
even  an  approximate  estimate.  The  expenditures,  including  taxes,
gas,  water,  etc.,  amount  to  about  10,000  pesetas  ($1,429)  per  annum.
The  goods  chiefly  stored  are  cereals  and  flour.  It  is  difficult  to
state  to  what  extent  American  firms  or  others  make  use  of  the  warehouses, ­
  as  nearly  all  foreign  firms  have  their  representatives  in  this
city  and  the  goods  are  stored  in  the  name  of  the  agent.  No  distinctions ­
  whatever  are  made  by  the  administrators  of  the  warehouses
between  different  nationalities.
The  only  warehouses  enjoying  the  privilege  of  storing  goods  in
bond  are  those  known  as  the  “  Crédito  y  Docks  de  Barcelona.”
The  removal  of  goods  from  boat  to  warehouse  or  vice  versa  is
effected  in  carts  at  a  cost  of  12  pesetas  ($1.78)  per  10,000  kilos
(22,040  pounds),  or  roughly,  18  cents  per  ton.
IT.  Henderson  Rider,  Vice-Consul-General.
Barcelona,  Spain,  November  9,1904-.

SWEDEN  AND  NORWAY.
CHRISTIANIA,  NORWAY.
(From  United  States  Consul-General  Bordewich,  Christiania,  Norway.)
The  Christiania  bonded  warehouse  was  completed  in  March,  1903.
It  is  a  solid  stone  structure,  eight  stories  high,  having  a  ground  space
of  1,080  square  meters  (1,292  square  yards).  Sufficient  adjacent
ground,  with  sheds  and  river  front,  is  attached  to  the  premises.  The
original  cost  of  the  building  was  $188,000;  it  is  owned  and  conducted
by  a  stock  company  with  $400,000  capital.  The  Christiania  free
warehouse,  as  it  is  commonly  termed,  serves  as  a  substitute  for  a  free
port,  and  it  serves  its  purpose  well.  The  custom-house  officers  have
supervision  over  the  management  of  the  institution  ;  they  determine
rates  of  charges  for  rent  of  space  and  act  as  arbitrators  between  the
public  and  the  management.  The  warehouse  company  is  compelled
to  furnish  and  maintain  on  the  premises,  for  use  of  the  custom-house
officers,  all  necessary  weights  and  measures,  also  to  furnish  and  maintain ­
  suitable  offices  for  their  use  in  the  building,  to  have  telephones
placed  in  such  offices,  and  to  reimburse  the  custom-house  for  all  expenditures ­
  caused  by  the  establishment.
Arriving  uncleared  merchandise  is,  on  application,  moved  by  the
warehouse  company  under  custom-house  control  from  ship  or  depot
to  the  warehouse.  The  merchandise  is  stored  without  payment  of
duty  and  may  be  withdrawn  at  any  time,  in  whole  or  in  part,  and  the
duty  paid  on  the  day  of  removal  to  the  custom-house  officers  located
in  the  building.  Domestic  merchandise  on  which  drawback  is
allowed,  as  well  as  domestic  or  customs  cleared  merchandise  which
may  be  wanted  for  admixtures  with  goods  stored  at  the  warehouse
may,  with  certain  restrictions,  also  be  admitted,  but  all  combustibles,
explosives,  and  other  objectionable  goods  are  excluded.  Goods  in
transit  may  also  be  stored  at  the  warehouse.  No  stored  goods  can  be