JAPAN:  YOKOHAMA.

175

FUCHAU.
(From  United  States  Consul  Gracey,  Fuchau,  China.)
T  have  made  inquiries  regarding  warehouses  for  storage  of  merchandise ­
  in  transit  or  in  bond,  and  find  that  there  are  no  such  warehouses ­
  situated  at  the  ports  within  this  consular  district.  I  am
informed  by  the  commissioner  of  customs  at  this  port  that  there  is
such  a  warehouse  in  Shanghai,  where  the  China  Merchants’  Steam
Navigation  Company’s  god  owns  are  so  used,  but  that  these  are  the
only  buildings  in  China  where  goods  can  be  stored  in  transit  or  in
bond.
Samuel  L.  Gracey,  Consul.
Fuchau,  China,  Avgust  4,  1004.

JAPAN.
YOKOHAMA.
(From  United  States  Consul-General  Bellows,  Yokohama,  Japan.)
The  customs  warehouse  at  Yokohama  consists  of  five  brick  buildings, ­
  which  together  cover  an  area  of  25,236  square  feet.  Their  original ­
  cost  was  $32,600.  The  warehouse  was  built  in  1880-1883  by  the
Government,  and  is  still  owned  and  operated  by  the  Government.
Resident  agents  and  branch  firms  of  most  foreign  shippers  and
large  Japanese  importers  usually  take  delivery  of  imported  goods  immediately ­
  upon  their  arrival,  and  the  Yokohama  customs  warehouse
has  not  been  used  to  its  full  capacity  for  some  years.  The  warehouse
stands  by  the  customs  landing  place,  adjoining  the  main  customs
office.
The  scale  of  charges  for  storage  is  as  follows:  Per  month  per  cubic
foot:  Precious  articles,  one-half  per  cent  ad  valorem;  silk  and  silk
goods,  3  to  6  cents;  drugs  and  explosives,  6  to  10  cents;  other  articles,
one-half  to  2  cents.
All  the  receipts  are  credited  to  the  national  treasury,  which  defrays
all  expenditures,  and  the  officers  in  charge  are  not  permitted  to  state
what  these  amount  to.
Cotton  and  woolen  goods,  sugar,  bicycles,  liquors,  and  provisions
are  the  chief  classes  of  goods  stored.  Almost  all  the  American  importers ­
  and  exporters  own  godowns,  and  therefore  make  little  use  of
the  customs  warehouse.  All  nationalities  are  treated  alike.
Goods  usually  remain  in  bond  about  a  month.  They  are  not  permitted ­
  to  remain  in  bond  longer  than  eighteen  months.  If  not  removed ­
  after  due  notice  at  the  end  of  that  period  the  goods  are  sold
at  auction  by  order  of  the  customs  authorities.
Every  modern  facility  for  storing  and  removing  the  goods  is  provided. ­
  Lifting  machines  stand  in  front  of  the  landing  place  near  the
inspection  office,  and  this  is  connected  with  the  warehouse  by  rail.
The  customs  authorities  detail  officers  to  supervise  the  labor  of  the
coolies,  who  are  specially  selected  for  work  in  the  warehouse.
There  is  one  private  bonded  warehouse  at  Kanagawa,  but  informa-