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,  assorted ­
  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  customs ­
  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  exercised ­
  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  contract ­
  for  the  sum  of  $343,800,  to  which  a  supplementary  amount  of
$45,000  was  added  for  miscellaneous  improvements.  These  warehouses ­
  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