EGYPT.
189
case. Coal for the manufacture of ice (there is no natural ice) costs
£2 10s. ($12.17) to £3 ($14.60) per ton, which accounts for cold stor
age being very expensive.
Statistics of receipts and expenditures on account of service are
unavailable.
All classes of goods are stored in bond to a great extent, and all
perishable goods go into the cold-storage bonded warehouses. I am
told that many American goods are stored the same as goods from
other countries, but I can not find any statistics by which I could
know the amount stored from each nation separately. The limit of
time goods remain in bond is two years for ordinary goods, but I am
told that an exception is made on very high-priced goods and the time
is extended to three years. All nationalities are treated exactly alike
by the administrators of the warehouses in the storage of goods.
The facilities for the removal of goods from boat to warehouses
and vice versa are ample; goods are moved by wagons and the cost is
4 shillings (97 cents) per ton for the team service, exclusive of cool y
service, from the boat to the warehouse, if within 1£ miles of the
docks; if goods are hauled a longer distance an additional charge is
made; charges are the same for bringing goods to the docks from
warehouses within miles.
All shipments must be landed by a certain formality which requires
the services of a landing agent. In the bill paid by the landing agent
and charged to the consignee will be found numerous trifling charges
for cooly service, dock rent, and dock dues, which generally amount,
including the charges of the landing agent, to $3.75 or $4 for each
shipment. This may cover half the cargo of a vessel, or it may cover
only some small box or parcel weighing a few pounds. The harbor
board teams dray all articles, deliver every small package, and
charge delivery for a full ton, which is 4 shillings (97 cents). Even
if the consignee should have teams of his own he is not permitted to
use them.
About every six months the government officials take an inventory
of the goods in all bonded warehouses and compare this with their
books to see whether duty has been paid on all goods taken out.
W. It. Bio HAM, Consul-General.
Cape Town, South Africa, July 19, 190If.
EGYPT.
(From United States Consul General Illddle, Cairo, Fggpt.)
In reply to the circular of May 19 I have the honor to transmit
herewith tariffs, reports, and prospectuses of the Alexandria Bonded
Warehouse Company (Limited), which does business in Alexandria,
Cairo, Port Said, and Suez, with head offices in Alexandria.®
J. W. Riddle, Agent and Consul-General.
Cairo, Egypt, Jidy 19, 1901f.
«These documents (all in French) are on file in the Bureau of Statistics,
Department of Commerce and Labor, where they may be consulted by persons
interested.