20

WAREHOUSES  IN  FOREIGN  COUNTRIES.

only  fifteen  days,  the  time  is  generally  without  limit,  varying  from
one  to  ten  years,  and  sometimes  longer.  The  administration  is
responsible  for  preserving  the  stored  merchandise  indefinitely.  It
can  dispose  of  the  merchandise  only  when  the  taxes  due  have  not  been
paid  quarterly.
HANDLING  OF  GOODS.
The  public  warehouses  at  Ghent  are  situated  at  the  docks,  easily
accessible  to  vessels  that  come  alongside,  and  also  to  the  railroads.
They  are  equipped  for  the  unloading  and  storage  of  merchandise
with  three  old-type  hand  winches,  which  are  still  used  for  packages
of  light  weight,  and  three  hydraulic  winches.  The  hand  winches  are,
without  expense,  at  the  disposition  of  the  party  depositing  goods  in
the  warehouse  or  taking  them  away.  The  rates  for  the  use  of  the
hydraulic  winches  are  as  follows:  For  lifting  1,100  pounds  or  hss,
$0.05;  for  lifting  1,102  pounds  to  1,650  pounds,  $0.10;  for  lifting
1,652  pounds  to  2,200  pounds,  $0.15:  for  lifting  2,202  pounds  to  3,500
ppunds,  $0.20  ;  with  a  maximum  of  $1.03  per  wagon  load.
The  merchandise  is  placed  and  stored  as  directed  bv  the  warehouse
keeper.  That  which  is  of  the  same  kind,  but  subject  to  different
duties,  is,  as  much  as  the  accommodations  will  permit,  placed  in  different ­
  warehouses.
The  warehouse  keeper  has  a  book  in  which  he  enters  the  receipt
and  delivery  of  the  merchandise,  also  any  changes  that  occur  in  the
condition  of  the  merchandise  during  the  time  it  is  stored.  On  receipt
of  merchandise  lie  affixes  labels  indicating  the  depositor,  the  kind  of
merchandise,  country  of  production,  place  of  export,  manner  of  importation, ­
  name  of  vessel  and  its  captain,  and  nat  ionality  of  the  vessel.
These  labels  are  never  changed  so  long  as  the  merchandise  remains  all
or  in  part  in  the  same  warehouse  and  under  the  same  name.  The
packing  of  merchandise  may  be  changed,  but  goods  which  are  subject
to  different  duties  may  not  be  mixed  up,  and  marks  and  numbers
on  the  old  labels  must  appear  on  the  new  ones  ;  employees  must  report ­
  this  change  of  labels  and  packing,  and  verify  the  gross  and  net
weight  of  the  new  packages.  The  accounts  and  records  are  modified ­
  as  the  result  of  this  report  and  the  net  weights  serve  as  a  basis
for  the  final  payment  of  dues.  The  packages  must  be  opened  and
the  merchandise  unpacked  to  be  sorted,  classified,  and  examined.
Frank  li.  Mowrer,  Consul.
Ghent,  Belgium,  August  8,  1904.

DENMARK.
COPENHAGEN.
(From  United  States  Consul  Frazier,  Copenhagen,  Denmark.)
BUILDINGS  AND  MANAGEMENT.
Following  are  the  approximate  dimensions  of  the  principal  warehouses ­
  and  sheds  in  the  Copenhagen  free  port.  They  are  owned  and
conducted  by  the  Copenhagen  Free  Port  Company  (Limited).  The