FRANCE: HAVRE.
29
accordance with the law of August 10, 1888. Besides these certain
private warehouses are occasionally allowed to receive goods in bond,
for this they must have openings with wire works and lie managed as
directed by the custom-house authorities.
The service is exclusively attended to by the administration of the
warehouses, who receive and deliver the goods at the store’s gates.
The charge for storage varies considerably, but in general it may be
f-’iiid that for ordinary goods the rate runs about 1 franc ($0,193) per
1,000 kilos (2,204.6 pounds) per month. For handling cargoes on
entry or removal charges are based on the size and weight of packages,
hor large packages the rate is about 1 franc per metric ton; smaller
packages pay a higher rate.
The classes of goods chiefly stored in the Entrepôt Réel are heavy
mineral oil; coffee, imported sugar, ship’s stores and provisions, pro
hibited goods (tobacco, etc.), and agricultural machinery. Mineral oil,
oranges, and figs are often placed in private warehouses (entrepôts
fictifs). Americans make use of these warehouses principally for
agricultural machinery and grease. All nationalities are treated
exactly alike by the administrators of the warehouses. The maxi
mum time during which the goods can remain in storage without pay-
ln g duty is two years; commonly they do not remain more than six
months.
Goods are taken from the import vessel and carted direct to the
Warehouses and stores under the escort of a customs officer. The cost
yf cartage is 75 centimes (14.5 cents) per ton. The cost of discharg
ing varies according to the nature of the cargo.
Continual supervision is exercised by customs officials over the
Entrepôt Réel, in which are lodged a contrôleur des douanes and a
stores guard. As stated, the " entrepôt fictif ” must be specially man-
a gcd, and the customs officers have keys of these stores.
Benj. Morel,
United States Consular Agent.
Dunkirk, France r July JO, lOOJf.
HAVRE.
(From United States Consul Thackara, Havre, Frunce.)
BUILDING AND MANAGEMENT.
Bonded warehouses in the principal ports of France were created
•Y law, but the privilege of establishing warehouses for the storage of
merchandise in transit or in bond may be conceded to any city in the
interior or on the frontier by ministerial decree upon the request of
; le municipal authorities, who must obligate themselves to furnish
‘he capital for the construction of the necessary buildings and for the
Payment of salaries of employees and other expenses. A city to
"hicli a concession for establishing a bonded warehouse has been
granted may either use the concession itself or if may in turn cede the
privilege to a company formed for the purpose. The latter is the case
111 Havre. The concession was granted to the city of Havre on June