ITALY*. ROME.
69
rate from those of the custom-houses, but the receipts from such warehouses
at Piraeus are estimated at nearly half of the income from the
customs at that port.
The classes of goods chiefly stored are groceries, dry goods, hats
and caps, leather, cloth, tobacco, cotton, and nearly every kind of
merchandise imported, except cereals, which are stored in private
warehouses. Goods can remain in bond but two years. As a rule
they remain not longer than four months.
Americans seldom use the storage warehouses, a small quantity of
machine oil having been the only commodity stored by them in Piraeus
of late years. All nationalities are treated alike.
All merchandise, with the exception of cereals, are unloaded by
lighter directly from the vessels to the warehouses. The cost is about
10 drachmas (about $1.40) per ton. Cereals are unloaded at the
dock, and cost 2 to 2.50 drachmas ($0.29 to $0.36) per 1,000 okas
(2,821.85 pounds).
Officers of the customs service are on guard at the warehouses day
and night, and are supposed to see that the warehouses are kept clean
and in repair.
Daniel E. McGinley, Consul.
Athens, Greece, October 7,190!>.
ITALY.
ROME.
(From United States Consul-General De Castro, Rome, Italy.)
The dimensions of the warehouses in Italy differ much according to
the importance of the port of entry, and their costs can not be stated.
They are part of the custom-house buildings and are under the control
and management of the .custom-house authorities. Goods may be
entered in transit or in bond. Duty need not be paid until the goods
are withdrawn; while they are in a customs warehouse a tax of 1
centime (0.193 cent) per day and per parcel, box, or bag of 100 kilos
(220.46 pounds) or less is charged. In custom-houses having no
Warehouses a tax of 2 centimes (0.386 cent) per day and per 100 kilos
or less is charged for custody. Any fraction of 100 kilos is calculated
as 100 kilos.
The revenue of the Borne warehouse is about 7,000 lire ($1,351) per
year. No records are kept here of the revenue of other warehouses,
as the receipts are turned into the treasury in bulk and not itemized.
All sorts of goods not of a perishable nature, such as drugs, coffee,
sugar, dry goods, and raw material, are stored. When goods arrive
they may remain in the custom-house free of charge for a period of
two weeks, which may be extended for another two weeks. All applications
must be made on stamped paper, costing 12 cents. At the
expiration of the term the goods are removed into the warehouse, and
may lie there for twelve months. Warrants or receipts are delivered
so as to enable the owner of the goods to dispose of a part of them
or all. As fast as the goods are withdrawn the duty is collected.
All nationalities are treated alike by the administration. There is
Ro kind of discrimination exercised.
