TREASURY DEPARTMENT, TO COLLECTORS OF CUSTOMS. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Office of the Secretary, Washington, D. C., February 1, 1890. The following decisions of the Department for the month of January, 1890, upon the construction to be given to acts of Congress relating to the tariff, navigation, and other subjects, are published for the information and guidance of officers of the customs and others concerned. WILLIAM WINDOM, (9792.) Secretary. Circular.- Values of foreign coins. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Bureau of the Mint, Washington, D. C., January 1, 1890. SIR: In pursuance of the provisions of section 3564 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, I present in the following table an estimate of the values of the standard coins of the nations of the world: peso. Gold: 10 and 20 crowns. Gold: condor ($9.64,7) and double-condor. Silver: sucre and divisions. Gold: pound (100 piastres), 50 piastres, 20 piastres,10 piastres,and 5 piastres. Silver: 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 piastres. Gold: 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 francs. Silver: 5 francs. Gold: 5, 10, and 20 marks. Gold: sovereign (pound sterling) and 1⁄2 sovereign. Gold: 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 drachmas. Silver: 5 drachmas. Silver: gourde. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., January 1, 1890. The foregoing estimate, by the Director of the Mint, of the value of foreign coins, I hereby proclaim to be the values of such coins in terms of the money of account of the United States, to be followed in estimating the value of all foreign merchandise imported on or after January 1, 1890, expressed in any of such metallic currencies. WILLIAM WINDOM, Secretary of the Treasury. (9793.) Cork-wood squares-Free of duty. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 2, 1890. SIR: The Department is in receipt of your letter of the 27th ultimo, reporting on the appeal (2958 x) of Messrs. Colgan & Co. from your assessment of duty, at the rate of 10 per cent. ad valorem, on certain "cork squares," imported by them per City of New York, November 8 last, and returned by the appraiser as dutiable under the provisions of T. I., 94, for "Barks * * * advanced in value or condition by refining or grinding or by other process of manufacture." It appears from your letter and the samples submitted that the merchandise in question consists of cork-wood in long forms cut in octagonal shape, and the appraiser reports that while they are not in a sufficiently finished state to bring them within the provisions of T. I., 422, for "Corks or cork-bark, manufactured," yet that they have undoubtedly been submitted to some process of manufacture, and that they were, in his opinion, removed from the condition of cork-squares, which, by Department's decision (Synopsis 1130), were held to be exempt from duty as "Cork-wood or cork-bark, unmanufactured." (See T. I., 683.) You do not concur in the appraiser's conclusion, but submit that the rounding of the corners being of no material advantage does not remove these articles which would otherwise be "squares" from the classification held to be applicable in Department's decision above cited. The appellants state, and an inspection of the sample shows, that the rounding of corners serves no purpose whatever in the manufacture of the completed corks, but that the octagonal pieces are imported for and serve exactly the same purpose as the rectangular pieces subject of Synopsis 1130. The Department therefore concurs in your views. Inasmuch, however, as the appellants in this case have not complied with the requirements of section 2931, Revised Statutes, their protest not being filed until more than ten days after liquidation of the entry, no relief can be afforded them as to this particular importation, your assessment of duty being, under the section above referred to, final and conclusive. Respectfully yours, To Collectors of Customs and Custodians of Public Buildings under the control of the Treasury Department: An act of Congress approved February 16, 1889, provides for the disposition of useless papers in the files of the Executive Departments. In connection with this matter it is desired to ascertain what papers, if any, you have in the files of your office which are not needed or useful in the transaction of the current business of your office, and which have no permanent value or historical interest. You will please make a report on this subject by January 31,1890, giving a concise statement of the character and condition of such papers as you think can properly be disposed of, or destroyed, under the conditions named. Respectfully yours, (9795.) WILLIAM WINDOM, Secretary. Additional duties under section 2970, Revised Statutes, do not attach to paintings withdrawn for exhibition under section 2508, Revised Statutes. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 4, 1890. SIR: The Department is in receipt of your letter of the 11th ultimo, reporting upon the appeal (67 x) of the American Association for the |
