WAREHOUSES FOR STORAGE OF MERCHANDISE

IN TRANSIT OR IN BOND.

INTRODUCTION.

At the instance of the Commercial Museum at Manila, P. I., the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, on May 11, 1904, requested that a call be made upon the consular officers of the United States stationed at the more important ports for information concerning warehouses at those places for the storage, at a nominal rental, of merchandise in transit or in bond, and from which goods may be withdrawn for shipment elesewhere without paying the customs dues. The Department of State therefore, under date of May 19, 1904, instructed certain consular officers of the United States to prepare reports covering the fololwing points:

1. Dimensions and original cost of warehouses, approximately. 2. By whom are the warehouses owned and conducted?

3. Detailed account of service; (a) from the patron's point of view; (b) services rendered by the administration of the warehouses. 4. Scale of charges for storage (as full as convenient).

5. Receipts and expenditures on account of service.

6. What classes of goods, chiefly, are stored?

7. To what extent do Americans make use of these warehouses? 8. If convenient, give some idea as to the length of time goods remain in bond, as a rule.

9. Are all nationalities treated exactly alike by the administrators of the warehouses? If not, what distinctions are made?

10. Give an account of the facilities for and the cost of the removal

of the goods from boat to warehouse, and vice versa.

11. Give, as accurately as possible, the care and supervision exercised over the warehouses by customs officials.

These reports are included in the following volume.

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EUROPE.

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

VIENNA.

(From United States Consul-General Rublee, Vienna, Austria.)

BUILDINGS AND MANAGEMENT.

The three principal warehouses in Vienna are the Lagerhaus der Stadt Wein and the warehouses of Erste Oesterreichische Aktiengesellschaft, and the Allgemeine Oesterreichische Transportgesellschaft. The dimensions and original cost of these are as follows:

The Lagerhaus der Stadt Wien consists of two warehouses, one of which has 38,833 square meters (46,444 square yards) ground area, 157,051 square meters (187,832 square yards) surface space, and a weight capacity of 35,100 tons. The original cost can not be exactly given, as the buildings were furnished by the municipality of Vienna and were erected for the exposition of 1873. The cost for additional buildings since has been $357,770.

The warehouse of the Erste Oesterreichische Aktiengesellschaft consists of two warehouses, one of which has 14,000 square meters (16,744 square yards) ground area, 27,000 square meters (32,292) square yards) surface space, and a weight capacity of 20,000 tons; the other, 6,000 square meters (7,176 square yards) ground area, 14,000 square meters (16,774 square yards) surface space, and a weight capacity of 11,500 tons. The original cost was $800,000.

The warehouse of the Allgemeine Oesterreichische Transportgesellschaft consists of one building covering a ground area of 800 square meters (957 square yards). The cost of erection was $69,000. There are a number of small warehouses conducted by express agents and companies, which are so insignificant as not to come into consideration.

The Lagerhaus der Stadt Wien is owned and conducted by the municipality; the Erste Oesterreichische Aktiengesellschaft and the Allgemeine Transportgesellschaft are stock companies.

No detailed data are obtainable as to the receipts and expenditures on account of service. The average yearly receipts and expenditures of the warehouses mentioned above are: Lagerhaus der Stadt Wien, receipts $148,332, expenditures $135,611; Erste Oesterreichische Aktiengesellschaft, receipts $88.440; expenditures $76,330; Allgemeine Oesterreichische Transportgesellschaft, receipts $14,000, expenditures $12,400.

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SERVICES.

The rights and duties of the patrons are as follows: Orders must be given in writing or by telegraph and must be clearly stated. The sum for which the goods stored are to be insured against fire must be determined. The goods to be stored must be accompanied by properly executed documents (invoices, custom-house and taxation papers) and the written order for storage. Patrons are given receipts for the stored goods, or else can have warrants made out thereon. If goods in storage are in danger of spoiling, or their value no longer suffices to cover the expense of storage incurred, notice for removal may be given at any time, and if the goods are not taken away before the expiration of the period fixed they are sold and the costs of storage defrayed from the proceeds. Persons proving their identity as owners of the goods, or as the authorized attorneys of such owners, have the right to inspect their wares and to take samples of them. Goods are delivered upon written order of the owner and upon payment of all warehouse, customs, and taxation fees that may be due thereon.

Claims by the warehouse management against the storers of goods must be settled by the latter immediately upon demand. For its claims on the goods stored the warehouse holds the first lien, and this has the precedence over all other claims in case of bankruptcy also. Knowledge of business transactions of the warehouse management with its patrons is strictly kept from third persons.

Services rendered by the warehouse to its patrons are as follows: Clearing of the wares arriving by railway or steamship and storing of the same. Possible advance of the freight dues when the goods to be stored or the person storing them offer sufficient guaranty. Placing the insurance of the stored goods against damage by fire. Local deliveries, shipments in all directions, inland and foreign. Collections and payments. Paying customs duties and taxes on the goods stored. Examination and shipment of samples, manipulation of the goods, packing, repacking, etc. Delivery of wares to third persons, etc.

CHARGES.

The charges range from 1 crown (20.3 cents) to 6 crowns ($1.218) for 100 kilograms (220.46 pounds) per week, according to the character of the goods stored, bed feathers, brushes, basketware, corks, fancy goods, and wall paper paying the highest rates. Goods stored in the open without cover are rated at crown (10.2 cents) per 100 kilos per week. If at least 10,000 kilos (22,046 pounds) of certain articles are stored, special rates are allowed. These rates are computed per 100 kilos (220.46 pounds) per week and are as follows: At 1 crown (20.3 cents)-cotton in pressed bales, dried figs, rice, starch, and sugar in lots of at least 5,000 kilograms (11,023 pounds); at 11 crowns (30.5 cents)-honey; at 2 crowns (40.6 cents)-colonial goods, fats, gall nuts, oils, prunes, and yarns; at 2 crowns (50.8 cents)tropical fruits, and wool in pressed bales; at 3 crowns (60.9 cents)wool in unpressed bales.

Alcohol in iron tanks is charged 36 crowns ($7.308) per 100 hectoliters (2,641.7 gallons) for the first month and 16 crowns ($3.248) for each following month. A month is counted at thirty days, and a