after arrival *; to state thereon whether he has fallen in with, or picked up any wreck on the voyage; and to answer such questions as the Collector may ask him concerning the goods imported.

RUMMAGE, &c.

The Examining Officer is required to comply with the requirements of the Quarantine regulations t; to board the vessels as soon as practicable after arrival ; to examine and pass consignees letters ||, passengers baggage, &c. §; to see the Post Office regulations carried out; to thoroughly rummage every accessible ** part of the ship; and to seize and convey to the Queen's Warehouse any uncustomed or prohibited goods found concealed on board ++; to take an inventory in the tide book of all surplus stores ‡‡, and if the same be excessive to secure them under official seal or deposit them in the Queen's Warehouse; to place a sufficient number of officers | in charge for the protection of the Revenue, and to see that they be provided with the necessary accommodation which the law requires§§. It is also his duty to diligently rummage the ship at frequent intervals during the discharge of the cargo; and to serve the usual overtime notice upon the master, in case the whole of the cargo shall not have been delivered within 14 days after arrival.

*The "time of arrival" of a ship is 24 hours after she comes within the limits of the port, unless she report earlier, in which case the time of report becomes the time of arrival.

+ See Quarantine regulations at p. 1.

By this is meant the coming of the vessel within the limits of the boarding station as distinguished from "arrival," previously defined. || See persons exempt from Ship Letter Postage, p. 11.

§ See Passengers Baggage p. 7.

** On the arrival of Steamers in the night time it is often impractiable to make a satisfactory rummage either because of the passengers being in bed or from the intense heat of the engine room. It is usual in such cases to make a note in the tide book for the information of the Examining Officer on the station to which the ship is about to proceed, that he may complete the rummage.

++ Goods liable to duty or restrictions on importation, or which are prohibited, found concealed on board any ship or boat within any port in the United Kingdom, are forfeited. Sec. 209.

See Surplus Stores, at p. 13.

While it is usual to double board all vessels from places where tobacco is an unrestricted commodity, yet the Examining Officer must be left to exercise his own judgment as to the number of Out-door Officers to be placed on board; observing that, although the security of the Revenue is of the first importance, no unnecessary expense is to be incurred. [Officers singly boarded are relieved from keeping night watch by G.O., 82, 1856.]

§§ The Master is bound, under a penalty of £20, to provide the Officer with sufficient room under the deck, in some part of the forecastle or steerage, for his bed or hammock.-Sec. 47.

7

PASSENGERS' BAGGAGE.

The officers by whom this particular duty is discharged, being selected for their efficiency and knowledge of the law and practice must be left to exercise a liberal discretion, governing themselves by circumstances as they arise, and the conduct and position of the parties with whom they have to deal; bearing in mind also, that although duties, however small the amount, may be legally due upon foreign goods, the examination of baggage is less resorted to with a view to the rigorous collection of those duties from bona fide passengers, than to the discouragement of fraud on the part of others, especially some of those passing frequently to and fro between this country and the Continent.

Moreover, specific instructions for a general mode of procedure could not be given, because the practice at the various ports to which passenger vessels usually resort, is regulated by local orders, necessarily adapted to the peculiar circumstances of each place. In the Thames, the Mersey, the Humber, and the Clyde, baggage may, upon certain conditions, be examined on board the ship; whilst at other places such a system, obviously, could not be pursued:-the effects of emigrants, also, arriving at Hull and the neighbouring ports in transit to the United States via Liverpool, are allowed to be forwarded to the latter port, without examination, in locked railway vans appropriated to that purpose; and in London those effects are transhipped on a partial examination only. Again, at Dover, in addition to the ordinary facilities, baggage registered at Paris, arriving by the early morning packet, is permitted to be immediately forwarded to London, accompanied by the owners, for examination at the railway termini, by officers specially appointed to that service. Nevertheless, there are some leading and long established rules which may be usefully stated, as well for the guidance of the officers in the instances therein referred to, as indicating the spirit in which analogous cases should be treated. But whilst on the one hand, the greatest liberality, consistent with propriety is to be shown, attempts at fraud and deception will, on the other, be met as the law directs, viz., by the forfeiture of all articles illegally unshipped or landed, or found concealed or made up in any manner to deceive the officers, together with the goods packed with them; and the prosecution, if necessary, of the offending parties. It is scarcely requisite to observe on the necessity for the exercise, under all circumstances, of temper and forbearance on the part of the officers, and the scrupulous observance of that respect towards others which will best entitle them to and secure it for themselves; and as it is most desirable that needless expense should not be inadvertently incurred by passengers in landing and passing their baggage (no charge for which is ever made by the Customs, nor is any fee or gratuity of any kind allowed to be received by the officers on pain of dismissal), it is expected that the officers will afford all necessary advice and information to enable them if it should be their wish, to dispense with the employment of an agent, whose services for any official purpose are wholly unnecessary.* (Vide Wildman's General Orders.)

Agents clearing baggage or presents must produce the owner's authority. For detention and search of Persons see Part 5.

Passengers Baggage may be examined and delivered without entry in accordance with such regulations as the Commissioners of Customs may direct; but if any prohibited or uncustomed goods shall be found concealed therein, either before or after landing the same shall be forfeited together with the other contents of the package containing the same. Sec. 69. *

Merchandise brought by passengers is subject to the provision of the law, and liable to forfeiture unless duly reported and entered. M. 24th Dec., 1847.

Articles not being merchandise prohibited + to be imported, or upon which the proprietors do not wish to pay the duties, may be either abandoned or left in the Queen's Warehouse for a period not exceeding six months, in order to be taken back again. G.O., 75, 1851.

British Plate brought to this country by passengers, who had taken it with them abroad and upon which no drawback was received, may be delivered duty free on the party making the usual declaration and the officers being satisfied that the statement is correct. || G.O., 110, 1844.

Foreign Plate upon which duty has been paid on its first importation, may be imported duty free, on the proprietor making the required declaration, and the officers being satisfied of the fact. G.O., 78, 1857.

Gold and Silver Plate imported from foreign parts and sent to any British Assay Office to be stamped, &c., shall, in addition to the mark used for the time being, at such Assay Office for marking British Plate, be further marked with the letter F on an oval escutcheon, in order to denote that it was imported from foreign parts and not made in the United Kingdom. 30 and 31 Vic., cap. 82 sec. 24.

Presents (packages, parcels, &c.) sent to persons in this country are to be landed under the care of the proper officers and immediately conveyed to the baggage warehouse for examination. M.M., 14th August, 1816 and 11th December, 1841.

Accompanied.-No duty is to be charged on any quantity less

*No packages are to be opened or examined, except in the presence of the proprietor or other person acting in his behalf. G.O., 20th Feb., 1783. † See list of Prohibitions inwards p. 16.

This Permission does not extend to copyright books or playing cards not properly marked, both of which are liable to confiscation.

The following is the form of declaration, (G.O., No. 69, 1865)—:

In the

I

Master, from

do hereby declare that the British Plate above-mentioned was taken out by me from this country; that previously to the exportation thereof it had been used by me for domestic purposes; that the property remains unchanged, and that no drawback was received thereon. Signed and declared this day of In the presence of

186

}

Penalty for making a false declaration, £100. Sec. 198.

A. S.

than a pint of ordinary drinkable spirits of any strength; or half a pint of eau de Cologne, cordials, liqueurs, or any medicated or perfumed spirits; and cigars or manufactured tobacco under the weight of half-a-pound-being the unconsumed stores of passengers who are not frequent visitors and where there is no cause of suspicion-is to be delivered duty free; but when the weight is half-a-pound and upwards the whole quantity is to be charged with duty under the following regulations, viz :-Passengers arriving from the Continent or other short voyages may enter and pay duty on any quantity of cigars under three pounds weight. From the East or West Indies or other distant voyages, on any quantity not exceeding seven pounds weight or unmanufactured tobacco, in either case, not exceeding nine pounds weight, without application to the Board. G.O., 34, 1846; 25th Oct., 1820; 100, 1864; 15, 1850; and 14th Jan., 1837.

Not Accompanied.-When cigars and tobacco are not accompanied by the proprietors any portion of the voyage, or exceeding the above quantities, application must be made to the Board, and a fine will be imposed on the whole quantity; but when a passenger proceeds overland from India, accompanying his baggage as far as Malta, &c., and then forwards it to this country by another vessel, the Board will decide as to the remission of the fine or otherwise, according to the circumstances of each case, which for that purpose are to be fully stated by the officers. G.O., 58, 1852.

These regulations extend to cigars and tobacco brought by officers and passengers on board ships of war or coming overland, and have been ruled to apply to snuff also. G.O., 17th July, 1838, and G.O., 26th July, 1839.

Spirits in less than the legal quantities may be admitted to entry for home use, by special permission of the Board in each case, provided they are bona fide for private use, and not mer chandise nor excessive. (See Surplus Stores.)

Wines imported in small casks for private use may be delivered at the highest rate of duty without testing. G.O. 118, 1860. Fines imposed on the admission to entry of restricted goods imported for private use in illegal quantities, viz. :—

per lb.

9d.

Cigars, Snuff, and Tobacco, manufactured, not reported -If reported, or brought in one of H.M. Ships, or in passengers' baggage, accompanied by the owner 6d. Cavendish and Negrohead :

* Channel Islands.-Duty is to be charged on any quantity of Tobacco exceeding two ounces, and of Spirits exceeding one gill found in the baggage of Passengers arriving from the Channel Islands.-G.O., 22nd June, 1857.

+ And if Cavendish or Negrohead, the Board's directions are to be obtained when exceeding the regulated allowance for Passengers.-G.O., 30, 1863.

This has been extended to small quantities of Tobacco by G.O., 26th July, 1839, and in practice applies to Snuff also, altho' not included in the above order,

In addition to the above fines to be subjected to a further fine, whether reported or not, of

...

1s. 6d.

But if accompanied to be subject to all the provisions of the Act 26 Vic., c. 7, as regards labelling, &c.

In all cases (excepting Cavendish and Negrohead) where the quantity may exceed 40lbs. and be still under legal weight, the fine is only to be levied upon the quantity short of legal weight. Tobacce, unmanufactured :

-Not reported

6d. 3d.

On 6 gallons or 14 gallons 68.

وو

دو

16

4s.

9

5

15

5s.

10s.

If reported, one half the above Fines.

Regimental Baggage, to be carefully examined, the Officers taking care that no customable or prohibited articles be delivered. The knapsacks of private soldiers are also to be searched.-G.O., 1st July, 1806, and G.O., 20th Jan., 1816.

FOR TRANSIT OR REMOVAL.

Baggage and effects, unaccompanied by the owners, arriving from the Continent in transitu for America, may be removed to the port of embarkation under the warehousing regulations on a partial examination, where the agent can endorse the contents of each package. All possible dispatch is to be given, and in each instance a letter of advice, noted "immediate," is to be forwarded to the port of shipment, by the first post after the examination of the packages.-M., 27th June, 1846.*

When accompanied by the proprietor they may be removed under Seals of Office, instead of the warehousing regulations, provided the dutiable articles be not excessive, and that bond be given for the due delivery of the packages to the Customs at the port of destination.-M., 15th March, 1848.

Emigrants' Baggage and effects are allowed to be forwarded to the port of embarkation in locked railway vans appropriated to that purpose, and accompanied by an Out-door Officer, at the expense of the party claiming the indulgence. †

The baggage and effects of passengers arriving at an Outport with the intention of proceeding to London, may (unless they be all free goods), on being examined in the presence of the

*The gross weight of each package is to be inserted in the letter of advice, to enable the Officers at the port of destination to check the goods on their arrival.

This is the practice at Hull, Grimsby, Hartlepool, and several other ports, with respect to baggage of emigrants proceeding to Liverpool to embark for America and other Foreign countries.