certificates as above, it will be competent for the collector to take evidence, supported by affidavits, as to the date the garments came into the possession of the owner, and unies thoroughly satisfied that they were purchased prior to Decenber 29, 1897, or made from skins taken in waters other tla the North Pacific Ocean, or if from those waters, prior to above date, the articles will be taken possession of and sent to th public stores for careful examination and inspection, in accoriance with paragraph 5 of the regulations of December 2, 1897*; and unless proof is produced within one year showing that the articles were not made from fur-seal skins taken in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean after December 29, 1887, the same shall be deemed prohibited, and held subject to the orders of this Department for destruction in accordance with. Section 9 of the Act. (Synopses 18807 and 18886.)

5. Tourists or immigrants arriving from abroad with sealskin garments must present to the collector an invoice certified by the United States Consul showing date of original ownership, in default of which the course laid down in Article 4 of these regulations will be pursued.

O. L. SPAULDING, Acting Secretary.

UNITED STATES CIRCULAR imposing additional duties on Sugar imported from, or the product of, Belgium. or the product of, Belgium. Washington,

April 18, 1899.

1899. Department Circular No. 59. Division of Customs.

Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary,

Washington, D.C., April 18, 1899.

TO OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS AND OTHERS CONCERNED:

SECTION 5 of the Act of July 24, 1897, provides as follows: That whenever any country, dependency, or colony shall pay or bestow, directly or indirectly, any bounty or grant upon the exportation of any article or merchandize from such country, dependency, or colony, and such article or merchandize is dutiable under the provisions of this Act, then upon the importation of any such article or merchandize into the United States, whether the same shall be imported directly from the country of production or otherwise, and whether such article or merchandize is imported in the same condition as when exported from the country of production or has been changed in condition by remanufacture or otherwise, there shall be levied and paid, in all such cases, in addition to the duties

otherwise imposed by this Act, an additional duty equal to the net amount of such bounty or grant, however the same be paid or bestowed. The net amount of all such bounties or grants shall be from time to time ascertained, determined, and declared by the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall make all needful regulations for the identification of such articles and merchandize and for the assessment and collection of such additional duties.

In pursuance of these provisions, the following amounts of bounties paid or bestowed on the export of sugars by Belgium are hereby declared for the assessment of additional duties on sugars imported from, or the product of, that country, viz.:

On raw sugar, 4.05 francs per 100 kilograms. On refined sugar, 460 francs per 100 kilograms. L. J. GAGE, Secretary.

UNITED STATES CIRCULAR constituting the Philippine Islands and the Island of Guam a Collecting Station for Cusoms and establishing Ports of Entry. Washington, May 5, 1899.

Tariff Circular, No. 65.

War Department,

Washington, May 5, 1899.

The following order of the President is published for the information and guidance of all concerned:

Executive Mansion, May 3, 1899.

By virtue of the authority vested in me as Commander-inChief of the Army and Navy of the United States, I hereby order and direct that during the cccupancy by the military authorities of the United States of the Islands of the Philippine Archipelago and the Island of Guam, said islands shall constitute a collection district for customs purposes. Manila shall be the chief port of entry. An officer of the Army shall be assigned to such port, who shall be the collector of customs of the islands and of the chief port, and shall have general jurisdiction over the collection of customs in the islands.

The ports of Iloilo in the Island of Panay, Cebu in the Island of Cebu, and San Luis d'Apra in the Island of Guam are hereby declared to be subports of entry with such other subports as may be opened from time to time by order of the Secretary of War, and an officer of the Army shall be assigned to each of the subports as collector of customs, who shall have general jurisdiction of the collection of customs at such sub

port. He shall make weekly reports to the collector of custos of the islands at the chief port of all collections and transi tions over which he has jurisdiction, at the subport, with copi-s of all entries of merchandize duly certified.

The Secretary of War shall appoint such civilian deputy collectors, inspectors, and other employees as may be found

necessary.

The collectors of subports shall deposit all moneys collected by them with the Collector of the Islands, and a receipt from the Collector of the Islands shall be taken in duplicate for al such deposits. All moneys collected at the chief port by the Collector of Customs for the Islands, or transmitted to him br collectors at subports, shall be deposited with the Treasurer of the Islands.

All questions arising in the administration of customs in the Islands shall be referred to the Collector of the Islands for his decision from which there shall be no appeal except in such cases as may be referred by the Collector of the Islands to the Secretary of War.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY.

This order will be duly proclaimed and enforced in the Islands of the Philippine Archipelago and the Island of Guam. G. D. MEIKLEJOHN, Acting Secretary of War.

UNITED STATES CIRCULAR relating to the performance of Consular Duties as to Seamen, &c., in ports under Military Government. Washington, May 11, 1899.

Circular No. 16. Division of Customs and Insular Affairs.

War Department,

Washington, May 11, 1899. THE following is published for the information and guidance of all concerned:

Collectors of customs appointed by the military authorities of the United States at ports in territory under military government are hereby directed to perform the duties formerly belonging to United States Consuls or Consular Officers in such territory, so far as concerns seamen, vessels, clearances, &c.

Official fees or dues collected by United States Consuls under similar circumstances shall be collected by such collectors of customs, and all moneys collected under the provisions of this order shall be deposited and accounted for as prescribed for customs collections.

In order to comply with the provisions of Section 2844,

United States Revised Statutes, the certification of invoices of goods shipped to the United States from territory under the military government of the United States shall be executed by a Consul of a friendly nation or by two resident merchants of good reputation.

G. D. MEIKLEJOHN, Assistant Secretary of War.

UNITED STATES CIRCULAR amending Customs Regulations, &c., for Cuban ports in the possession of the United States. Washington, May 25, 1899.

Tariff Circular, No. 71.

War Department,

Washington, May 25, 1899.

By direction of the President, the Regulations entitled "Coasting Trade of Cuba," on page 9 of the "Amended Customs Tariff and Regulations for Ports in Cuba in Possession of the United States," are hereby amended by the addition of the following paragraph :—

Officers of the customs in the Island of Cuba may authorize the clearance for foreign ports or ports of the United States of vessels under the distinctive signal and coasting permit of Cuba. In granting such clearances, officers of customs will advise masters or owners that the United States does not assume any obligation for the protection of the vessel and the clearance does not exempt the vessel in foreign ports or ports of the United States from penalties or forfeitures of any description which may be incurred.

This order shall be duly proclaimed and enforced in the Island of Cuba.

G. D. MEIKLEJOHN, Assistant Secretary of War.

UNITED STATES CIRCULAR amending the Customs Tari and Regulations for the Philippine Islands. Washington, July 8, 1899.

Tariff Circular, No. 81.

War Department,

Washington, July 8, 1899.

THE following Executive order and the rules for its enforcement are published for the information and guidance of all concerned. The "Customs tariff and regulations for the Philippine Islands" are hereby amended accordingly:

Executive Mansion,

Washington, D.C., July 3, 1899.

1. Officers of the customs in the Philippine Islands, ceded to the United States by Spain, may issue a certificate of protection entitling the vessel to which it is issued to the protec tion and flag of the United States on the high seas and in all ports, if the vessel is owned by

(a.) A citizen of the United States, residing in the Philippine Islands;

(b.) A native inhabitant of the Philippine Islands upon taking the oath of allegiance to the United States;

(c.) A resident of the Philippine Islands before April 11, 1899, hitherto a subject of Spain, upon abjuring his allegiance to the Crown of Spain and taking the oath of allegiance to the United States.

2. The master and the watch officers of a vessel to which a certificate of protection is issued shall be citizens of the United States, or shall take the oath of allegiance to the United States, provided that the General commanding the forces of the United States in the Philippines may in his discretion in special cases waive this requirement in whole or in part.

3. Such certificate of protection shall entitle the vessel to the same privileges and subject it to the same disabilities as are prescribed in Article XX of the Consular Regulations of 1895 for American or foreign built vessels transferred abroad to citizens of the United States.

4. The form and manner of the issue of certificates of protection provided for in this order shall be prescribed by the Secretary of War.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY.