Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1881

No. 348.
Mr. Evarts to Sir Edward Thornton.

Department of State,
Washington, January 10, 1881.

Sir: At the instance of my colleague, the Secretary of the Treasury, I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a letter dated the 27th ultimo, addressed by him to the collector of customs at Suspension Bridge, New York, which it is desired should be communicated to the customs authorities of the Dominion of Canada, for their information concerning the transportation of merchandise in bond from one port to another in that country, by the way of the Suspension Bridge and Ogdensburg, N. Y.

I have, &c.,

WM. M. EVARTS.

[Inclosure.]

Mr. Upton, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, to the collector of customs, Suspension Bridge, New York.

Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary,
Washington, D. C., December 27, 1880.

Sir: The department has received a communication from the general superintendent of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad Company requesting authority to transport from Suspension Bridge to Ogdensburg, in sealed cars, under entry for immediate transportation and exportation, bonded merchandise arriving at Suspension Bridge from one port in the Dominion of Canada and destined for another port in said Dominion.

It appears from the letter of the general superintendent that in the case of merchandise forwarded in the manner indicated, it is the practice, under existing regulations, to require entry for warehouse and transportation to be made at your port, and that upon arrival of the merchandise at Ogdensburg, entry for withdrawal and exportation is also required.

The Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad Company request the department to issue such instructions as will enable parties to make shipment of goods in bond in the manner and between the points indicated under one entry in order to obviate the expense and delay attending the present method.

The department after full consideration of the subject, has decided that merchandise from a Canadian port and destined for another port in Canada may be entered at Suspension Bridge, N. Y., for immediate transportation and exportation in bond to Canada, via Ogdensburg, N. Y., and vice versa, under the form of entry and bond now required at New York and other ports, in the case of foreign merchandise passing in transit through the United States to or from the Dominion of Canada (see Articles 20 to 33 of the regulations under the treaty of Washington, $ 2171).

Especial care should be given to the requirements of Article 24 of the regulations referred to relating to the sealing of cars employed in conveying the merchandise from your port.

Very respectfully,

J. K. UPTON,
Assistant Secretary.