File No. 838.00/1330.
[Inclosure.]
Admiral Caperton
to the American Forces in
Haiti.
Port au Prince,
September 6, 1915.
letter of instructions: customs and civil
administration.
1. In order to relieve the detachment commanders from the duty of
disbursing funds, and in view of the fact that the Navy Department
has detailed sufficient bonded disbursing officers for duty with the
forces in Haiti and Haitian waters to provide one for each port
occupied, the following instructions are substituted for those
contained in reference (b) [Issued August 24, 19158].
customs administration.
2. The Squadron Commander will administer the customs through an
administrator of customs, who will be established at Port au Prince.
The administrator of customs will have general charge of the
collection of customs duties at all ports and the depositing of
receipts, in accordance with instructions given by the Squadron
Commander and in accordance with the Haitian law not inconsistent
with these instructions. For the purpose of insuring uniformity of
administration, the administrator of customs is authorized to issue
directly to the local collectors such detailed instructions as may
be necessary relative to the customs collection, depositing of
receipts, keeping of accounts, rendition of returns, and such other
administrative matters as come within his province.
3. The collector of customs at each port will administer the
customhouse and captain of the port’s office at the port where he is
stationed, under instructions from the administrator of customs. He
will also act as disbursing officer for all payments made at the
port where he is stationed.
civil administration.
4. Detachment commanders will have charge of such other civil affairs
as may be assumed within the limits of their respective commands,
and will control the disbursements of funds allotted by the Squadron
Commander to meet obligations incurred thereby.
disbursements.
5. Disbursements will be made under the following heads:
Constabulary: for the organization and
maintenance of an efficient constabulary.
Public Works: for conducting such temporary
public works as will afford an immediate relief through employment
for the starving populace and discharged soldiers.
Military and Civil Government: for the
maintenance of such military and civil governments as the United
States may establish.
Customs Service: for expenses of maintaining
the customs service, including captain of the ports’ offices.
6. Detachment commanders will submit to the Squadron Commander by
radio not later than the 25th of each month, confirmed by letter,
estimates covering the funds desired under each head for each town
for the coming calendar month. Collectors of customs will furnish
detachment commanders with estimates for customs service to be
included in above mentioned radio message.
7. Funds will then be allotted by the Squadron Commander from the
funds on deposit in the local branch of the National Bank of Haiti
in each town; and the funds so allotted will be placed to the credit
of the collectors of customs in those local banks.
