Indirect importation of wines and spirits during calendar year 1878-Continued.

PORT OF NEW YORK, Appraiser's Office, April 19, 1879.

SIR Respectfully referring to the collector's letter of the 13th ultimo transmitting a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury together with one copy each of two reports therein referred to relating generally to the question of the alcoholic strength of imported wines and liquors, I have the honor to state: The collector requests "that you will hereafter cause to be made an actual test for the purpose of determining the alcoholic strength of all still wines imported into this port, to keep a record thereof, and, as far as practicable, a like record of fermented and alcoholic liquors," in furtherance of the purposes sought to be accomplished in the premises.

The alcoholic strength of all or most spirituous liquors or beverages is ascertained by this Department by means of the hydrometer, and this is duly reported to the collector on each invoice thereof.

The alcoholic strength of wines, however, cannot be so determined, but only by distillation, and this department has neither the means nor the experience in the use of the means necessary to a correct scientific determination of such alcoholic strength. I have, however, since the receipt of the collector's letter of instructions directed the exam-iner to take and carefully seal samples of all such wines as have been currently imported, with the view to having them tested by Doctor Til den, the official chemist. The samples now on hand represent 28 in

voices of various still wines imported from France, Spain, Portugal, and Germany, and these, of course, furnish a very inadequate representation of the wine products of those countries. Such an investigation as appears to be contemplated by Congress and by the department can be made only from time to time as the wines arrive, and it is obvious that a long period must elapse before sufficient samples of all the wines of all the wine-producing countries can be obtained. The end sought would certainly be reached much more speedily through the agency of the consuls.

The papers are herewith returned.
Respectfully,

D. C. STURGES, Assistant Appraiser, Tenth Division.

To S. B. DUTCHER, Esq., Appraiser.

CUSTOM-HOUSE, PHILADELPHIA, PA.,
Collector's Office, April 25, 1879.

SIR: In reply to department letters of March 10 (T. B. S.) and 9th instant (H. B. J.) requesting certain statistical information, based on resolution of the United States Senate, pertaining to importations at this port of fermented and alcoholic liquors and wines, &c., I have the honor to report that up to the date of receipt of letter of 10th ultimo no record was kept of results of tests made to ascertain if the alcoholic strength of still wines exceed the limit of 24 per centum allowed by act of Congress of February 8, 1875. I am, therefore, unable to present any record of results prior to March 21, 1879. The accompanying statement exhibits the results reached by the distillation of all still wines received since that date.

From this statement it will be observed that only the high-grade sherries approach the limit fixed by Congress, and these are made to approximate, as near as possible, the limit fixed by the statute without incurring the penalty of forfeiture. In one instance, sherry wine developed the test of 24 per cent. of alcohol; another 23.72, while in a number of other instances it exceeded 23 per cent. It is only in these high grades of wines that it is found necessary to resort to the test by distillation.

None of the importations or any portions thereof referred to in inclosed list have been re-exported.

With the exception of statement showing the quantity of alcohol, wines, and other alcoholic liquors produced in this country and exported to foreign countries, the destination of the same, and their alcoholic strength and other characteristics, which I am unable to furnish, it is believed the information herewith covers all the points on the subject in question, so far as this port is concerned.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

Hon. JOHN SHERMAN,

A. P. TUTTON, Collector.

Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C.

CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, MD.,
Collector's Office, December 17, 1879.

SIR: Respectfully referring to department letters (H. B. J.), dated respectively the 10th of March and 9th of April, 1879, inclosing copies of a report made to the United States Senate by the Committee on Finance under date of Febuary 25, 1879, in regard to the subject of importations of fermented and alcoholic liquors and wines, instructing met to collect as far as practicable from the records of this office certain sta tistics in regard to the matter, as required by Senate resolution, I have now, in compliance with said instructions, to furnish the following state

ments:

First, statement marked A, showing the relative quantities and natures of various kinds of alcoholic liquors and wines and from whence imported at this port during the periods of 1875 to 1878 inclusive; and as a supplement to this statement, the special report of Appraiser Goldsborough, marked B.

This statement and report, it is believed, are in full compliance with the terms of the resolution as far as it is practicable to make them.

Second, statement marked C, showing the relative quantities of such imported alcoholic liquors that have been re-exported for the benefit of drawback or customs taxes.

Third, statement marked D, showing the quantities of domestic liquors which have been exported to foreign countries from this port from October 6, 1877, to May 3, 1879, and showing the destination of the same and their alcoholic strength.

From the special report of the appraiser, it will be noted that it is his experience that the addition of proof-spirits to wines is not so near as common and frequent as the report of the Finance Committee has stated it to be, and where any addition of such spirits has been detected, it has been found in sherry and port wines imported from England alone. In reference to the quantity of wines re-exported which have been fortified with alcohol, and in excess of per cent. of absolute alcohol, I find that there have been no exportations of such articles from this port during the periods named, and I am, therefore, not able to furnish the information required on this point, nor am I able to state the original source of production of such wines or any of their ingredients when the same were exported from countries that do not produce them, inasmuch as the invoices of the wines made up in such countries do not show on their face their origin. Such information, it is supposed, can be obtained through the United States consular officers.

In reply to the further inquiry as regards to what extent the commerce and public revenues of the United States may be affected by taxing wines fortified with alcohol, according to the tax on spirits for each degree of alcohol contained in such wines in excess of 13 per cent., I have again to refer you to the appraiser's report on this subject, it being the opinion of that official that should it be deemed necessary to change the present laws for the importation of wines, the fixing the limit of alcoholic strength at 13 per cent. or at any other percentage much be low the present figures, would have the tendency to exclude some of the best and most valuable wines made from pure grape-juice and without improving upon the natural production, and further allowing wines to enter for consumption which are more or less artificial products but conforming in percentage of alcohol to genuine article.

Very respectfully,

Hon. JOHN SHERMAN,

JOHN L. THOMAS, JR., Collector.

Secretary of Treasury, Washington, D. C.