man obtainable to take his place during his absence, and the person so employed will receive compensation at the rate paid the surfman whose place he takes, when on duty. Upon the return of the absent surfman, the person temporarily employed will be discharged.

The keeper of a station will not employ as a substitute in his crew any person whom he does not believe to be physically sound, unless it is absolutely unavoidable.

In case it is impossible to obtain a physically sound surfman, the fact should be noted upon the journal of the station, with a statement of the physical defects of the person engaged, so far as they are known.

Whenever the keeper of a life-saving station is absent during the active season for a longer period than between sunrise and sunset of one day in each week, he will place his No. 1 man in charge of the station, and engage a substitute to fill temporarily the vacancy thus caused in the crew, the substitute to have the same qualifications, be engaged in the same manner, and receive the same compensation as those engaged in consequence of the absence of surfmen.

Approved:

NOTE.

W. E. CURTIS,

Acting Secretary.

S. I. KIMBALL, General Superintendent.

This circular does not affect the right of surfmen disabled in the line of duty to claim the benefits of section 7, act of May 4, 1882.

(15479.)

(1) Fresh Herring Dutiable as Unenumerated Unmanufactured Articles at 10 per cent; (2) Herring Caught by Foreign Vessels and Purchased by American Vessels not Product of American Fisheries; (3) Herring Caught by Foreign Vessels, Purchased by American Vessels, and Pickled, Frozen, or Salted on American Vessels, not Product of American Fisheries.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 4, 1894.

SIR: Replying to your inquiry of the 28th ultimo, in regard to the dutiable classification of "fresh herring" caught off the banks of Newfoundland, also as to whether such "fresh herring" purchased abroad by American fishermen and placed direct from traps or nets on board of American fishing vessels, and subsequently pickled, frozen, or salted on board of such vessels prior to entry in the United States, are dutiable. I have to state that "fresh herring," not being specially provided for in the tariff act of August 28, 1894, are dutiable at the rate of 10 per cent ad valorem as an unenumerated unmanufactured article under section 3 of the said act, unless the fish shall be classified under paragraph 568 of the tariff act of 1894.

In regard to your second inquiry, I have to inform you that "fresh herring" caught off the banks of Newfoundland, and purchased abroad, from traps, nets, or otherwise, are not products of American fisheries, and are dutiable upon importation into the United States.

Furthermore, as "fresh herring" so caught and purchased abroad are not the product of American fisheries within the meaning of paragraph 568, the subsequent pickling, freezing, or salting thereof on board American fishing vessels does not make them such product, and they are dutiable at the rate of one-half of 1 cent per pound under paragraph 210 if in a pickled, frozen, or salted condition at the time of entry at your port.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 4, 1894.

SIR: The Department is in receipt of your letter of the 27th ultimo, in which you inquire whether cotton seed is exempt from duty under paragraph 611 or dutiable under paragraph 206, act of August 28, 1894. In reply, I have to inform you that the provision for "cotton seed" in paragraph 611 is more specific than the provision for "oil seeds" in paragraph 206, and such seed is therefore entitled to exemption from duty.

Circular.—Amending Article 708 of the Customs Regulations of 1892, Relative to the Smelting and Refining of Imported Ores and Crude Metals in Bond.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 4, 1894.

To Collectors and other Officers of the Customs:

Article 708 in section 7 of the Customs Regulations of 1892, which provides that upon the exportation of metal, smelted and refined in bonded establishments, credit will be given on the warehouse bond for the duties on the "quantity of the imported crude metals or ores shown

by the assay, and 10 per centum of the quantity so shown in addition thereto," is hereby so amended as to reduce said addition to 8 per centum in the case of pure metals obtained from imported ores, and to 2 per centum in the case of pure metals obtained from crude metals imported in any other form.

The regulations contained in said section 7, including article 8 as hereby amended, will be equally applicable to bonded smelting and refining warehouses established under the provisions of section 24 of the act of October 1, 1890, and to similar warehouses established under the provisions of section 21 of the act of August 28, 1894.

CHARLES S. HAMLIN,

Acting Secretary.

(15482.)

Circular-Assistance to Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 5, 1894.

To the Principal Officers of the Customs Service, Life-Saving Service, Revenue Cutter Service, and Light-House Service:

It is hereby directed that the officers of the services above mentioned assist the Weather Bureau of the Department of Agriculture in disseminating information regarding storms and hurricanes by displaying the hurricane flags-which will be furnished by that Department, with instructions as to their use-and rendering such other like service as may be necessary and does not materially interfere with their regular official duties.

The officials of the Weather Bureau at the different stations on the lakes and coast will be instructed by the Department of Agriculture to communicate with said officers for the purpose of making such arrangements for carrying out the objects desired as may be found feasible and most effective.

JOHN G. CARLISLE, Secretary.

(15483.)

Salt from French Possessions in Island of St. Martin, Free.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 5, 1894. SIR: The Department is in receipt of a letter from the Secretary of State, dated the 1st instant, inclosing a translation of a note from the French ambassador, in which he states that the French colony of St. Martin is not governed by the French customs law of January 11, 1892, but by a local ordinance of February 11, 1850, which is still in effect,

and according to which foreign merchandise, and notably American products, enjoy complete freedom from duty.

In view of this statement you are authorized to admit to free entry under paragraph 608, act of August 28, 1894, salt imported from the French Possessions in the Island of St. Martin.

Packages Containing Raw Unmanufactured Goods do not Require Marking.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 6, 1894.

SIR I inclose herewith, for your information and guidance, a copy of a letter dated the 12th ultimo, addressed to Mr. D. Urquhart, Hewsall, Canada, in which it is held that the words, "all packages containing such or other articles," occurring in section 5 of the act of August 28, 1894, apply only to packages containing articles which are of foreign manufacture, and that, therefore, packages containing merchandise not made up into articles do not require marking, under said provision of law.

Respectfully, yours,

(5631 f.)

COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, New York.

W. E. CURTIS,
Acting Secretary.

(15485.)

Entries May be Signed by Attorney for Principal-Bonds Require Written Signature of Each Member of Firm.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 6, 1894. GENTLEMEN: The Department is in receipt of your letter of the 1st instant, in which you ask to be informed if the holder of a power of attorney for an individual or firm is required to write out the full name of the firm, as well as his own, on the entry or bond, or if it is permissible to use a stamp for the firm name, the attorney writing only his own

name.

In reply thereto, I have to state that entries may be signed by an attorney under the stamped name of the individual or firm, but that bonds require the written signature of each member of the firm, or, in case the members are represented by an attorney, the attorney must

write out the names of his principals, followed in each instance by his

Authorizing Discontinuance of Bonded Route of the Southern California Railway Company as a Common Carrier of Unappraised Merchandise.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 7, 1894.

SIR: As it appears from your letter of the 21st ultimo that the Southern California Railway Company declines to renew its bond as a common carrier for the transportation of unappraised merchandise in bond from your port, as required by Department's letter to you of the 1st ultimo, the bonded route of said company for the transportation indicated, under the bond approved August 25, 1893, is discontinued hereby. You will note the fact and date of discontinuance upon the copy of the bond approved, as above stated, August 25, 1893, now in your possession, and retain the same, without cancellation, to meet any liability which may have accrued thereunder.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 7, 1894.

SIR: The Department is in receipt of a letter from the Secretary of State, dated the 3d instant, inclosing a translation of a note from the Italian ambassador, dated the 27th ultimo, in which he states that the prohibition of the importation of salt into Italy does not extend to the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, and that salt imported from the United States into those islands is admited free of duty.

You are therefore authorized to admit salt imported from Sicily and Sardinia to entry free of duty.

Respectfully, yours,

(6333 g.)

COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, New York.

W. E. CURTIS,

Acting Secretary.