COMMITTEES ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT 307 
have paid under the law. In the report of H. Wheeler Combs, 
general appraiser at the port of New York, dated October 30, 
1885, we read: 
“We had also made inquiry into the discrepancies between the large ports in the 
matter of the value and classification of foreign wools—particularly those known 
as ‘ Donskoi wools ’"—and were in communication with the officials and reputable 
importers at the large ports on this subject. We have learned enough to convince 
us that gross undervaluations at all the ports have existed for years, through a 
misapprehension on the part of the customs officials of the true value of the cur- 
rency on which the traffic is actually based. 
“These wools are entered as ‘ washed wools,’ valued at less than 12 cents per 
pound. A chemical analysis was made at the laboratory connected with the 
appraiser’s office, and the chemist reports that they are ‘ scoured wools.’ ‘This 
subject is now being carefully investigated by the appraiser of this port.” °° 
On December 3, 1885, the Secretary of the Treasury, Daniel 
Manning, addressed a letter to the President of the Academy, in 
which he stated that an appeal had been taken from the decision 
of the Collector of Customs at the port of New York in a case 
involving the classification of a certain consignment of wool for 
tariff purposes, and requested that the Academy would advise 
him as to its proper classification. The President appointed a 
committee to examine the sample of wool which accompanied 
the letter and determine its real character. ‘This committee, 
which consisted of C. F. Chandler, W. H. Brewer and Henry 
Morton, reported on January 16, 1886, giving its opinion as to 
the character of the wool and at the same time offering some 
detailed information of a very interesting character as to the 
qualities of different kinds of wool. This included a transla- 
tion of Chindsinsky’s article on the composition of the fleece of 
merino and coarse-wooled breeds of sheep. To this were added 
analyses of various samples of wools procured by the committee, 
including the one received from the Treasury Department, and 
a summary of analyses made by other investigations. The com- 
mittee then presented the following conclusions: 
“From the preceding facts, we see that wool comes into the trade in a very 
great variety of purity, some with not over IO or 15 per cent. of actual wool 
*° Report of H. Wheeler Combs, General Appraiser, B. H. Hinds, C. H. Lapp, Special 
Agents, New York, October 30, 1885. Rep. Secr. Treas., 1885, p. 126. 
