544 REPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Exports by countries. — The domestic sponges exported are sent princi- 

 pally to England; yet France, Quebec, and a number of other countries 

 receive small quantities. The customs returns do not show separately 

 the extent of these exports prior to 1894, but the exports during that 

 year were as follows : 



82. Statement of the exports of domestic sponges during the year ending June 30, 1894. 



Countries. 



Europe: 



England 



France 



Italy 



Netherlands 



Sweden and Norway 



North America : 

 Nova Scotia and New Bruns- 

 wick 



Quebec and Ontario 



British Columbia 



Mexico 



Countries. 



North America — continued 

 West Indies — 



British 



Haiti 



Puerto Rico 



South America: 



Brazil 



Chile 



Colombia 



Uruguay 



Venezuela 



Total 



Pounds. 



18, 329 



Values. 



8,497 



Rates of duty imposed on sponges. — No special duty was imposed on 

 sponges imported into the United States prior to 1842. From 1789 to 

 1832 they were classed with unenumerated articles, and from 1832 to 

 1842 they were admitted free of duty. The tariff law of 1842 (Laws 

 Twenty-seventh Congress, second session, chapter 270) imposed a duty 

 of 20 per cent ad valorem on all sponges imported after August 30, 

 1842. This rate remained operative until July 1, 1857, when it was 

 reduced to 8 per cent (Laws Thirty-fourth Congress, third session, 

 chapter 98); but in 1861 (Laws Thirty-sixth Congress, second session, 

 chapter 68) it was increased to 10 per cent ad valorem, taking effect 

 April 1, 1861. In 1862 the duty was increased to 20 per cent, and it 

 remained at that rate until 1894 (Laws Fifty-third Congress, second 

 session, chapter 349), when it was again reduced to 10 per cent ad 

 valorem, taking effect August 28, 1894. 



83. Statement of the approximate rates of duty imposed on sponges imported into various 



foreign countries. 



Countries. 



Designation. 



Duty per 100 

 pounds. 



Europe : 

 Austria-Hungary. 



Prance. 



Germany 



Great Britain . 

 Italy 



Bathing and horse. 



Others 



Raw 



Prepared, fine 



Wash sponges 



Common, crude . . 

 Common, cleaned . 



Fine, crude 



Fine, cleaned 



Norway 



Portugal 



Russia 



Switzerland .. 

 North America: 



Canada , 



Mexico , 



Greek 



Fine 



Common . 



Free. 

 Free. 

 Free. 



Free. 



20 p. ct. 



Central America- 

 Guatemala 



Honduras 



Nicaragua 



Salvador 



$2.17 

 8.71 

 3.04 

 5.69 



3.50 



17.51 

 32.45 

 13.22 

 2.58 

 1.75 



ad val. 

 47.90 

 9.58 



132. 27 

 23.30 

 46.59 



110. 22 



