Liberia ^ 



the weaknesses of the Customs service in Liberia. High- 

 handed officers of European steamers or influential merchants 

 have used both threats and monetary blandishments to evade 

 the strict payment of duties, export and import. 



This tendency has not been helped by the unfortunate 

 condition of the Liberian currency. Absence of cash in the 

 Liberian exchequer has compelled the Government from time 

 to time to issue a certain amount of paper money in the 

 form of Treasury bonds. These are taken by various mercantile 

 houses in Liberia, at a greatly reduced rate, in payment for 

 goods supplied to the Government or to officials in their 

 private capacity. They then tender these bills (as they have 

 a right to do) at their face value in payment of Customs 

 duties. Consequently, what with this unreal value of the paper 

 and the mixture of threats and cajolery on the part of 

 foreigners connected with shipping on the coast or some 

 commercial firms on shore, the receipts of the Liberian Customs- 

 house, instead of being amply sufficient to meet the cost ot 

 administering the country, do not yield to the exchequer 

 more than half the value of what should really be gathered in. 



Reference has been made to high-handed procedure. It is 

 meant in this sense ; that the officers of certain European 

 steamers plying up and down this coast occasionally try to 

 carry things with a high hand because the country is run by 

 "niggers." In defiance of the law prescribing nine specified 

 places as ports of entry where Customs-houses are established, 

 officers of the aforesaid steamers will attempt to land or to embark 

 cargo (without payment of Customs duties) at more or less 

 wild spots on the coast where there is no Liberian official 

 to interfere with their movements. These adventures not 

 infrequently result in the steamer striking an uncharted rock 

 or in being driven ashore by some sudden tornado. Then 



