72 



COTTON TEXTILES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



DUTIES CHARGED THEREON. 



Duties in Venezuela are entirely specific, and are levied on the gross 

 weight of packages. 



All foreign merchandise is divided into nine classes, on which duties 

 are collected as follows : 



The above duties are collected by the "aduana maritima"; the im- 

 porter has to pay, besides, 12J per cent, of the amount thereof to the 

 " aduana terrestre." 



The duties are payable in cash; but the importer may obtain six 

 months 7 credit by furnishing his bond, with two sureties, approved by 

 tbe administrator of the custom house. In that case he pays 1 per 

 cent, interest on the amount of his bond for each month of credit. 



CONCLUSION. 



From the testimony of all the importers with whom I have con- 

 versed (none of whom are Americans, but nearly all Germans) two 

 facts may be considered as established : 



(1) That American cotton textiles are superior in every respect to the 

 fabrics which are introduced into this consular district from Europe, 

 chiefly from England and Germany. 



(2) That the present tariff of Venezuela on gross weight 'discrimi- 

 nates against American textiles, which, on account of their superior 

 quality, are much heavier than the English and German goods. 



Under these circumstances, our manufacturers find themselves under 

 the necessity of choosing between the two following courses : 



(1) To change their methods, and make the same class of inferior 

 goods as are imported from Germany and England ; or 



(2) Discarding immediate profit, and looking to future and lasting 

 results, persevere in their honorable course in the full confidence that 

 honesty is the- best policy and will win in the long run. 



CHARLES DE BLANC, 



Consul. 

 UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Puerto Cabcllo, August 14, 1889. 



