INTRODUCTION. xlix 



late years they have also successfully dyed the Lynx, 

 AMiite Fox, and Racoon black; also a pecuHar grey 

 colour, called blue, and quite recently the snowflake dye. 



The Belgian dyers, besides the usual black and brown 

 dyes, prepare a good number of Rabbit-skins with a 

 cheap madder dye. 



The clever Chinaman is a very p^or dyer of furs. 



Customs' Tariff and Duty. 



The Customs' duties on fur-skins and manufactured 

 furs, after being in force for many years, were abolished 

 in 1845. 



The duties had been previously reduced in 1842. 



It was customary to allow a drawback on skins 

 imported on wdiich the duty had been previously paid. 



In some warehouses the goods destined for export 

 were sold in bond. 



If the Custom-house authorities were dissatisfied 

 with the declaration of value of any entry, it was a 

 general practice to take or seize the goods, and pay for 

 them with 10 per cent, profit, but mistakes were some- 

 times made by the ofiicers ; the goods seized were 

 subsequently sold at the Custom-house Eummage Sales, 

 and often at a loss. 



There are still some discrepancies in the way in 

 which merchandise is classed under the new tariff. 

 Slink Lamb-skins, according to the official rendering, 

 should be described as Sheep-skins, but this fact appears 

 to other officials to be an impossibility, when 3,000 are 

 imported in a bale. " Skins unenumerated being Furs " 

 is the proper classification. 



Again, Eider-down has to be classed under ornamental 



d 



