United States v. General Electric Co.

4 Ct. Cust. 287, 1913 CCPA LEXIS 95
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedMay 26, 1913
DocketNos. 1062 and 1097; Nos. 1077 and 1085
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 4 Ct. Cust. 287 (United States v. General Electric Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Customs and Patent Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. General Electric Co., 4 Ct. Cust. 287, 1913 CCPA LEXIS 95 (ccpa 1913).

Opinion

Montgomery, Presiding Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court: Involved in these two cases are cross appeals relating to the same classes of importations. In one case a question of procedure of some importance is raised. The Government in its appeal contends that no appeal lies under subsection 14 to a classification board for a revision of a decision of the collector as to the rate or amount of duty chargeable upon merchandise imported, under conventions with foreign countries, through the parcel post.

The language of the section is—

That the decision of the collector as to the rate and amount of duties * * * shall be final and conclusive against all persons interested therein, unless the owner, importer, consignee, or agent of such merchandise, * * * shall, within fifteen days after but not before such ascertainment and liquidation of duties, as well in cases of merchandise entered in bond as for consumption, or within fifteen days after the payment of such fees, charges, and exactions, if dissatisfied with such decision, give notice in writing to the collector, setting forth therein distinctly and specifically, and in respect to each entry or payment, the reasons for his objections thereto, and if the merchandise is entered for consumption shall pay the full amount of duties and charges ascertained thereon. Upon such notice and payment the collector shall transmit the invoice and all the papers and exhibits connected therewith to the board of nine general appraisers. * * *

The argument is made that unless there is a formal entry with an invoice, it is not intended by this section to authorize an appeal.

We think all the provisions of law should be read together, the convention with the foreign nation and the Treasury regulations, [288]*288which provide for a substitute entry through the post office, and which authorize the requirement of a formal entry whenever deemed necessary for proper administration. (See articles 818 and 815 of the Customs Regulations of 1908.)

The convention with Great Britain provides in article 7 (33 Stat. L., pt. 2, 230) that the merchandise imported under its provisions shall be subject to all customs duties or customs regulations enforced in this country, and shall be delivered to the addressee upon his payment of the duties properly chargeable thereon. The question is presented, therefore, whether with this grant of a supposed privilege the purpose was to attach thereto the condition of a waiver of a substantial right of appeal, or whether, on the other hand, the Government intended to waive the necesssity of a formal entry. We think the latter is the more reasonable construction of these regulations. The rights of the Government are fully protected by the provision that a formal entry may be required whenever deemed necessary. On the other hand, the rights of the importer would not be fully protected if an erroneous classification should be given and no remedy afforded.

The board, in the case here under consideration, held that the appeal should be allowed, following the case In re Fabien & Co., G. A. 6132 (T. D. 26664), in which an appeal from the action of the collector was sustained.

The Government relies upon the case In re Chichester (48 Fed., 281), in which case certain goods were seized by the Federal authorities and no entry was made. In that case the goods were seized by the collector of customs. It was charged that the importer intended to make and did make a false and fraudulent entry of the goods under a certain false invoice. Afterwards payment was made of the duties assessed by direction of the court and a protest was filed. The court held that the court having jurisdiction of the case, the Board of General Appraisers could not take jurisdiction of an appeal for reclassification, and stated in the opinion also that—

The appraisement provided for presupposes an entry and invoice, and the assignment of the dutiable charges is based upon and presupposes an entry, invoice, and appraisal.

This in such a case where no provision, is made for a waiver by the Government is undoubtedly correct, and it would appear from the charge in the indictment that they were present in that case, so that whatever is said upon that subject in support of the view here contended for by the Government would appear to be dicta.

Following this the case G. A. 6468 (T. D. 27680) held that where the importer or consignee declines to make entry of imported goods and goods are accordingly placed in general order where they remain for more than a year and are afterwards sold, the importer has not the right to appeal under subsection 14. This was a case likewise in which the law provides for no waiver or substitutes for a regular entry.

[289]*289The case T. D. 28814 was a case of reappraisoment and presented a somewhat different question.

Our conclusion is that the purpose and intent of these regulations were to waive the formal entry except when required, and that no legal right which the importer had of appeal to the classification board was withdrawn by such waiver.

As to seven of the entries under the one protest, the report of the collector indicates that the 15 days after the ascertainment of duties by the collector had elapsed before the protest was filed. The board correctly held that the 15 days began to run from the date of ascertainment and liquidation of the duty and not from the date of its payment.

The articles in question are small pieces of Ceylon sapphire in the form of rough slabs, finished V or cup jewels, and are used as bearings for electrical meters or other delicate measuring instruments. The articles were assessed for duty at 50 per cent ad valorem under the provisions of paragraph 112 of the act of 1909:

* * * All articles composed wholly or in chief value of agate, rock crystal, or other semiprecious stones except such as are cut into shapes and forms fitting them expressly for use in the construction of jewelry. * * *

The evidence shows that the stones in question are not semiprecious stones, but are known as precious stones. The articles were held dutiable at 20 per cent ad valorem as nonenumerated manufactured articles under paragraph 480.

The claim of the importers that the importation was dutiable at 10 per cent under paragraph 449 directly or by similitude as ‘ 'stones cut or not set suitable for use in the manufacture of jewelry” was overruled.

On this appeal the issue is narrowed. The Government, without formally waiving the claim that the collector made the correct assessment, contends that the alternative claim in the protests made by the importers, namely, that the articles were dutiable at 35 per cent ad valorem under paragraph 95 as articles of earthy or mineral substances should be sustained, the protests each making this as one of the claims. The importers insist that they should be classified as precious stones cut but not set, by similitude under the provisions of paragraph 149, or as clock jewels under paragraph 192, or, as held by the board, as nonenumerated manufactured articles.

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