Washington State Liquor Control Board v. United States

26 Cust. Ct. 193, 1951 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 33
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in Washington State Liquor Control Board v. United States. Read the opinion of the Court — 20 Cust. Ct. 173
United States Customs Court·Decided April 24, 1951·No. C. D. 1323·Published

Opinions

Oliver, Chief Judge:

The merchandise in this suit consists of certain glass containers, some broken and empty, others filled with [194]*194wine, which were imported at the port of El Paso, Tex., and thence transported under bond to Seattle where final entry was made. Upon arrival at Seattle, the inspector’s report of discharge at destination discloses that 420 containers were broken, and 196 were “short, contents missing.” Duty was assessed on the full containers at the rate of 20 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 218 (f), Tariff Act of 1930, by virtue of paragraph 810 of the same act, as “all articles of every description not specially provided for, composed wholly or in chief value of glass, * * * whether filled or unfilled, or whether their contents be dutiable or free.” Duty was assessed on the broken and missing containers at the rate of 60 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 218 (f), Tariff Act of 1930, as glass articles not specially provided for “that did not contain liquor at the time they came into the United States” (it. 14-15).

The importer claims the glass containers, herein imported filled, are dutiable as “bottles” at only 1/6 cent per pound under the joint application of paragraph 217 and paragraph 810 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the trade agreement with Mexico, T. D. 50797. It further claims that the broken or empty containers are not dutiable but free of duty as of no commercial value as a nonimportation, or dutiable under paragraph 1555, Tariff Act of 1930, as “waste.”

The pertinent provisions of the tariff act, so far as applicable, are:

Pab. 217. Bottles, vials, jars, ampoules, and covered or uncovered demijohns, and carboys, any of the foregoing, wholly or in chief value of glass, filled * * *, not specially provided for, and whether their contents be dutiable or free * * *, shall be subject to duty as follows: If holding more than one pint, 1 cent per pound; * * *: Provided, That the terms “bottles,” “vials,” “jars,” “ampoules,” “demijohns,” and “carboys,” as used herein, shall be restricted to such articles when suitable for use and of the character ordinarily employed for the holding or transportation of merchandise, and not as appliances or implements in chemical or other operations, and shall not include bottles for table service and thermostatic bottles.
[By the trade agreement with Mexico, T. D. 50797, the above-quoted rate] of 1 cent per pound was reduced to % cent, when such containers were unfilled.
Pab. 218 (f) * * * and all articles of every description not specially provided for, composed wholly or in chief value of glass, blown or partly blown in the mold or otherwise, * * * whether filled or unfilled, or whether their contents be dutiable or free, 60 per centum ad valorem.
Pab. 810. When any article provided for in this schedule is imported in bottles or jugs, duty shall be collected upon the bottles or jugs at one-third the rate provided on the bottles or jugs if imported empty or separately.

No testimony was introduced in this case tending to establish that the containers here in question are bottles rather than jugs and thus dutiable under paragraph 217 of the tariff act. Further, no attempt was made to establish that the commercial meaning of the term “bottles” was different from the common meaning thereof. The only evidence relating to the classification of the containers was plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 1, which counsel for both sides agreed was a sample [195]*195of the glass containers in question. It is a hollow vessel of glass, having a flat bottom, with a narrow neck or mouth and a handle. The container is slightly over 12 inches in height, about 20 % inches in circumference, and the neck is about 2}{ inches long, attached to which is the circular handle which is about 1}{ inches in height, permitting the insertion of a finger for carrying or holding. Its capacity is indicated as 1 gallon.

Counsel for the plaintiff in its brief quotes many definitions of various lexicographers, together with definitions found in the Code of Federal Regulations and the Regulations of the Federal Alcohol Administration as to the meaning of the term “bottle,” and contends that these definitions show that the 1-gallon containers here in question are “bottles” according to the common meaning. Particular reference is made to the definition of “bottle” as found in Webster’s New International Dictionary, Second Edition, 1948, at page 315, as follows:

bottle * * * 1. A hollow vessel of glass, earthenware, or the like, usually with a comparatively narrow neck or mouth, and without handles. * * * Bottle is now so loosely used that its limit of application is not well defined; it is generally distinguished from such vessels as the jug and demijohn.

It is contended that the expression “usually * * * without handles,” contained in the above-quoted definition indicates that bottles sometimes have handles, and that other definitions quoted in the brief fail to suggest that the presence or absence of handles affects the status of a receptacle as a “bottle.” We do not, however, construe the above-quoted definition and the others referred to in that light. The definition of a bottle in Webster’s dictionary, supra, does not state “usually without handles” but is there described as “A hollow vessel of glass, * * * and without handles” and we are of opinion that the word “usually” refers only to “a comparatively narrow neck or mouth.”

Webster’s New International Dictionary, 1948 edition, page 1344, defines a “jug” as follows:

jUg * * * 2. A pitcher or ewer; specif., U. S., a deep, large vessel of earthenware, with a narrow mouth and a handle * * *.

The New Century Dictionary, 1946 edition, p. 884:

jug * * * a vessel in various, forms for holding liquids, commonly having a handle, often a spout or lip, and sometimes a lid; a pitcher; also, a deep vessel, usually of earthenware, with a handle and a narrow neck stopped by a cork.

Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary, 1942 edition, page 315, defines “bottle” as follows:

bottle * * * 1. A vessel for holding, carrying, and pouring liquids, having a neck and a narrow mouth that can be stopped. Specif.: (1) a glass or earthenware vessel, usually with a flat bottom to stand on, a long neck, and a mouth stopped with a cork * * *. (3) Any of the various receptacles serving as a bottle.

The New Century Dictionary, 1946 edition, page 158:

bottle * * * A vessel, now commonly of glass, with a neck or mouth that may be closed with a stopper, for holding liquids * * *.

[196]*196Congress, in paragraph 810 of the Tariff Act of 1930, has provided that either bottles or jugs should be assessed at only one-third the rate when imported as containers of the beverages provided for under schedule 8 of the act. The plaintiff’s claim that the glass containers here in question are bottles and as such dutiable under paragraph 217 of the tariff act is overruled.

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Washington State Liquor Control Board v. United States, 26 Cust. Ct. 193, 1951 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 33 (cusc 1951).

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