COW, cocoa, and chicory.—First samples may be drawn for the merchant either before or after weighing, not exceeding, in the case of coffee, the fol lowing scale : For piles of casks or tierces not exceeding 5 packages, 2 lbs. per package ; not exceeding 40 packages, li lbs. per package; exceeding 40 packages, 1 lb. per package. For piles of cases or barrels not exceeding 10 packages, 1 lb. per package ; exceeding 10 packages, 12 oz. per pa.ckage. For piles of bags not exceeding 150 bags, 8 oz. per bag ; not exceeding 300 bags, 6 oz. per bag ; exceeding 300 bags, 4 oz. per bag. The weight of sample of cocoa or chicory may be at the merchant's discretion. Second and subsequent samples may be taken for the merchant from the goods in warehouse after the account has been taken for the Crown, and in the event of the goods being exported no claim for duty is made in respect of such samples. The surveyor or supervisor exercises a supervision which checks the undue grant of samples. No more coffee should be drawn as samples than is authorised and requested by the owners.
Dried fruit.—First samples are drawn for the merchant under the like regulations as to coffee. They may be drawn at the place of landing, on written notice being given to the surveyor. Second and subsequent samples may also be drawn for the merchant. In the case of raisins, figs, &c., im ported in packages containing internal boxes—an entire box, the weight of which is recorded in the landing account, being usually taken as a sample— no sampling order is required, the duty being claimed on any boxes not produced at the time of closing the account or at stocktaking.
Museums.—The typical sample museum is that known as the Philadelphia Commercial Museum. This remarkable institution, maintained by the city of Philadelphia and by private subscriptions from business firms, though devoted to the general extension of international commerce, has as its primary object the promotion of the foreign trade of America. There exist similar institutions in some few other countries, their value being in proportion to the commercial genius of the respective nations. Of these the museums at Vienna and Brussels may be particularly mentioned. London, too, has now established one. But the museum in Philadelphia undoubtedly stands first, having even a more extensive reputation in foreign countries than at home. To the British reader, however, its title is not sufficiently suggestive, for the word museum is here too intimately associated with the idea of a mere repository for material exhibits. The Com mercial Museum is something more than this. It is not only a museum in the restricted sense of the term, but also a bureau of information ; and the museum department is essentially subsidiary to the other—the collections therein being used to illustrate and extend the information that the institution supplies. In carrying on its work the museum has the support of an Advisory Board, com prising representatives of the leading Chambers of Commerce, and similar organisations in the United States as well as in foreign countries. It has also the benefit of the advice of an honorary diplomatic board, comprising the ministers of many of the foreign countries accredited to the United States. It is in constant communication with over 20,000 foreign correspondents, and in incidental communication with over 65,000, through whom it keeps in touch with every possible phase of international commerce. In the museum are extensive and
systematically arranged collections of trade samples representative of both manufactured articles and raw produces. The consuming capacity of any given country can be seen from the samples of the goods that are most saleable there, the samples being actually selected from the market by experts. Textiles, hardware, clothing, household goods, cutlery, provisions—everything that is imported—are represented in these collections ; and with each sample is found full information as to place of manufacture, price, terms of sale, distribution, &c. The museum having thus exhibited consuming capacity, it proceeds to deal with producing capacity by means of collections of natural products so arranged as to show at a glance what is produced by any given country, and what that country has to offer by way of a return trade. These collections are made practically useful by scientific laboratories in which complete tests are inade;, with special reference to the industrial value of any given product. And the advantages of the institution in this connection are practically thrown open to all the world, for merchants in any country are at liberty to send samples of exportable products in order to obtain a report on their usefulness for the American market. It is therefore no fault of the American commercial world if foreign manufacturers and merchants refrain from an endeavour to sell goods there because of a lack of knowledge of American needs. A producer or exporter abroad, an importer, retailer or selling-agent in some far-off land—all these can apply, equally with a manufacturer or merchant in the United States, for the impartial advice of this institution, even though to give that advice it is necessary that investigations are pursued in the very ends of the earth. As a bureau of information it collects and disseminates all facts of practical value to men of business. In connection with all foreign countries, it reports not only on the general standing and changes of condition of business firms and on trade conditions and developments generally, but also on the disposition and fitness of firms to handle particular agencies and business, and on new developments offering profit to idle capital.
International Commercial Congress.—In l 899 the museum arranged for an International Commercial Congress. This was held in that year at Philadelphia, upon an invitation, transmitted by the Government of the United States to various foreign governments, for an exchange of information and opinions with the view to the promotion of international trade. This invitation met with general and cordial acceptance, and the Congress proved to be of great practical importance from the fact that it developed a general recognition of the inter dependence of nations in trade and a most gratifying spirit of accommodation with reference to the gradual removal of existing impediments in reciprocal relations without injury to the industrial interests of' either party. Great Britain was represented by, amongst others a delegate from the goverinnent and delegates from the London Chamber of Commerce. The " Proceedings " of the Congress have since been published, forming a valuable repertory of commercial knowledge.