For a full enumeration of the various articles and classes of articles included under each of the classes of the above table for 1886 and prior years, see Appendix No. 13.

IMPORTS ENTERED FOR

CONSUMPTION AND DUTIES COLLECTED
THEREON.a

The following table shows the value of imported merchandise entered for consumption, including entries for immediate consumption and withdrawals from warehouse for consumption, and the duties collected thereon during the fiscal years 1884, 1885, and 1886:

a Imports for consumption embrace imported articles entered for immediate consumption and imported articles withdrawn from warehouse for consumption. General imports embrace imported articles entered at the custom-houses for immediate consumption and imported articles entered for ware. house. The general imports and the imports entered for consumption for any period will always differ to the extent that the value of entries for warehouse for the period differs from the value of withdrawals from warehouse for consumption. The term "entry for consumption " is the technical name of the entry of imports made at the custom-house, and does not imply that the goods are actually consumed, but simply that they have been delivered into the custody of the importer and that the duties have been paid on the dutiable portion. Portions of these goods may be subsequently exported. b Principally duty equivalent to internal-revenue tax, payable when returned from abroad.

Subdividing the imports entered for consumption, during the last fiseal year, into manufactured, and unmanufactured (including in the latter those the values of which have been enhanced very slightly by processes of manufacture), it is found that the value of manufactured imports entered for consumption was $377,012,616, and the value of unmanufactured imports entered for consumption was $249,296,168. Of the unmanufactured merchandise the value of free goods was $173,732,549, and of dutiable goods, $75,563,620. On the dutiable unmanufactured goods the duty collected amounts to $23,494,166, or an average ad valorem rate of 31 per cent.

The largest items of imports under the head of unmanufactured on which duty was collected, were, in the order of magnitude, un manufact

ured wool, leaf tobacco, fruits; unmanufactured flax, hemp, jute and other vegetable substances, and rice.

During the last fiscal year the value of dutiable imported merchandise entered for consumption amounted to $413,778,055, on which the duty collected was $188,533,171. Of this amount of duty collected, $114,040,846, or 60.5 per cent., was collected under specific rates of duty, and $74,492,325, or 39.5 per cent., under ad valorem rates of duty. During the year ending June 30, 1883, of the duties collected on dutiable imported merchandise, 56 per cent. was collected under specific rates of duty and 44 per cent. under ad valorem rates of duty.

Of the entire amount of duties collected from imported merchandise during the last fiscal year, 80 per cent. was collected from the following classes of articles:

Sugar, confectionery, and molasses..
Wool, raw

Wool, manufactures of

Iron and steel, and manufactures of...

Flax, hemp and jute, &c., manufactures of

Silk, manufactures of..

Cotton, manufactures of....

Tobacco, and manufactures of

Liquors, spirituous and malt, and wines

Chemicals, drugs, dyes, and medicines..

Per cent.

27.337

2.759

14.401

7.725

3.910

7.358

6.205

4.388

3.798

2.295

80.176

Imports, and duties collected thereon from 1791 to 1886.

Prior to the year 1867 no separate account was kept of the quantity and value of each kind of imported commodities entered for consumption, with the respective amounts of duty collected thereon. The following table is therefore divided into two parts, the first of which shows for the years 1791 to 1866, inclusive, the value of the net imports of merchandise into the United States, the amount of duty collected thereon, and the annual average ad valorem rates of duty collected on dutiable goods imported; and the second of which shows for the years 1867 to 1886, inclusive, the value of merchandise entered for consump tion free of duty and dutiable, the amount of duty collected, and the average ad valorem rates of duty collected on dutiable goods entered

a Net imports are the general imports less the foreign exports.

b From 1791 to 1820 the values of free and of dutiable goods cannot be separately shown; therefore during these years the average ad valorem rate has been computed on the aggregate net value of free and dutiable imports; after that date on the dutiable only.