NRA-L-000460 / 1851
Letter from John A. F. Rachau to Otard Dupuy & Co concerning customs fraud, a brandy order and cargo losses, 1851-07-29
John A. F. Rachau discusses new customs controls and frauds on the revenue, places a brandy order for Drews & Rogers, and reports cargo losses, settlement difficulties and complaints about low profit on Otard brandies.
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NRA-L-000460
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Messrs Otard Dupuy & Co
Cognac
France
via Paris
Address panel
Readable English text
Messrs Otard Dupuy & Co
Cognac
France
via Paris
Documentary page 2
Original transcript
Messrs Otard, Dupuy & Co
Cognac
New York 29 July 1851
Dear Sirs,
I beg your reference
to my last respects, on the 22d Inst. Canada, since which
I have been favored with your letter of the 11th Inst.
Enclosed please receive a first of Exchange for
29th f15,000, I Hy Bardin draft at 10 days sight on
Messrs Pilletier, Main & Co
which I beg you will place to my Credit on Genl Account
& oblige, and debit me against this with f5000 received
on your account from Mr E. Passalery, to be paid 22 Oct.
I have taken note of the additional amount on which the
letter is to get its allowance. It may be very well in his
opinion that it is perfectly right to save some $1000 on the
duty, but it certainly is cruel for other importers who
have no variety of stock to avail of such advantages. This
is the way the Treasury works, and no sufficient proof of it can
be had by those who try. Another Circular has been
issued by the Secretary of the Treasury with the view of
making Entries of goods on foreign Account more stringent.
It has particularly reference to Consular Certificates,
I get no other way to get the actual market value of
goods when shipped. It is not probable that these addi-
tional regulations will effect a cure, for they are sure to
be evaded, but it shows that the Government is aware of
the great frauds daily committed on the Revenue, and is
Documentary page 2
Readable English text
Messrs Otard, Dupuy & Co
Cognac
New York 29 July 1851
Dear Sirs,
I beg your reference
to my last respects, on the 22d Inst. Canada, since which
I have been favored with your letter of the 11th Inst.
Enclosed please receive a first of Exchange for
29th f15,000, I Hy Bardin draft at 10 days sight on
Messrs Pilletier, Main & Co
which I beg you will place to my Credit on Genl Account
& oblige, and debit me against this with f5000 received
on your account from Mr E. Passalery, to be paid 22 Oct.
I have taken note of the additional amount on which the
letter is to get its allowance. It may be very well in his
opinion that it is perfectly right to save some $1000 on the
duty, but it certainly is cruel for other importers who
have no variety of stock to avail of such advantages. This
is the way the Treasury works, and no sufficient proof of it can
be had by those who try. Another Circular has been
issued by the Secretary of the Treasury with the view of
making Entries of goods on foreign Account more stringent.
It has particularly reference to Consular Certificates,
I get no other way to get the actual market value of
goods when shipped. It is not probable that these addi-
tional regulations will effect a cure, for they are sure to
be evaded, but it shows that the Government is aware of
the great frauds daily committed on the Revenue, and is
Documentary page 3
Original transcript
endeavouring to check them.
Please ship for Messrs Drews & Rogers, New York
B&B 5 half Pips 1850 dark Tenders color, 4 p c of
S. No. 35 5 " " 1849 dark Ditto "
and 5 " " 1848 dark Ditto "
& their address, all without Vintage marks.
You are likely to receive an order from Messrs J. Baker
& Co of Boston. They are reported very respectable.
I have no particulars from Messrs Figueira & Co about the
reported Leakage of Florian, but hear that Capt Barclay
says partial Ullage is some 15 Casks of various sizes.
I am afraid it was caused by the W. Buchen, which
was listed to him was a bad stowage. Messrs Figueira & Co
have withheld the freight, but this cannot be carried out,
and in case of a lawsuit they are bound to pay it, having
however the right to bring a suit for damages against the vessel
and owners. Our portwardens having reported, as usual,
"the Cargo to be well stowed" I do not see how the pol-
icy can be made liable for Leakage caused by the weight of
that part of the Cargo placed on the top of the Figueira's being
all Brandy, the latter was in every respect well loaded.
I do not know yet what part of the Leakage falls on
your Brandy, but as the Figueira had a considerable
quantity of Rochelle and Bordeaux, it is reasonable
to expect that the latter bore most of the proportion.
I shall probably go to Philadelphia tomorrow and
endeavour to arrange this the best I can otherwise it
will be difficult to get a satisfactory settlement of the
Documentary page 3
Readable English text
endeavouring to check them.
Please ship for Messrs Drews & Rogers, New York
B&B 5 half Pips 1850 dark Tenders color, 4 p c of
S. No. 35 5 " " 1849 dark Ditto "
and 5 " " 1848 dark Ditto "
& their address, all without Vintage marks.
You are likely to receive an order from Messrs J. Baker
& Co of Boston. They are reported very respectable.
I have no particulars from Messrs Figueira & Co about the
reported Leakage of Florian, but hear that Capt Barclay
says partial Ullage is some 15 Casks of various sizes.
I am afraid it was caused by the W. Buchen, which
was listed to him was a bad stowage. Messrs Figueira & Co
have withheld the freight, but this cannot be carried out,
and in case of a lawsuit they are bound to pay it, having
however the right to bring a suit for damages against the vessel
and owners. Our portwardens having reported, as usual,
"the Cargo to be well stowed" I do not see how the pol-
icy can be made liable for Leakage caused by the weight of
that part of the Cargo placed on the top of the Figueira's being
all Brandy, the latter was in every respect well loaded.
I do not know yet what part of the Leakage falls on
your Brandy, but as the Figueira had a considerable
quantity of Rochelle and Bordeaux, it is reasonable
to expect that the latter bore most of the proportion.
I shall probably go to Philadelphia tomorrow and
endeavour to arrange this the best I can otherwise it
will be difficult to get a satisfactory settlement of the
Documentary page 4
Original transcript
losses for Mr Figueira
Our friends continue to complain that no profits can be
made on the sales of your Brandies, my attempt of obtaining
an advance in prices proving abortive. This is, undoubtedly,
the natural consequence of other parties being to cut their
Brandies through reduced prices. The great difficulty
we have to encounter is that few of our friends will run
the risk of an expense in paying any duty under what
they really pay for Brandies, and the few transactions are
accomodated without drawing the worst consequences in
themselves. An average price would be fair to succeed,
and unfortunately does succeed with Consignments, but
to expect our Customers to pay some 10 pc above the price
of Brands, when on their own account, to be current,
is more than can be done.
I see no immediate and satisfactory solution to
this question, and am afraid we must rest our hopes
that the next Congress will take some steps to solve it
for us, should the actual Congress continue so many
conflicting interests, as regards protection and free trade,
as is likely to be.
I should be glad to have your opinion of what Cognac
is likely to do.
Without further to add I remain with esteem
Dear Sirs
Yours faithfully
John A. F. Rachau
Notes
Editorial notes: The terminal signature is John A. F. Rachau; the documented and authority forms were checked against earlier correspondence.
Documentary page 4
Readable English text
losses for Mr Figueira
Our friends continue to complain that no profits can be
made on the sales of your Brandies, my attempt of obtaining
an advance in prices proving abortive. This is, undoubtedly,
the natural consequence of other parties being to cut their
Brandies through reduced prices. The great difficulty
we have to encounter is that few of our friends will run
the risk of an expense in paying any duty under what
they really pay for Brandies, and the few transactions are
accomodated without drawing the worst consequences in
themselves. An average price would be fair to succeed,
and unfortunately does succeed with Consignments, but
to expect our Customers to pay some 10 pc above the price
of Brands, when on their own account, to be current,
is more than can be done.
I see no immediate and satisfactory solution to
this question, and am afraid we must rest our hopes
that the next Congress will take some steps to solve it
for us, should the actual Congress continue so many
conflicting interests, as regards protection and free trade,
as is likely to be.
I should be glad to have your opinion of what Cognac
is likely to do.
Without further to add I remain with esteem
Dear Sirs
Yours faithfully
John A. F. Rachau
Notes
Editorial notes: The terminal signature is John A. F. Rachau; the documented and authority forms were checked against earlier correspondence.
Discovery Terms
- Cognac trade
- Commercial correspondence
- Customs fraud
- Revenue enforcement
- Brandy orders
- Cargo losses
- Commercial settlement
- Drews & Rogers
- New York
- Otard Dupuy & Co
- John A. F. Rachau
- United States