five "entry clerks," two "bond clerks," the "foreign clearance
clerk" and his assistant, and by those whose duties bring them most
commonly in contact with the merchants, shippers, commanders of vessels,
etc., in the ordinary routine of the business of the port. The Collector
and the higher officials have handsome offices in other parts of the
building.

[Picture: THE CUSTOM HOUSE.]

There are about 1100 clerks attached to the Custom House, whose total
wages amount to about $3,000,000 per annum. The legal salary of the
Collector is $6000 per annum, but his fees and perquisites make up an
actual income of five or six times that amount. The Collectorship of
this port is the best paying office within the gift of the Government.
Colonel Thorpe thus sums up the duties of the various officers of the
port:

"The Collector shall receive all reports, manifests, and documents to be
made or exhibited on the entry of any ship or vessel; shall record, on
books to be kept for that purpose, all manifests; shall receive the
entries of all ships or vessels, and of the goods, wares, and merchandise
imported in them; shall estimate the amount of the duties payable
thereupon, indorsing said amount on the respective entries; shall receive
all moneys paid for duties, and take all bonds for securing the payment
thereof; shall, with the approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury,
employ proper personages--weighers, gaugers, measurers, and
inspectors--at the port within his district.

"The Naval Officer shall receive _copies_ of all manifests and entries;
shall estimate the duties on all goods, wares, and merchandise subject to
duty (and no duties shall be received without such estimate), and shall
keep a separate record thereof; and shall _countersign_ all permits,
clearances, certificates, debentures, and other documents granted by the
Collector. He shall also examine the Collector's abstract of duties, his
accounts, receipts, bonds, and expenditures, and, if found correct, shall
certify the same.

"The Surveyor shall superintend and direct all inspectors, weighers,
measurers, and gaugers; shall visit and inspect the ships and vessels;
shall return in writing every morning to the Collector the name and
nationality of all vessels which shall have arrived from foreign ports;
shall examine all goods, wares, and merchandise imported, to see that
they agree with the inspector's return; and shall see that all goods