tions taken against the fraudulent landing of goods, take notice of the manner in which the duties of boarding inbound vessels by revenue cutters and patrolling districts by inspectors of customs are performed; make occasional comparisons between vessels' manifests and entries of goods, to see that cargoes are accounted for either by entry or sale as unclaimed; and, in connection with the postal authorities, examine into the subject of smuggling through the mails. With regard to possible fraud in warehousing of goods, they should inspect the warehouses to see if they are secure against secret removal of goods; verify the alleged contents of each warehouse as often as once a year; inform themselves as to habitual or gross cases of excessive sampling of goods; examine the method of removing goods to and from the warehouses, and inquire into all cases of alleged destruction of goods in warehouse by fire or other casualty. With reference to withdrawals of goods in bond, they should frequently compare the entries and landing certificates, and examine any other documents, or make other proper inquiries that may enable them to determine whether goods withdrawn from bond have or have not gone into consumption without payment of duties.

ART. 1754. In investigating the subject of transporting goods in bond, they should personally see what precautions are actually taken to keep goods from leaving the route at any point between the places of departure and destination, and detect any shortage or change of goods, or tampering of any kind with the packages. Particular attention should be given to the transportation of unappraised merchandise. In the inspection of the practical operation of the drawback system, they should compare the entries and landing certificates, and in the case of exporters, in habitual or large receipt of drawback, inquire into the sufficiency of their export bonds and the degree of vigilance exercised over their shipments by the debenture officers.

ART. 1755. Special agents will not interfere with the regular transaction of the customs business by the local officers, but are expected to coöperate with and supplement the labors and vigilance of such officers. Such frauds, abuses, irregularities, or other defects discovered by special agents as are capable of being dealt with by the local customs officers, or other agents, should be immediately brought to their notice, and their action upon them should be stated in the reports of special agents to

this Department; and all matters requiring the action or advice of the United States attorney should be reported in writing to that officer. Special agents are not permitted to give out for publication information relating to official business, and this rule will be strictly observed by all the agents and their subordinates.

ART. 1756. Each special agent will render to the Secretary of the Treasury on the last day of each month a report in detail of his operations and of the manner he has been employed from day to day during the month. He will likewise make special reports of all cases and investigations which require action by the Department. An official station will be assigned to each agent, at which he will be employed in the line of his duty when not traveling. Agents will confine their labors within the limits of the districts to which they are assigned, and will not go beyond such limits without permission from the Department, unless in case of emergency, when it would be impracticable to obtain permission. All the facts in such cases will be duly reported. The whole time of special agents during business hours will be devoted to the public service, and private employment interfering with the constant and faithful performance of official duties will not be allowed.

ART. 1757. The accounts of special agents must conform to the regulations relative to traveling expenses, and should be rendered monthly under oath, embracing per diem compensation and such expenses as are actually and necessarily incurred in the discharge of official duties, stating places visited, dates, and items of expenditures, with vouchers when practicable. The unnecessary use of the telegraph should be avoided, and no charge for telegrams will be allowed unless the necessity for such expenditure is shown. Stationery will be furnished by the Department upon requisition. Each special agent will hold a certificate of his appointment for his official use, to be surrendered to the Department at the close of his term of office for cancellation, prior to the settlement and payment of his final account.

§ 13. PRIVILEGES OF CUSTOMS OFFICERS.

ART. 1758. Customs officers of all grades are exempt R. S., 1629. from service in the enrolled and equipped militia and

upon juries.

ART. 1759. Leaves of absence may be obtained by col

9095-38

Act March 15, 1898; T. D. 19374, 19399.

lectors, naval officers, and surveyors, at times and for periods permitted by the public interests, upon application to the Secretary of the Treasury, and after the appointment of the special deputies according to law.

Any absence from duty of an employee on account of his or her personal sickness, or because some member of his or her immediate family is afflicted with a contagious disease, and requires the care and attendance of such employee, or where his or her presence in the office would jeopardize the health of fellow-employees, must be reported to the Secretary of the Treasury, with recommendation for allowance as an extension of annual leave (on account of sickness); otherwise such absence will be charged to annual leave. If any such absence exceeds three days, the report of the same must be accompanied by the certificate of the attending physician, if one was employed, and if one was not employed, by a specific statement of the reasons why one was not employed.

The maximum leave of absence (not on account of sickness) allowed employees in any one calendar year is thirty days, fourteen days of which may be granted by heads of customs on application made to them in writing; and the remaining sixteen days, or any part of it, by the Secretary of the Treasury upon application made in writing and -approved by heads of customs. All absence in excess of thirty days on account of annual leave must be without pay. All absence in excess of thirty days on account of sickness must be without pay or be charged to annual leave.

Leaves of absence for periods not exceeding. fourteen days in any one fiscal year may be obtained by subordinate officers and employés upon written application to heads of customs, and for longer periods than fourteen days upon application to the Secretary of the Treasury; but the several leaves of absence of any subordinate must not exceed thirty days in any one year, unless by special authority of the Secretary of the Treasury. When absence from duty for more than three days is caused by illness, a physician's certificate to that fact must be furnished by the absentee. Should such absences amount to more than thirty days in any one year, the pay of the absentee will be suspended during such excess over thirty days unless otherwise ordered by the Secretary of the Treasury, and the case must be reported to the Department with such recommendations from the head of the office as may seem to him proper.

§ 14. DISABILITIES OF CUSTOMS OFFICERS.

ART. 1760. Customs officers are not permitted to hold R. S.,1763, 2638. any other office of profit, or to be owners, in whole or in part, of any trading vessel, or to be agents, attorneys, or consignees of vessels or cargoes, or to be directly or indirectly concerned in the importation of goods for sale in the United States.

Officers and employés of the appraiser's department at New York are not permitted to engage in any commercial or mercantile business, either as principals or agents.

ART. 1761. Whenever customs officers are paid for a less period than one year they will not be permitted to receive more than a proportionate share of the annual pay or emoluments attached to their offices, nor to receive extra compensation of any character for any services unless the same be authorized by law, nor to receive compensation until they have taken the proper oaths of office and performed such other preliminary acts as are required by law.

ART. 1762. Subordinate officers are not permitted to receive pay until they have certified, on oath or affirmation in each case, that the services charged have been performed; that the full sum claimed is for the use and benefit of the officer himself; that no part has in fact or intent been assigned or appropriated to the use of any other persons, and that there has not been any gift or payment, directly or indirectly, as reward, compensation, or consideration, for the employment or emoluments enjoyed by the officer; that during the period for which he is to receive pay neither he, nor any member of his family, has received, either personally or by the intervention of another party, any money or compensation of any description whatever, nor any promises for the same, either directly or indirectly, for services rendered or to be rendered, or acts performed or to be performed, in connection with the customs; or has purchased, for like services or acts, from any importer, consignee, agent, or custom-house broker, or other person whomsoever, any merchandise at less than regular retail market prices therefor.

R. S., 2941.

R. S., 1764, 1790, 2687, 2693.

ART. 1763. Customs officers are not permitted to reside R.S., outside their respective ports or districts, or to perform their duties by substitutes, except as provided in special cases by law, or to be absent from their posts of duty without proper authority.

2517-2606.

16074,16793,21158,

21462.

R. S., 5452; T. ART. 1764. Subordinate officers of customs are not perD., 2737, 3316, 4749, 5287 12498, mitted, on their own authority, to give other than necessary information relative to the public business, except to persons entitled to demand it; nor to grant inspection or copies of public records and documents, or information obtained therefrom, to others than official persons entitled to the privilege; nor to act as agents in any transactions connected with customs; nor to receive any reward or gratuity or loan from persons having business with the custom-houses or customs officers; nor to charge nor receive fees or compensation, whether as notaries or in any other capacity, for services in any matter connected with the customs; nor to lend money to their fellowofficers at usurious rates; nor to perform any act definable as misdemeanor or capable of bringing discredit upon the service.

ART. 1765. No executive, judicial, military, or naval officer of the United States, and no clerk or employé of any department, branch, or bureau of the executive, judicial, or military or naval service of the United States, shall, directly or indirectly, solicit or receive, or be in any manner concerned in soliciting or receiving, any assessment, subscription, or contribution for any political purpose whatever, from any officer, clerk, or employé of the United States, or any department, branch, or bureau thereof, or from any person receiving any salary or compensation from moneys derived from the Treasury of the United States.

No person shall, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by any officer or employé of the United States mentioned in the civil-service act, or in any navy-yard, fort, or arsenal, solicit in any manner whatever, or receive, any contribution of money or any other thing of value for any political purpose whatever.

ART. 1766. No officer or employé of the United States mentioned in the civil-service act shall discharge or promote, or degrade, or in any manner change the official rank or compensation of any other officer or employé, or promise or threaten so to do, for giving or withholding or neglecting to make any contribution of money or other valuable thing for any political purpose.

ART. 1767. No officer, clerk, or other person in the service of the United States shall, directly or indirectly, give or hand over to any other officer, clerk, or person in the service of the United States, or to any Senator or Member of the House of Representatives, or Territorial Delegate,