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CLASSIFICATION OF WHALE MEAT An appeal was recently taken by certain im ¬ porters from a decision of a customs collector as to the proper classification of canned whale meat Duty had been imposed under the section of the tariff act referring to fish in tin packages on which the import duty is fifteen per cent The importers claimed that whale meat is not fish but should b Classed with meats of all kinds prepared or pre ¬ served which are entitled to free entry Both the government and the importers invoked the opinion of tho bureau and in March Dr R F Coker assist ¬ ant in charge of scientific inquiry appeared at tho hearing In New York bo fore the board of gen ¬ eral appraisers as the representative of the bureau Dr F A Lucas director of the American Museum of Natural History testified as an expert mam malogist Needless to say the testimony of both these witnesses was to the effect that a whale is ill no sense a fish
