Section 251
SEC. 251. Any collector of the customs is authorized, under such directions and regulations as may be prescribed by the Insular Collector, to sell, upon due notice, at public auction, any unclaimed merchandise deposited in public warehouse whenever the same may, from depreciation in value, damage, leakage, or other cause, in the opinion of such collector, he likely to prove insufficient on a sale thereof to pay the duties, storage, and other charges if suffered to remain in public store for the period allowed by law in the case of unclaimed merchandise.