Whenever any seizure shall be made, unless in the possession or in the presence of the offender, master, or owner as forfeited under the Customs Acts or under any Act by which Customs officers are empowered to make seizures, the seizing officer shall give notice in writing of such seizure and of the grounds thereof to the master or owner of the things seized, if known, either by delivering the same to him personally or by letter addressed to him and transmitted by post to or delivered at his last known place of abode or business, if known; and all seizures made under the Customs Acts or under any Act by which Customs officers are empowered to make seizures shall be deemed and taken to be condemned, and may be sold or otherwise disposed of in such manner as the Commissioners of Customs may direct, unless the person from whom such seizure shall have been made, or the master or owner thereof, or some person authorized by him, shall, within one calendar month from the date of seizure, give notice in writing, if in London, to the person seizing the same, or to the secretary or solicitor for the Customs, and if elsewhere, to the person seizing the same, or to the collector or other chief officer of the Customs at the nearest port, that he claims the things so seized or intends to claim them, whereupon proceedings shall be taken for the forfeiture and condemnation thereof either by information filed in the Exchequer Division of the High Court of Justice in England on the Revenue side, or exhibited before any justice of the peace; but if any things so seized shall be of a perishable nature, or consist of horses or other animals, the same may by direction of the Commissioners of Customs be sold, and the proceeds thereof retained to abide the result of any claim that may legally be made in respect thereof.