Mr. Hunter to Mr.
Bigelow
No. 212.]
Department of State, Washington,
July 28, 1865.
Sir: I enclose a copy of a letter of the 25th
instant, from Mr. Alexander Henschel, of New York, relative to the duty
levied by the French government on hops exported from American ports,
which he states is higher than that levied on the article when exported
from the ports of other countries. As this impost prevents American
exporters from competing with those of other countries, it will
discourage the exportation from this country of an article favorably
received in the markets of France; and as the present tax is not
conceived to be a benefit to his Majesty’s revenue, or to the dealers in
the commodity, either in France or in the United States, I will thank
you to make such a representation of the matter to his Majesty’s
government as, in your opinion, will best convince it of the advantages
to be derived from a modification of the present prohibitory impost.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
W. HUNTER, Acting
Secretary.
John Bigelow, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
[Page 333]
Mr. Henschel to Mr. Seward
No. 28 South William
Street, New York,
July 25, 1865.
Sir: I beg leave to call the attention of
the department to a recent reduction in the impost duty on hops
imported into France from German ports to 24 francs p. 100 kilo.,
(only about two-thirds of the former rate,) to the prejudice of
American hops, which still continue to pay, when imported direct
from here into French ports, a duty of 54 francs p. 100 kilo.
My attention has been directed to this great disproportion by one of
the hop houses in France, accompanied by the remark that this is the
only drawback to prevent American hops from coming more and more
into favor in France. As this article, which I have been exporting
for a series of years to various countries, is only in its infancy,
both as regards cultivation here as well as introduction abroad, I
feel it my duty to bring the subject under the notice of the
department.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
P. S.—I find, subsequently, that American hops are the only ones
of all foreign hops imported into France which pay such high
duty.
