No. 184.
Sir
Edward Thornton to Mr. Fish.
Sir: The attention of Her Majesty’s government has recently been called to the fact that, in consequence of existing treaty stipulations between the United States and certain European powers, lines of steamers carrying the flag of those powers and plying between the ports of the respective countries have been relieved from the payment of tonnage dues in the ports of the United States, and therefore enjoy an advantage over British steamers engaged in the same way.
Her Majesty’s government understands that in the United States all charges in respect of anchorage, buoys, and light-houses fall upon the national revenue and are not paid by shipping to which any treaty exemptions would apply; while tonnage-dues are levied upon shipping, and their proceeds are like the proceeds of any other general tax carried to the general receipts of the government.
Her Majesty’s government is further informed that this tax is levied at the rate of so much per ton per annum on British vessels entering American ports, and that upon the British Atlantic lines it falls with great severity, amounting to a large sum in the year.
It seems that the National Steamship Company, which owns a fleet of twelve steamers, paid £2,728 14s. in respect of this tax during the past year, and that some companies have paid more and some less than that amount.
Having regard to the above statements and to the fact that although in Great Britain light and other dues are levied upon ships, and goods carried in ships in respect of benefits conferred, no dues of the description of tonnage-dues, i. e., dues without a corresponding service, are levied. Lord Granville has instructed me to solicit your attention to the case, and to express the hope of Her Majesty’s government that the Government of the United States may think it right to grant to British shipping interests a treatment not inferior to that now accorded to certain foreign ship-owners under the treaty engagements of their respective countries.
I have, &c.,