[Inclosure in No. 234.]
Mr. Boker to Mr.
de Giers.
Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg, November 19,
1877.
Excellency: About the time of its date I
received from certain American merchants a memorial, a copy of which I
inclose, calling my attention to certain articles in the tariff of
Russia which practically seemed to discriminate in favor of the
manufactures of contiguous states whose goods were exported to Russia by
land as compared with those of other states, which, by reason of their
geographical position, are obliged to export their goods to this country
by sea. The United States of America belong to the latter category, and
from their remoteness from Russia, and the necessity which they are
under of using sea transportation as a means of commerce with Europe,
they must feel the full hardship of the discrimination in the tariff of
Russia to which I have referred.
I believe it to be the policy of the imperial government, by a judicious
legislation and by every other means in its power, to foster the growing
commercial relations between our two countries; a policy which has the
hearty concurrence and active aid of the Government of the United
States.
As early as the year 1832, under the influence of this friendly
sentiment, in the treaty of commerce concluded between the two countries
it was stipulated that “No higher or other duties shall be imposed on
the importation into the United States of any article the produce or
manufacture of Russia, and no higher or other duties shall be imposed on
the importation into the Empire of Russia of any article the produce or
manufacture of the United States, than are or shall be payable on the
like article being the produce or manufacture of any other foreign
country. Nor shall any prohibition be imposed on the importation or
exportation of any article the produce or manufacture of the United
States or of Russia to or from the ports of the United States, or to or
from the ports of the Russian Empire, which shall not equally extend to
all other nations.” (Article VI, Treaty of 1832.)
It seems to me to be self-evident that a tariff which discriminates in
favor of dutiable goods imported by land equally discriminates against
such goods imported by sea, and therefore withholds from the United
States the benefit of the spirit of the article of the treaty of 1832
just quoted.
It does not obviate the disadvantageous position in which the United
States is placed to say that the goods against which this discrimination
is made may be unloaded at a foreign port and the nee imported into
Russia by land. The increased expense of such a course is obvious, and
it would probably be so great as to do away with the difference in the
duty of thirty copecks which exists between the two different manners of
importation. Besides, I take it for granted that, with the imperial
government, as with the Government of the United States, there is a wish
to encourage direct trade between the two countries; to have American
goods enter Russian ports in American ships, and not to use a foreign
port as an entrepôt for the commerce of
Russia.
About the time the memorial regarding the Russian tariff was sent to me
by the American merchants I had occasion to pay a visit to his
excellency the imperial minister of finance. Unofficially I called his
excellency’s attention to the discrimination existing in the tariff as
to the two methods of importation, and I requested his excellency to
famish me with any information or explanation as to the difference which
he might be able to give, and also to inform me how this state of things
could be reconciled in relation to the United States with the
stipulations of Article VI of the treaty of 1832.
[Page 753]
I herewith inclose yon a copy of a note which his excellency shortly
after our interview addressed to me. This note probably contains the
view which the imperial government may take of the question, but I
believe that reflection will convince your excellency that it is a view
that is hardly tenable in face of the treaty of 1832, and one in which
it cannot be supposed that the Government of the United States of
America can concur.
On submitting the memorial of the American merchants to my government, I
find that its views are in accordance with those I have expressed above.
I have accordingly been instructed to apprise the imperial government of
the fact that, in the opinion of the Grovernment of the United States,
the discriminating duties referred to are in contravention of the
stipulations of Article VI of the treaty of 1832, since it seems clear
that this stipulation was not meant to reserve to Russia the privilege
of charging a less duty upon importations by land than upon those by
sea. The smaller duty required by the tariff upon articles carried by
land plainly has the effect of a bounty upon importations from countries
conterminous with Russia.
I have also been instructed to say that the discrimination adverted to,
whether it be of great or small present importance, involves a principle
however, and a construction of the treaty upon which the interests of
our commercial relations oblige us to insist. I accordingly beg to call
your excellency’s attention to the subject in question, hoping that an
examination of the matter will bring your excellency’s views into
harmony with those expressed by the Government of the United States, and
will lead to such action on the” part of the Imperial Government as will
spedily remove a cause of dissatisfaction, the arrangement for which is
based upon the stipulations of a treaty between the two countries.
I take, &c.,
