No. 95.
Mr. Borges to Mr. Evarts.
Washington, August 2, 1880.
Mr. Secretary of State: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the notes which your excellency addressed to me On the 26th May, the 15th and 18th June, and the 24th July, all relating to mine of the 18th May, wherein I called your excellency’s attention to the additional duty of 50 cents laid by the custom-house at New York upon the Brazilian vessel Foster. By them I am informed that Brazilian vessels will continue to be exempt, as hitherto, from this additional duty in [Page 106] view of the proclamation of President Polk of the 4th November, 1847, the Empire proceeding in like manner with respect to the vessels of the United States.
I am also thereby made aware that the Department of the Treasury has ordered the restitution of the payment of the additional duty of the Foster, and I gratefully thank your excellency for the five copies of the decision, No. 4576, by which that department has instructed the customhouse at New York for the exemption of the additional duty for Brazilian vessels.
I have given information of all this to the imperial government, and I improve this occasion to reiterate to your excellency the assurances of my highest esteem and consideration.