No reply to my note has as yet been received.
[Inclosure in No. 38.]
Mr. Hamlin to the
Marquis de la Vega de
Armijo.
Legation of the United States,
Madrid
,
April 29,
1882.
Excellency: The attention of the Department of
State, at Washington, has lately been invited to an order issued by the
governor-general of the Island of Cuba, on the 18th February last,
imposing on and after the 1st April, 1882, a duty on live fish imported
into that island in foreign bottoms.
The order, as published in the La Voz de Cuba, of the 18th February last,
reads as follows:
“His excellency the governor-general, incompliance with the notice
contained in the royal, order of the 22d of November, 1880, occasioned
by representations incited by Don Antonio Quintana Lopez, respecting the
importation of live fish in foreign bottoms, and in accordance with the
judgment of the royal commission on the tariff, at a meeting held on the
30th day of November last, has been pleased to order:
“That from and after the 1st day of April promixo, live fish imported
into the Island of Cuba, in foreign bottoms, shall pay a duty of 75/1000
of an escudo on each kilogram.”
According to a memorial addressed to the Department of State by merchants
at Key West, Fla., engaged in catching fish (as well as merchants of
that place engaged in other business), and carrying them to the Cuban
markets, no duties have heretofore been levied upon the same in Cuban
ports, whether brought in Spanish or foreign bottoms.
While it is not the intention or wish of my government to interfere in
the least possible manner with the internal affairs of Spain, or of
those of her colonies, the facts represented in the above-mentioned
memorial, against the propriety or advisability of now imposing a duty
on that important article of food in the Island of Cuba, when brought in
foreign bottoms, seem to be so clear and so contrary to the real
interests of that island, that I am instructed to present to His
Catholic Majesty’s Government the following facts for its consideration:
First, the order will be contrary to the financial interests of the
island, because it will be the means of taking away from it a source of
revenue in the way of tonnage dues and port charges, as its enforcement
will prevent all foreign ships from continuing in the trade of catching
and carrying live fish to the Cuban markets.
That this would cause no small loss of revenue is clearly shown by the
fact that there have always been from sixteen to twenty-five vessels,
ranging from 32 to 46 tons, employed in carrying live fish to that
market in American bottoms alone, and making, on an average, twelve
trips every year. Each and every one of these vessels is obliged to pay
tonnage dues and port charges every time it enters port, and as a sample
of the amount paid by said vessels, I beg to present that of the
American schooner Relief, of only 32.43 tons, which pays as follows:
| Tonnage dues |
$42 15 |
| Dispatching from custom-house |
16 00 |
| Pilotage |
9 34 |
| Interpreter |
4 00 |
| Consul’s fee |
2 20 |
| Copying manifest in Spanish |
3 00 |
| Commission |
7 00 |
| Total, gold |
$83 69 |
[Page 470]
Of the above sum at least $58.15 (the amount of tonnage dues and
custom-house charges) is Spanish revenue, and taking into consideration
the fact that the vessel in question makes twelve trips per year, she
alone pays into Spanish treasury of Cuba, every year, the sum of $697.80
in gold. As already stated, there are employed from sixteen to
twenty-five vessels, ranging from 32 to 46 tons each, and each one of
which averages twelve trips per year, and as a vessel pays tonnage dues
on her number of tons each trip, the revenue received from that source
amounts to a large sum. That revenue, as well as that received from
other foreign vessels, will be lost, if the order of the captain-general
of Cuba is continued in force, as no foreign vessel can afford to pay a
duty of $1.72 on every quintal (of 100 pounds) of fish imported into the
island, in addition to the tonnage dues and port charges, and compete
with Spanish vessels that are still allowed to enter their fish free of
duty. It is alleged that said duty amounts to actual prohibition.
Secondly, and not the least important matter for consideration, is the
fact that by the discriminating duty above referred to Mr. Antonio
Quintana Lopez, a Spanish subject, and who is also engaged in supplying
the Cuban markets with fish (and who, as it would seem, has been
instrumental in causing the order of the captain-general to be issued),
and his associates, would, by the withdrawal of foreign fishing vessels,
soon obtain a monopoly of those markets, thus causing a great increase
in the price of fish, if not placing that very important article of food
beyond the reach of the poor class of people in the island.
The above statement seems to show very clearly, first, that the
enforcement of the order of the captain-general will be the means not
only of taking away every year a large revenue from the Cuban treasury,
but, second, it will also tend to place the Cuban fish markets in the
hands of monopolists and thus cause a large increase in the price of
fish. While, as I have already stated to your excellency, it is not the
intention or wish of my government to interfere in the internal affairs
of His Catholic Majesty’s Government, or in those of His Catholic
Majesty’s colonies; I have been instructed to present the above
statement for its consideration, and should His Catholic Majesty’s
Government deem it wise and best to revoke the order of the
captain-general above referred to, such action would be received with
pleasure by the Government of the United States.
I avail myself, &c.,
