No. 490.
Mr. Reed
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Madrid, January 29, 1883. (Received February 23.)
Sir: 1 have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your instruction No. 126, and dated the 11th instant, in further relation to the so-called “consular fees” exacted by Spanish consuls in the ports of the United States on cattle and cargoes of vessels shipped to Spanish ports.
Since writing my dispatches, Nos. 150 and 151, on this subject, I have had two conversations with the minister of state in regard thereto, and he has always told me that they were preparing the answer to our representation of the matter, and that I should receive it within a few days, giving me to understand, at the same time, that the “fees” in question would be abolished.
The reception of your instruction, No. 126, afforded me another opportunity to call at the ministry of state, which I did to day, and not finding the minister in, asked to see the subsecretary, Mr. Mendez de Vigo, who received meat once. I told him that the object of my call was to again invite attention to the question of the Spanish consular tax levied in our ports on cattle and on the cargoes of vessels, and to again ask for an early reply. Mr. Mendez de Yigo sent for the chief of the bureau having the matter in charge, who said he was about concluding the note in reply, and would soon present it to the minister of state for his consideration. I asked him if he could tell me whether or not they proposed to abolish the tax complained of; he replied that it had been a matter of long and serious consideration, and that he thought the reply would be satisfactory to the United States, and promised to send it to me during the present week without fail. I told him how very important it was that I should have the answer at the earliest possible moment, and I also told him that it was a matter in which my Government was very much in earnest, and that if the tax was not abolished the United States would at once retaliate as stated in Mr. Hamlin’s note of the 26th September last. He replied that if my Government was so deeply in earnest and insisted upon the tax being abolished, he thought that they might find some way to comply with its request, but that he could not promise that the reply which was to be sent me would be definite, but he could promise me that it would be satisfactory to the United States. I replied that, while I appreciated his frankness, I felt it my duty to assure him in advance that my Government would remain firm, and that no reply which did not state that the tax was or would be abolished would be satisfactory. I also told him that all argument on the part of Spain would be useless, that what my Government desired to know was whether or not the tax complained of was to be abolished, in order that it might act accordingly. My conversation with the chief of bureau took place in the presence of M. Mendez de Vigo, and I have the solemn promise of both those gentlemen that the official reply will be sent to me this week.
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In regard to the rate imposed upon cattle and the cargoes of vessels referred to in the last paragraph of your instruction, I have to state that upon again examining the Spanish consular tariff I find that the double rate is for all the American states, Oceanica, and for Africa and Asia [Page 769] bordering on the ocean. The single rate is for all the European states, and for Africa and Asia bordering on the Mediterranean and Black Seas.* * *
I have, &c.,