No. 584.
Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Baker.

No. 210.]

Sir: I have had the pleasure to receive your No. 617, of the 3d ultimo, reporting the action of the Venezuelan Government in relation to the 30 per cent, discriminating duty imposed upon imports from the United States transshipped at the West India Islands.

Upon the receipt of your dispatch I made communication of certain parts of it to Messrs. Boulton, Bliss & Dallet, who were considerably affected by such duty and who had frequently written to the Department upon the subject.

They were told that, so far as the Department was able to perceive, the present measures of the Venezuelan Government met the specific difficulty complained of, and that it was not seen how any more effective remedy could be obtained.

[Page 902]

I have now the pleasure to inclose copy of their letter in reply appreciatively acknowledging the efforts of the Department and yourself respecting the matter.

I am, &c.,

FRED’K T. FRELINGHUYSEN.
[Inclosure in No. 210.]

Messrs. Boulton, Bliss Dallet to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

Sir: We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the communication from the Department of the 5th instant, advising us of the repeal of the decree of the Venezuelan Government imposing a discriminating duty of 30 per centum upon imports from the United States transshipped at the West India Islands, concerning which we have had the honor to address the Department, requesting its good offices to secure. We are also in receipt of the very interesting inclosures therein referred to.

We now respectfully and gratefully acknowledge the persistent and valued action of the Department in our behalf, which we feel assured could solely have obtained the repeal of the unfriendly act, and which entirely overcomes the difficulty complained of. Already the repeal of the decree has inured to the benefit of our line of steamships, enabling the steamship Valencia, dispatched on the 24th ultimo, to secure cargo for the port of Maracaibo, via Curacao.

We have, &c.,

BOULTON, BLISS & DALLET.