Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 8, 1885
Mr. Bayard to Mr. Reed.
Washington, April 9, 1885.
Sir: Referring to instruction No. 317 of March 10 last, in the matter of customs-dues at Barcelona on cargoes of old scrap-iron shipped to that port by Mr. F. B. Hamel, I now inclose a copy of a dispatch from Havana (and inclosures) showing Hamel’s good faith. It is not easy to see how the legitimate Cuban origin of the goods could be more clearly established.
You will continue to urge the case on its merits.
I am, &c.,
Mr. Williams to Mr. Hunter.
Havana, March 19, 1885.
Sir: Referring to your instruction No. 35, dated the 26th ultimo, receipt of which was acknowledged the 5th instant, the same relating to the protest of Mr. Fernando B. Hamel against the collection of import duties at Barcelona on shipments of old iron from Havana, I have now the honor, for the purpose of demonstrating to the Department the good faith of this transaction on the part of Mr. Hamel, to inclose the following documentary evidence:
- First. Inclosure No. 1 is a certificate, signed by me, of the fact of Mr. Hamel being inscribed in the register of American citizens kept in this office, from which it appears that he is a native of Louisiana, and was inscribed in said register on or about the 4th of January, 1871, in accordance with a general order from the government of the island requiring all foreigners to register at their respective consulates.
- Second. No. 2 is a translation of the personal “cedula,” defining his citizenship on the part of the authorities of Havana, issued by Don Florencio Garcia, alcalde of the dragones, district of this city, dated October 4, 1884, corroborating the preceding certificate from this office of his American citizenship.
- Third. No. 3 is the sworn statement of Mr. Hamel, showing the place of his establishment to be at No. 311 Calzada de San Lazaro, in this city.
- Fourth. No. 4 is the translation of the certificate issued, under date of the 11th instant, by Don Antonio Abudo, inspector and auditor of the customs of Havana, declaring that, upon examination of the record books of importations of the Havana custom-house, there does not appear ever to have been imported, either from Spain or elsewhere, any old iron, rope, or old metal, otherwise than some pig-iron which may have come as ballast into this port.
- Fifth. No. 5 is a certificate signed by twenty-four different persons, such as railroad superintendents, foundry owners, steamship owners, and hardware dealers, all declaring that they have sold to Mr. Hamel old iron, copper, brass, and other old metals during the last ten years.
- Sixth. No. 6 is the statement of Mr. Hamel, found to be correct with the books of this consulate-general, showing the invoices of shipments made to the United States from December 1, 1882, to December 11, 1884, the object of this document being to show that he is an exporter from, and not an importer of junk goods to, the United States.
In addition to the foregoing documentary evidence, I beg to inform the Department that, at the request of Mr. Hamel, I visited his place of business on Friday, the 13th instant. I found it extensive, there being several large yards attached where the junk gathered daily throughout the city by eight carts kept for this purpose, and the many rag-pickers, is clumped, picked, and separated for the several apartments used for assortment. Here there were scales for weighing and apparatus for breaking up the pieces of metal. There were separate rooms for the deposit of old metals, bones, hoofs, horns, and glue stock, and other rooms with packing and pressing machines to reduce the bulk of all scrap metals, rags, glue stock, and bones, to proper shipping condition.
He further requested me to examine his books of daily purchases and sales, to witness the different manual occupations of the establishment, which I did.
[Page 708]In this visit of examination I spent over one hour, and everything witnessed or inspected by me only confirms me in the belief that all of Mr. Hamel’s statements in the premises are clearly and unequivocally based on good faith.
I have, &c.,
Havana, March 18, 1885.
I, the undersigned, consul-general of the United States of America at Havana, do hereby certify that Mr. Fernando B. Hamel was registered in the registry of citizens kept in this office, on or about the 4th of January, 1871, as follows:
No. 94. Fernando B. Hamel; age, thirty-three years; born in Louisiana; married; merchant; fourteen years in Cuba; residing, Industria street, No. 164; junk store, Marquez Gonzalez street, No. 2.
[seal.]
Consul-General.
Personal cedula for domiciled foreigners; folio, 75; year, 1884–’85; No. 774; province, Havana; district, Havana; Dragones ward. In favor of Don Fernando B. Hamel y Nathan, native of United States; married; occupation, commerce; and resides, Reina street, No. 118.
Havana, October 14, 1884.
The alcalde,
Description—age, forty-five years; stature, tall; complexion, good; beard, close; particular marks, 1884, No. 1193.
Mr. Hamel to Mr. Williams.
Sir: In reply to your several questions, I have to state that at my store, No. 311 Calzada de San Lazaro, there is a daily purchase, at wholesale and retail, of all kinds of goods embraced in the business of a junk store, such as old iron, metals, rope, canvas, rags, hoofs, horns, glue stock, &c., and that, at the office of Henry B. Hamel & Co., No. 2 Mercaderes street, I purchase, during certain hours of the day, goods of the above kind from planters, hardware dealers, and others, all to be delivered at the before-mentioned store; that I have never imported any of the above kind of goods from any foreign country; and, further, that no one else has done so up to this day, as stated in the accompanying custom-house certificate; that I purchase such materials from railroad companies, foundries, planters, hardware stores, and others, is proved by the accompanying certificate, signed by a number of parties representing such interests; and, that, instead of ever importing any of said goods, I, at all times, export them, and refer to the invoices that I have had authenticated at your office for said shipments according to the accompanying list.
Very respectfully,
Consul-General.
I, Don Antonio Abudo, chief of bureau of first class, inspector of customs and auditor, do hereby certify that, as appears from the antecedents in this custom-house, after an examination made in the importation books of the same, there does not [Page 709] appear ever to have been imported, either from Spain or elsewhere, any old iron, rope, or old metal with the exception of pig-iron, which may have been brought in bars as ballast by the vessels of various nations, and which have been landed as such, when necessary, declaring the same and paying the duties corresponding thereto.
[seal.] Fernandez.
Consulate-General of the United
States,
Havana, ——, —.
I, the undersigned, consul-general of the United States at Havana, do hereby certify that Antonio Abudo, whose signature appears to the foregoing custom-house certificate, to which is affixed the seal of the Havana custom-house and countersignature of Fernandez, collector, is the contador or auditor of customs for this port, the proper officer to issue such certificates, and that, in my opinion, his statements are entitled to full faith and credit.
[seal.]
Consul-General.
We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that, during the last ten years, we have sold to Mr. Fernando B. Hamel, owner of the junk store, Calzada San Lazaro, 311, old iron, copper, and metals.
And at the request of the party concerned we hereunto subscribe our names at Havana, this 6th March, 1885.
(Signed as follows:)
Havana, March 12, 1885.
I, the undersigned, consul-general of the United States at Havana, do hereby certify that the signatures to the foregoing document are the true and genuine signatures of Messrs. Marina & Cagigal, hardware dealers; Manuel L. Izquierdo, superintendent Havana Railroad, 1874 to 1878; J. N. Odoardo, superintendent of Bay Railroad 1870 to 1882, and superintendent of Western Railroad; J. Eale, superintendent-general of the Havana Railroad; Tijero Bros. & Co., hardware dealers; José Madierell, foundryman; Nicolas Alvarez; Urquiola, Diaz & Co; Uribarri, Isasi & Co., hardware importers and dealers; Anto. Vilaseca, superintendent of the Bay Railroad; Castro, Fernandez & Co.; Alberdi & Lastra; Presa & Torre, hardware de alers; Ramon de Herrera, steamship owner; Domingo Abascal; Rodriguez & Co.; Gabriel Ramos; Prieto & Co.; Alvarez & Co.; Astobiza, Alonzo & Co.; Narciso Penamos; Luis Alum; Dominguez & Gal an, hardware dealers and importers; and Van Dewater & Co., foundry. I further certify that the foregoing signatures were acknowledged in presence of the United States consular clerk at this place, whom I delegated to call at the place of business of each subscriber for that purpose, and that, in my opinion, the statements by them subscribed are entitled to full faith and credit.
[seal].
Consul-General.
Consular Clerk.
List of invoices.
| Name of vessel. | Class. | Date. | Destination. |
| City of Puebla | Steamer | Dec. 1, 1882 | New York. |
| Eva H. Fisk | Bark | Jan. 16, 1883 | Philadelphia. |
| Do. | do | Jan. 19, 1883 | Do. |
| City of Puebla | Steamer | Mar. 17, 1883 | New York. |
| City of Washington | do | Mar. 31, 1883 | Do. |
| Do | do | May. 5, 1883 | Do. |
| City of Merida | do. | June 16, 1883 | Do. |
| British Empire. | do | June 23, 1883 | Do. |
| Julia Blake. | Bark | July 13, 1883 | Philadelphia. |
| Ada Carter | do | Sept. 15, 1883 | Do. |
| City of Merida | Steamer | Oct. 6, 1883 | New York. |
| Saratoga | do | Oct. 17, 1883 | Do. |
| A. G. Jewett | Brig | Nov. 24, 1883 | Philadelphia. |
| Conquest | Bark | Mar. 13, 1884 | Do. |
| Do | do | Mar. 23, 1884 | Do. |
| Ramon Herrera | Steamer | July 20, 1884 | New York. |
| Eugenia | Bark | May 23, 1884 | Philadelphia. |
| Ramon Herrera | Steamer | July 12, 1884 | New York. |
| Newport | do | Aug. 20, 1884 | Do. |
| Ramon Herrera | do | Oct. 4, 1884 | Do. |
| Do | do | Oct. 4, 1884 | Do. |
| Francisco Garguilo | Bark | Oct. 17, 1884 | Philadelphia. |
| do | do | Oct. 29, 1884 | Do. |
| Newport | Steamer | Nov. 20, 1884 | New York. |
| Do | do | Nov. 20, 1884 | Do. |
| Saratoga | do | Nov. 27, 1884 | Do. |
| Daring | Bark | Dec. 11, 1884 | Philadelphia. |