[Inclosure.]
By the President of the United States of
America.
a proclamation.
Whereas satisfactory proof has been given to me by the Government of
the Empire of Germany that no tonnage or light-house dues, or any
equivalent tax or taxes whatever, are imposed upon American vessels
entering the ports of the Empire of Germany, either by the Imperial
Government or by the Governments of the German maritime states, and
that vessels belonging to the United States of America, and their
cargoes, are not required, in German ports, to pay any fee or due of
any kind or nature, or any import due higher or other than is
payable by German vessels or their cargoes:
Now, therefore, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 11 of
the act of Congress entitled “An act to abolish certain fees for
official services to American vessels, and to amend the laws
relating to shipping commissioners, seamen, and owners of vessels,
and for other purposes,” approved June nineteenth, one thousand
eight hundred and eighty-six, do hereby declare and proclaim that
from and after the date of this my proclamation shall be suspended
the collection of the whole of the duty of six cents per ton, not to
exceed thirty cents per ton per annum (which is imposed by said
section of said act) upon vessels entered in the ports of the United
States from any of the ports of the Empire of Germany.
Provided, That there shall be excluded from
the benefits of the suspension hereby declared and proclaimed the
vessels of any foreign country in whose ports the fees or dues of
any kind or nature imposed on vessels of the United States, or the
import or export duties on their cargoes, are in excess of the fees,
dues, or duties imposed on
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the vessels of such foreign country, or their cargoes, or of the
fees, dues, or duties imposed on the vessels of Germany or the
cargoes of such vessels.
And the suspension hereby declared and proclaimed shall continue so
long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of
the United States, and their cargoes, shall be continued in the said
ports of the Empire of Germany, and no longer.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of
Washington
this
twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, and of the
independence of the United States the one hundred and
twelfth.
[
seal.]
Grover
Cleveland.
By the President:
T. F.
Bayard,
Secretary
of State.