No. 487.
Mr. von Alvensleben to Mr. Bayard.

Dear Mr. Bayard: Referring to my verbal communication of the 17th instant and the papers I left then with you, I have the regret to state that, according to a telegram from Messrs. Oelrichs & Co. in New York, which reached me yesterday, tonnage duties have again been collected on the steamer Saale at that port on her arrival from Bremen yesterday.

I should be obliged if, in order to prevent any further misconstruction of the proclamation issued by the President of the United States in favor of the vessels arriving from the ports of Germany, you would cause the proper authorities to be given without delay to understand that such proceedings are in manifest contradiction with that proclamation.

Believe me, dear Mr. Bayard, very sincerely, yours,

H. v. Alyensleben.

1. Mr. Schwab to Dr. Glavis .

[Telegram.]

[Papers referred to in Mr. von Alvensleben’s note of February 25, 1888.]

Dr. Glavis,
515 Fourteenth street, Washington:

Collector continues collection of tonnage dues from us, Commissioner Navigation having instructed him only vessels coming direct from German ports entitled to the suspension. Our steamers do not enter at Southampton. They only run to Southampton water to embark mails and passengers.

Gustave H. Schwab .

Treasury circular.

No. 19.]

tonnage dues on vessels from germany.

To collectors of customs and others:

The attention of officers of the customs is invited to the appended proclamation by the President, dated the 26th ultimo, declaring that vessels may be entered in the ports of the United States from any of the ports of the Empire of Germany, with [Page 674] out the payment of tonnage dues at the rate of 6 cents per ton, under section 11 of the act of June 19, 1886.

Vessels arriving from any of said ports will hereafter he admitted to entry without the payment of said dues, unless the vessel shall belong to a foreign country in whose ports the fees or dues imposed on American vessels or the duties on their cargoes exceed (1) those imposed on its own vessels or their cargoes, or exceed (2) those imposed on the vessels of Germany or their cargoes.

Certified statements may be forwarded for a refund of the dues on tonnage aforesaid, paid on the entry from German ports, of vessels exempted from the tax, and which were entered at any port of the United States on or since the 26th ultimo.

The proclamation does not apply to vessels which entered before that date, and the dues on such vessels were lawfully levied, and will be retained.

You are requested to notify this office of any tonnage tax or other equivalent tax or taxes which may be imposed hereafter on vessels of the United States in any port of the German Empire, and you will exercise care to levy tonnage dues on all vessels from said ports of any foreign country which discriminates in its own ports against vessels of the United States or their cargoes in favor of its own vessels or of the vessels of Germany.

Information has been received showing that vessels belonging to Great Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, and Portugal arriving in the United States directly from the ports of the German Empire may be admitted under the proclamation without the payment of the dues therein mentioned.

C. B. Morton,
Commissioner of Navigation.

Approved:
C. S. Fairchild ,
Secretary.