Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part I

No. 542.
Mr. Bayard to Sir L. S. Sackville West.

Department of State,
Washington, November 17, 1887.

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a report made by the consul of the United States at Kingston, Ontario, to this Department, in response to its inquiries in relation to the fees charged on vessels of the United States in the ports of Ontario, Dominion of Canada.

By a proclamation bearing date the 31st of January, 1885, the President, upon information that no duty was imposed as tonnage-tax or as light house money, and that no other equivalent tax or taxes were imposed on vessels of the United States in the ports of Ontario, suspended, under section 14 of the act of June 26, 1884, the collection of the tonnage tax of 3 cents per ton therein imposed on vessels coming from these ports;

By the report above referred to it appears that there is imposed on vessels of the United States in the port of Kingston a fee of 50 cents for entrance and of the same amount for clearance on vessels of less than 50 tons burden and of $1 for each of the same purposes on vessels of 50 tons burden or over. Canadian vessels having taken out a coasting license, which costs nothing, are, even if coming from or bound to ports in the United States, stated to be exempt from these taxes, which thus appear to constitute a discriminating duty upon vessels of the United States in the port of Kingston, and unless removed to require some modification of the proclamation of the 31st of January, 1885.

But before taking any step in this direction, it is desired to bring the matter to the attention of the proper authorities, with a view to ascertaining whether the discriminating duty may not be removed.

I have, etc.,

T. F. Bayard.

[Inclosure.]

Mr. Twitchell to Mr. Porter.

United States Consulate,
Kingston, Canada, October 29, 1887.

Sir: I have the honor to report to the Department of State that all licensed Canadian vessels are exempt at the port of Kingston from entrance and clearance fees or any other fee equivalent to or in place of clearance and entrance; it makes no difference whether the vessel is from or clearing for a United States port or not.

To the best of my information all Canadian vessels take out the coasting license, which costs them nothing. American vessels can not take out a coasting license; if under 50 tons burden she must pay 50 cents for entrance and 50 cents for clearance, if over 50 tons burden she must pay $1 for entrance and $1 for clearance at the port of Kingston.

M. H. Twitchell,
Consul.