No. 21.
Mr. Magee to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of the United States,
Stockholm, November 7, 1887. (Received November
21.)
No. 101.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you
that I am in receipt of a note from his excellency Count
Ehrensvörd, secretary of foreign affairs, in response to my
inquiry based upon your instruction No. 49, of date August 5
last.
From the note of his excellency I am informed no discrimination
exists at the present time, or has since the year 1827, in
tonnage or other duties charged upon shipping as between native
and foreign-built vessels. The only exception is fishing vessels
entering ports of the United Kingdom from the Arctic and White
Seas.
I have caused to be translated section 4 of the royal ordinances
relating to tonnage dues, etc., and inclose such translation
with this dispatch.
I also inclose a translation of section 9 of the royal ordinances
of Norway regulating tonnage charges, etc.
In Norway the tax is calculated on the actual amount of cargo
tons embarked or discharged, and not on the ship’s measurement.
Since 1876 tonnage tax and light-house charges have been united
in a single tax.
In 1827 the following classification was established in Norway:
- A.
- Vessels coming from all places outside of the European
ports with the exception of the ports in the
Mediterranean.
- B.
- Vessels coming from Mediterranean ports.
- C.
- Vessels coming from all European ports not comprised
in item B.
By circular dated August 9, 1828, vessels coining from ports of
the United States or returning there were ranked in class C.
This classification is still in force. Perhaps this information
is not as full and complete as you would desire. It is in
substance what has been furnished me.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
101.]
royal ordinance in relation to
tonnage, etc. (sweden.)
The tonnage duties to the State are alike for Swedish-and
foreign vessels, fixed to 10 öre per ton, according to the
existing hill of tonnage, and has to be paid every time,
both when incoming and outgoing; but, if a ship during the
time of one year makes several voyages between Sweden and
foreign countries, the duty for outgoing is only paid for
the first voyage, and for repeated incoming only for vessels
loaded, when they unload more or less of their cargo, and
will also be considered, as ballasted, but whose quantity of
load is of less importance compared to their tonnage; in
which ease will be applied the stipulation in § 44 in the
royal statute regarding the pilot department, February 15,
1881, as this paragraph reads according to the royal edict,
November 17, 1882. Regarding alterations in certain parts of
the above-named statute—
When vessels have been loaded and unloaded at different
places, tonnage duty is only paid at the first port of
loading or unloading, of which a certification has to be
made on the bill of measurement or passport. The following
ships are free from tonnage duties:
Ship destined or not destined to a Swedish port, coming in
and going out in ballast.
Ship which, running between foreign countries, enters a
Swedish port in order to leave passengers and their baggage,
or discharges to another ship goods for export.
[Page 1885]
Ship which, from urgent necessity or to receive further
orders, enters a Swedish port without taking on hoard any
other loading than that necessary for the crew, passengers,
or ship.
Ship which, in consequence of average, about which protest is
made, enters a Swedish port for discharging her cargo and,
after repairs, reloads the same for export.
Ship which, from the above-stated reasons, discharges and
sells more or less of the cargo when such sale is limited to
what is necessary for defraying the cost of repairs.
Ship which, during voyage between foreign countries, loads or
unloads in a Swedish port goods not exceeding a quarter of
the ship’s tonnage, which shall be calculated according to
the ship’s documents.
In all these cases the master of the ship has to follow those
regulations in the statute of customs which prescribe that
he shall report himself at the nearest customhouse and
deliver the bill of measurement, observing also what being
applicable in that said statutes may be there stipulated
regarding demands of duty pass.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
101.]
royal ordinance of norway regulating
tonnage tax.
Tonnage duty and light-house dues have to be paid with 80 öre
per ton by ships importing or exporting goods according to
the following rules:
- A.
- No duty is charged for ships going out of the
kingdom for fishing, Provided, That if goods be exported to foreign
countries duty has to be paid both for outgoing and
incoming. If on returning home goods are brought
from foreign countries, the duty for incoming is
paid after the general rules.
- B.
- Duty for direct voyage between Norway and Sweden
is only 30 öre per ton when the whole cargo is
loaded and unloaded in these countries. From the
date when for such voyages no shipping dues are
charged in Sweden duty ceases.
- C.
- Ships when trading between the ports of the White
Sea or Arctic Ocean only pay 40 öre per ton.
In charging these duties it must be observed that they are
charged according to the tonnage in the ship’s bill of
measurement when the custom-house officer declares the ship
to be full loaded, else the duty is charged according to as
many tons as the ship has loaded or unloaded, never, though,
for more tons than the ship’s bill of measurement indicates.
If the cargo loaded or unloaded at the same custom-house
does not amount to one ton, no tonnage duties or light-house
dues are paid.
The regulations necessary for reducing goods into tons are
promulgated by Government.
