[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 lighthouse 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 slates, 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 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.