It will be further observed that the Secretary of the Treasury is
“not at present aware of any good reason for dissenting from the
opinions he (the Commissioner of Navigation) expresses in regard to
the matter.”
[Inclosure 1 in No.
210.]
Mr. Fairchild to Mr. Bayard.
Treasury Department,
April 27, 1888.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter dated the 25th instant, transmitting
a copy of a dispatch from the United States minister at Tokio
(No. 452), relative to an inquiry by the Japanese Government as
to the status of Japanese vessels in the United States, and
substantially suggesting a reduction of the tax in the United
States on vessels from Japan.
A copy of a report upon the subject from the Commissioner of
Navigation is inclosed herewith for your information. I am not
at present aware of any good reason for dissenting from the
opinions he expresses in regard to the matter.
Respectfully yours,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
210.]
Mr. Morton
to Mr. Fairchild.
Treasury Department,
Bureau of
Navigation,
Washington,
D. C., April 27,
1888.
Sir: I have the honor to report that
this office has taken measures to ascertain the charges on
American vessels in the ports of Japan equivalent to tonnage or
lighthouse dues.
It is found that the sum of $15 is collected upon the entry of
such vessels in those ports, and the sum of $7 upon clearance.
While admitting that these charges are [Page 1943] imposed on all vessels, the Japanese
Government proposes that action be taken by this Government,
under section 11 of the act of June 19, 1884, to relieve vessels
arriving in the United States from Japan, of tonnage dues.
In the letter from the Japanese minister for foreign affairs,
which accompanied the communication of the Secretary of State,
dated January 24, 1888, it was suggested that the charges in
Japan were less than the dues ordinarily imposed in the United
States, and the minister inquired what the future status of
Japanese and other vessels proceeding to the United States would
be, in respect to navigation charges. The matter was further
referred to in the letter of the Japanese minister for foreign
affairs accompanying the communication from the Secretary of
State, dated the 25th instant, it being therein stated that no
higher fees or dues, of any kind or nature, are imposed on
vessels of the United States than are imposed on Japanese
vessels, and that no higher import or export duties are levied
on the cargoes of vessels of the United States than are levied
on the cargoes of Japanese vessels.
Under the existing regulations, Japanese vessels are admitted
into the ports of the United States on the same terms as the
vessels of the United States, and no discrimination is made
against any vessels by reason of their arrival in the United
States from Japan. All such vessels, however, must enter in the
United States subject to the maximum tax imposed by the section
of law above cited, there being no proclamation of the President
authorizing their admission at a less rate. In the opinion of
this office, such a proclamation, under the existing
circumstances, would be inadmissible, for the reason that the
fees levied by the Japanese Government as aforesaid on vessels
of the United States should be considered as equivalent to the
tonnage tax levied in this country.
It is true, as mentioned by the Japanese minister, that the
amount collected on any particular entry may be somewhat less
than that imposed on the entry of a vessel of similar size in
the United States. But while the tax is levied in this country
not to exceed five times in any one year, this office has no
information that the corresponding tax in Japan may not be
levied an indefinite number of times within a year, that is to
say, on each entry and clearance of any vessel, however often
such entry and clearance may occur. The tax in Japan may
therefore be considered as offsetting that in the United States,
and no action should be taken to reduce the existing tax on
vessels from Japan, unless the Government of that country shall
modify its laws favorably to American vessels.
Respectfully, yours,
C. B. Morton,
Commissioner.
