Mr. Reid to Mr.
Blaine.
[Extract.]
Legation of
the United States,
Paris
,
July 25, 1890.
(Received August 4.)
No. 209.]
Sir: On the 8th of July I was informed of a
proposition said to have been submitted by the budget committee of the
Chamber to the minister of finance, which appeared designed to discriminate
against American lubricating oils in favor of those of Russian origin. I
promised to ask the minister for foreign affairs if the Government was
really considering such a proposal.
On July 9 I called on Mr. Ribot at the foreign office, and, after disposing
of my other business, mentioned this complaint, saying that I only ventured
to do so in the hope that he could tell me there was no occasion to trouble
my Government with the matter. He said that if I gave him a memorandum of it
he would mention it to his colleagues. Accordingly, I sent him the verbal
note a copy of which is herewith inclosed.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 209.]
Mr. Reid to Mr.
Ribot.
Legation of the United States,
Paris
,
July 9,
1890.
The minister of the United States presents his compliments to His
Excellency the minister of foreign affairs, and, referring to their
conversation this afternoon, begs to inclose herewith a memorandum of
the note received by him from one of the large petroleum importing
houses of his country. Mr. Reid has hoped that Mr. Ribot might be able
to inform him that there was no warrant for the report therein referred
to, and so relieve him of the necessity for forwarding the statement to
his Government at all.
[Inclosure.]
Memorandum.
A large petroleum importing house brings to the attention of the minister
of the United States a statement that the budget committee of the
Chamber of Deputies has recently recommended or decided to recommend an
increase of duties on mineral lubricating [Page 288] oils from 12 francs per 100 kilogrammes, as at
present, to 16 francs per 100 kilogrammes for black oils, and to 20
francs per 100 kilogrammes for pale oils, this classification being
obviously calculated to discriminate in favor of Russian lubricating
oils as against those of American origin.
The same house mentions apprehensions arising from other rumors to the
effect that further legislation is contemplated discriminating against
all American products of petroleum.
