Mr. Lincoln to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
London, January 6, 1890.
(Received January 20.)
No. 151.]
Sir: Referring again to my dispatch No. 84 of
September 19, 1889, on the subject of the discrimination charged by Mr.
Phelan as being enforced against American vessels in the port of Halifax in
the matter of compulsory pilotage, in which I suggested that in saying that
“American vessels of 80 tons and over are liable to pilotage which is
practically compulsory, while Canadian vessels are exempt up to 120 tons,”
Mr. Phelan had possibly overlooked a distinction between Canadian vessels
engaged in their coasting trade and other Canadian vessels. I now have the
honor to inclose a copy of a note from the Marquis of Salisbury on the
subject, dated the 3d instant, from which it appears that at the port of
Halifax all vessels, whether British or foreign, coming from foreign ports,
and which are over 80 tons register, pay pilotage dues; but that vessels
registered in the Dominion not over 120 tons registered tonnage engaged in
trading or fishing voyages within ports in the Dominion of Canada,
Newfoundland, and St. Pierre, Miquelon, are exempted from compulsory
pilotage.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 151.]
Sir James Fergusson
to Mr. Lincoln.
Foreign
Office, January 3,
1890.
Sir: With reference to my note of the 12th of
October last, I have now the honor to inclose an extract from a report
of a committee of the privy council of the Dominion of Canada, approved
by the governor-general in council, respecting the alleged
[Page 323]
discrimination between British
and United States vessels in respect to pilotage dues levied at Halifax,
which formed one of the subjects of complaint in Mr. White’s note of the
18th of March last.
It will be seen from this report that all vessels registered in the
Dominion not over 120 tons register engaged in trading or fishing
voyages within ports in the Dominion, Newfoundland, and St. Pierre,
Miquelon, are exempted from compulsory pilotage dues, but that all other
vessels, whether British or foreign, coming from foreign ports and which
are over 80 tons register pay these dues.
I have, etc.,
(For the Marquis of Salisbury),
James Fergusson.
[Extract.]
The minister of marine observes, with reference to the matter of an
alleged discrimination between British and American vessels in respect
to the pilotage dues levied at the port of Halifax, that by the report
received from the pilotage authority no exemption is allowed to Canadian
fishing vessels in the matter of pilotage dues other than that permitted
by by-law No. 26, which by-law was duly approved by minute of council
dated May 24, 1877, and reads as follows:
“All vessels registered in the Dominion of Canada not over 120 tons
registered tonnage engaged in trading or fishing voyages within ports in
the Dominion of Canada, Newfoundland, and St. Pierre, Miquelon, to be
exempted from compulsory pilotage.”
The minister further states that the by-law in question was framed by the
pilotage authority under the provisions of the fifty-ninth section of
the pilotage act, chapter 80, revised statutes, which provides that
ships of such description and size not exceeding 250 tons registered
tonnage, as a pilotage authority of a district with the approval of the
governor in council from time to time determines to be exempt from the
compulsory payment of pilotage in such district, shall be exempt from
the compulsory payment of pilotage dues.
The minister recommends that under the authority of this by-law all
vessels registered in the Dominion of Canada not over 120 tons, and
which are engaged in trading or fishing voyages within ports in the
Dominion of Canada, Newfoundland, and St. Pierre, Miquelon are exempt
from compulsory pilotage at the port of Halifax, but the pilotage
authority states that “all other vessels, whether British or foreign,
coming from foreign ports, and which are over 80 tons register, pay
pilotage dues.”
