Mr. Gresham to Mr. Planten.

Sir: Referring to your note of the 31st ultimo, in which you inform the Department, with reference to a recent United States Treasury circular, that no duty is now levied on salt in certain Dutch colonies, I have the honor to inclose a copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury of the 10th instant, in which he says that the information relative to the Dutch colonies upon which they were included in the list in the circular in question was derived from the publications of the international customs bureau.

Calling your attention to the statement of the Secretary of the Treasury that the colony of Curaçao is not included in the list of those colonies which were supposed to levy a duty on salt, I beg you to accept, sir, the renewed assurance of my high consideration.

W. Q. Gresham.
[Inclosure.]

Mr. Carlisle to Mr. Gresham.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 1st instant, in regard to the inclusion of certain Dutch colonies in the list of countries imposing duty on salt, published by this Department in its circular of the 29th ultimo, and stating that you have been advised by the chargé d’affaires and consul-general of the Netherlands that “the colony of Curaçao, comprising Curaçao, Buen Ayre, Oruba, St. Martin, St. Eustatius, and Saba, do not impose duties on salt, these duties having been abolished six years ago.”

In reply I would state that the colony of Curaçao is not included in the list, and that from the International Customs Journal it appears that duty is imposed on salt imported into the Dutch colonies, East Indies, by ordinance of the governor-general, which went into force on July 1, 1886, and on salt imported into St. Eustatius, St. Martin, Oruba, and Buen Ayre by decrees of the governor of Curaçao of December 24, 1892. These decrees were issued subsequently to the exemption from duty of salt imported into the island of Curaçao by ordinance of the governor of August 28, 1888, and being contained in the official publications of the international customs bureau, from data furnished [Page 1021] by the respective governments, were accepted by the Department as conclusive on the subject.

Under the terms of paragraph 608 of the new tariff act each of the dependencies of the colony of Curaçao must be treated per se, and should any of them impose a duty on salt exported from the United States it would be necessary to treat salt coming from such dependency as dutiable, although the same merchandise coming from Curaçao would be entitled to free entry.

Respectfully, yours,

J. G. Carlisle.