Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 7, 1896, and the Annual Report of the Secretary of State

Mr. Olney to Mr. Uhl.

Department of State,
Washington, July 18, 1896.

No. 115.]

Sir: Referring to the Department’s instructions No. 53 and No. 55, of the 19th and 22d of April last, respectively, requesting you to obtain certain information concerning the imposition by the German authorities of tonnage dues and other taxes upon American vessels in the ports of Germany, I inclose for your information copy of a letter of the 15th instant, from the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, inquiring whether, in the judgment of this Department, the continued imposition of tonnage taxes and light-house dues in German ports upon American vessels entering from the United States does not call for the suspension of the exemption from tonnage taxes in American ports, pursuant to the proclamation of the President of the 26th of January, 1888, upon vessels entering the United States from German ports.

In view of the inquiry contained in Mr. Hamlin’s letter the Department would be pleased to receive, as soon as practicable, the report called for by the above-mentioned instructions.

I am, etc.,

Richard Olney.

[Inclosure in No. 115.]

Mr. Hamlin to Mr. Olney.

Treasury Department,
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, D. C., July 15, 1896.

Sir: Replying to your letter of the 13th of March, in reply to the letter of this Department dated March 9, concerning the imposition of tonnage taxes on American vessels in German ports, I have the honor respectfully to invite your attention to the following statement in your letter of that date:

As a bill has been reported from the Senate Committee on Commerce repealing the law exempting from tonnage taxes vessels from foreign countries which extend a like exemption to United States vessels, it would seem to be advisable to postpone the consideration of the first of your inquiries until the fate of the pending legislation referred to is determined.

In view of the fact that the bill referred to did not pass, and of facts set forth in the letters of this Department dated March 9 and May 2, I have the honor respectfully to renew my inquiry of December 27, 1895, whether in your judgment the continued imposition of tonnage taxes and light-house dues in German ports upon American vessels entering from the United States does not call for the suspension of the exemption from tonnage taxes in American ports, pursuant to the proclamation of the President, upon vessels entering the United States from German ports?

Respectfully, yours,

C. S. Hamlin,
Acting Secretary.