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. Rockhill to Mr. Uhl.
Washington, September 1, 1896.
Sir: Referring to your dispatches Nos. 99 and 100, of the 27th and 31st of July last, relative to the collection of tonnage dues on American vessels in German ports, I inclose for your information copies of correspondence with the Treasury Department, as indicated below on the subject.
I am, etc.,
Acting Secretary.
Mr. Hamlin to Mr. Olney.
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, D. C., August 20, 1896.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th instant, transmitting copy of a dispatch from the United States ambassador at Berlin, “giving detailed statements of the tonnage taxes, light, and other dues which have been unlawfully collected from American vessels by the German authorities.”
[Page 157]It is the understanding of this Department that by the words “tonnage taxes, light, and other dues which have been unlawfully collected from American vessels by the German authorities” you designate tonnage taxes, light, and other dues which have been collected from American vessels entering German ports from ports of the United States, imposed by the laws of Germany or its maritime states in violation of the assurances upon which was based the proclamation of the President, dated January 26, 1888, beginning: “Whereas satisfactory proof has been given to me by the Government of the Empire of Germany that no tonnage or light-house dues or any equivalent tax or taxes whatever are imposed upon American vessels entering the ports of the Empire of Germany, either by the Imperial Government or by the Governments of the German maritime states,” etc., and concluding by suspending the collection of tonnage taxes upon vessels entered in the ports of the United States from any of the ports of Germany.
By the terms of that proclamation, “the suspension hereby declared and proclaimed shall continue so long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States and their cargoes shall be continued in the said ports of the Empire of Germany, and no longer.”
It appears from your letter and from the copy of the dispatch of the United States ambassador at Berlin and its inclosures that the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States does not now exist in the ports of the Empire of Germany, and that the suspension of tonnage taxes on vessels from German ports entering the United States, by the terms of the proclamation and under the law, has thereby ceased.
I have the honor respectfully to suggest that a proclamation to that effect may issue.
Respectfully, yours,
Acting Secretary.
Mr. Rockhill to Mr. Carlisle.
Washington, August, 22, 1896.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant in which you refer to the receipt of a letter from this Department, dated August 15, transmitting a copy of a dispatch from the United States ambassador at Berlin, “giving detailed statements of the tonnage taxes, light, and other dues which have been unlawfully collected from American vessels by the German authorities.” You suggest the advisability, in view of the above fact, of a proclamation being issued to the effect that, as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States does not now exist in the ports of the empire of Germany, the suspension of tonnage taxes on German vessels entering the ports of the United States, by the terms of the proclamation of January 26, 1888, has thereby ceased.
With the letter to your Department of the 15th instant was also transmitted a copy of a dispatch from the United States ambassador to Germany, dated July 31, inclosing a note from Mr. Uhl to Baron von Rotenhan, in which the attention of the Imperial Government is called to the fact that tonnage taxes, lighthouse dues, or other equivalent taxes are being laid in German ports on American vessels and [Page 158] inquiry is made as to the ground or theory upon which such charges have been imposed. In view of this, it is respectfully suggested whether it would be advisable to await the Imperial Government’s reply to the above-mentioned note before issuing such a proclamation as your Department recommends.
I have, etc.,
Acting Secretary.
Mr. Hamlin to Mr. Olney.
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, D. C., August 26, 1896.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22d instant, in reply to the letter of this Department dated the 20th instant, in which was suggested the advisability of a proclamation being issued to the effect that as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States does not now exist in the ports of the Empire of Germany, the suspension of tonnage taxes on vessels entering the ports of the United States from Germany, by the terms of the President’s proclamation of January 26, 1888, and of the law, has thereby ceased.
You direct notice to the copy of a dispatch from the United States ambassador to Germany, inclosing a note from Mr. Uhl to Baron von Rotenhan, in which the attention of the Imperial Government is called to the fact that tonnage taxes, light-house dues, or other equivalent taxes are being laid in German ports on American vessels, and inquiry is made as to the ground or theory upon which such charges have been imposed; and in view of this you suggest whether it would not be advisable to await the Imperial Government’s reply to the above-mentioned note before issuing such a proclamation.
I have the honor respectfully to state that in the opinion of this Department the suggestion whether the proclamation should be delayed until the Imperial Government has replied to the inquiry as to the ground or theory upon which the charges in question have been imposed by the German Government appears to be one to be determined by your Department, in view of the terms of the proclamation and the law.
Respectfully, yours,
Acting Secretary.
Mr. Rockhill to Mr. Carlisle.
Washington, September 1, 1896.
Sir: Referring to previous correspondence concerning the imposition of tonnage dues on American vessels in German ports, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo, concerning the advisability of a proclamation being issued to the effect that as the reciprocal exemption of vessels of citizens of the United [Page 159] States does not now exist in the ports of the Empire of Germany, the suspension of tonnage taxes on vessels entering the ports of the United States from Germany, by the terms of the President’s proclamation of January 26, 1888, and of the law, has thereby ceased.
In reply I beg to inform you that the Department has the matter under consideration, pending the arrival of a further dispatch from the American ambassador at Berlin in regard to the reply of the German foreign office to Mr. Uhl’s note of the 31st of July last.
I have, etc.,
Acting Secretary.