Mr. Hay to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Washington, January 4, 1899.
Excellency: Referring to my note No. 1271 of November 25 last, in which by the reason of the ordinances of Trinidad and Tobago under which tonnage or equivalent duties are imposed on American vessels in the ports of those islands, the necessity was shown for the revocation of the President’s proclamation of April 7, 1885, and December 2, 1891, suspending the collection of tonnage or equivalent taxes on vessels from ports in those islands, I have the honor to inform your excellency that an affidavit sworn to on December 28, 1898, by the captain of an American vessel, and filed with the Secretary of the Treasury, shows that tonnage taxes are still exacted of our vessels in Trinidad.
In my note referred to, I also stated, that, before preparing the revocatory proclamations, I deemed it considerate and proper to bring the subject to your attention in order that the charges imposed by the ordinances of Trinidad and Tobago since the agreements of 1885, and 1891 might be rescinded in season to avoid the necessity of issuing revocatory proclamations, as the President is required by statute to do, should the conditions under which the original proclamations were issued be ascertained to no longer exist.
In your note of November 28 last you stated that you would bring my note to the attention of Her Majesty’s Goverment and should be pleased to convey to me the reply you might receive thereto.
I have the honor to inquire whether this reply might not be expedited.
I have, etc.,