Ambassador Griscom
to the Secretary of State.
[Extracts.]
American Embassy,
Petropolis, July 14,
1906.
No. 13.]
Sir: I have the honor to confirm a telegram
addressed to you on the 3d instant which, deciphered, reads as
follows:a
Mr. Eichardson transmitted to you in his No. 165 of May 16b a copy of a note of inquiry
which he addressed to the foreign office pursuant to your cable
instruction of the 15th of May. After waiting a month for a reply to Mr.
Richardson’s inquiry I made several verbal inquiries at the foreign
office without producing any result, and finally, on the 30th of June,
addressed to the minister of foreign affairs a note, a copy of which I
inclose herewith, asking him to give me a reply to the very simple
question as to whether the 20 per cent reduction had as yet gone into
effect. My inquiry was immediately followed by the publication on the 3d
of July of a presidential decree, a copy and translation of which I
inclose herewith, putting into effect a 20 per cent preferential
reduction in favor of the following goods imported from the United
States: Flour, condensed milk, types of rubber, watches and clocks, inks
except for writing, varnishes, typewriters, refrigerators, scales,
pianos, and windmills.
I am now engaged in collecting some statistics to show the effect of the
operation of the 20 per cent reduction in our favor which was in effect
from April 15, 1904, until January 1, 1905. At an early date, therefore,
I will have the honor of making a further report to the department on
this subject.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Ambassador Griscom to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs.
Monsieur le Ministre: I have the honor to
refer to your excellency’s note No. 15 of May 19 last to Mr.
Richardson, in which, after acknowledging the receipt of his note of
the 16th of that month inquiring whether the promised reduction of
20 per cent in the customs duties on certain American articles had
as yet gone into effect, your excellency promised to make urgent
inquiries in the premises from the ministry of fazenda.
Since the receipt of the above-mentioned note this embassy has heard
nothing more about the matter from your excellency’s Government, and
as this reduction of 20 per cent in the customs duties is of
considerable importance to my Government, I must beg of your
excellency to be good enough to communicate to me the answer to this
simple question at the very earliest possible moment.
I take advantage of the opportunity to renew, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
Executive decree No. 6,079, of June 30, 1906,
and published in the Diario Official on July 3,
1906.
[Translation.]
Conceding a reduction in the importation duties of certain articles
of a North American source;
The President of the United States of Brazil with the intention of
promoting the development of the commercial relations of Brazil with
the United States of North America; and whereas,
[Page 115]
That country is the greatest importer of coffee, which has free entry
to its markets;
Article 6 of law No. 1144 of December 30, 1903, added to article 18
of law No. 1452 of December 30, 1905, authorizes the Government to
adopt a differential tariff for one or more articles of foreign
production as a compensation for concessions made to articles of
Brazilian production;
Decrees:
- Article 1. During the current
year, and from the 1st of July next until the 31st of
December, the following articles of the produce of the
United States of North America shall enjoy a reduction of 20
per cent in import duties on the entry into Brazil: Flour;
condensed milk; rubber manufactures of article 1023 of the
tariff; clocks and watches; inks mentioned in article 173 of
the tariff, except writing inks; varnishes; typewriters;
refrigerators; pianos; scales; windmills.
- Art. 2. The decrees to the
contrary are hereby revoked.
Rio de Janeiro,
June 30, 1906, 18th
of the Republic.
- Francisco de Paula Rodrigues
Alves.
- Leopoldo de Bulhões.
