653.116/68
The American Minister in Portugal (Dearing) to the Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Da Fonseca Monteiro)10
Excellency: I have the honor, acting under telegraphic instructions from my Government, to inform Your Excellency that it is the understanding of my Government that cargo shipped directly to Angola in Portuguese vessels and cargo shipped to Lisbon and thence in Portuguese vessels to Angola enjoy there certain customs reductions not allowed on cargo shipped to Angola in American or other vessels of foreign registry. Furthermore, It is understood that large quantities of cargo are being diverted from their direct route in order to [Page 779] take advantage of the customs reductions obtainable by shipping via Lisbon and that in consequence the American Line following the direct route is suffering a serious loss of business.
Under the circumstances, I am directed again to bring to the attention of Your Excellency’s Government the matter of shipping discriminations and to state that my Government is hopeful that means will soon be found of solving this controversial question. I venture, in this connection, to remind Your Excellency that Portuguese vessels in foreign trade enjoy full national treatment in the United States in respect of duties and charges levied on such vessels and their cargo, and that my Government only seeks reciprocally the same freedom from discriminatory treatment for American vessels in ports under the jurisdiction of Your Excellency’s Government. This it has consistently done heretofore and notably in the note which the American Chargé d’Affaires addressed to Your Excellency’s distinguished predecessor, Dr. Bettencourt Rodrigues, under date of May 2, 1928, (No. 726).11
I avail myself [etc.]
- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Minister in Portugal in his despatch No. 2951, January 14, 1930; received January 31.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. iii, p. 781.↩