# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 4/23rd Congress/1st Session/Chapter 170

Chap. CLXX.—An Act concerning tonnage duty on Spanish vessels.
Spanish vessels from Cuba or Porto Rico, after March, to pay a tonnage duty equal to discriminating duty on American bottoms.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the first day of March next, Spanish vessels coming from the island of Cuba, or Porto Rico, either directly, or after touching at any port or place, shall pay, in the ports of the United States, such further tonnage duty in addition to the tonnage duty which may be payable under any other law, as shall be equivalent to the amount of discriminating duty that would have been imposed on the cargoes imported in the said vessels, respectively, if the same had been exported from the port of Havana, in American bottoms.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That before any such vessel shall be permitted to clear out or depart from a port of the United States, with a cargo which shall be directly or indirectly destined to either of the said islands, the said vessel shall pay such further tonnage duty as shall be equivalent to the amount of discriminating duty that would be payable, for the time being, upon the cargo, if imported into the port of Havana, in an American bottom.
Spanish vessels clearing out, excepting for Cuba or Porto Rico, to give bond that no part of the cargo shall be landed in those islands.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That no Spanish vessel shall be allowed to clear out or depart from a port of the United States, with any goods, wares, or merchandise, except upon a destination to some port or place, in the Island of Cuba or Porto Rico, without giving bond, with approved security, in double the value of the vessel and cargo, that the said cargo, or any part thereof, shall not be landed in either of the said islands; which bond shall be cancelled on producing of certificate from an American consul, that the said cargo has been landed elsewhere, bona fide and without intention to reship it for a port in one of the said islands.
Secretary of the Treasury to estimate the additional tonnage duty, and direct officers of the customs.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized, from time to time, to estimate the said additional tonnage duty, and to give directions to the officers of the customs of the United States, for the collection of such duties, so as to conform the same to any variation which may take place in the discriminating duties levied on the cargoes of American vessels in the said port of Havana.
Act to cease, if Spain abolish her discriminating duties on American vessels in Cuba and Porto Rico.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That whenever the President of the United States shall be satisfied, that the discriminating duties in favour of Spanish bottoms, levied upon the cargoes of American vessels in the ports of Cuba and Porto Rico, have been abolished, or whenever, in his opinion, a satisfactory arrangement upon the subject of the said duties shall have been made between the United States and Spain, the President is hereby authorized to declare the same by proclamation, and thereupon this act shall cease to have any further force or effect.
Approved, June 30, 1834.