Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-02-20
ERaa lhe & o, Pic syunc.

MIR. Mallory, u. 5. Senator from the State OF
Florida, has written small pamphlet, containing
about twenty pages, on the relations between
the United States and Cuba, and the expediency
OF modifying the commercial restrictions on the
Cuban trade. The subject is now before Con-
gress in bill to repeal the acts concerning ton
mage duty OH Spanish vessels, passed July 18th,
1882, and June 30th, 1884,
These laws were passed as retaliatory mea-
sures, on the assumption that the navigation and
commerciallaws of Spain made special discrim-
nation against the vessels and cargoes of the
United States. The argument fortheir repealis,
that this Is an erroneous supposition, that there
IS no discrimination operating exclusively against
the United States, and that the laws of Spain,
with regard to her colonies, are determinations
III favor OF her own vessels and cargoes against
the vessls and cargoes of all foreign ma
tlons Mr.. Secretary Walker, in 1849, in
reply to call from the q. S. Senate, re-
ported that American vessels enjoy precisely
the same privileges as those of all other ma
tons.
As the subject is of great interest to the ports
IN the United States most contiguous to the
Islands OF Cuba and Porto Rico, it is of suffi-
Client Importance to deserve particular attention
here.
The policy of Spain, of late years, has been
that winch every nation having colonies has
claimed and exacted, that of securing to herself
the carrying trade between them and the mother
country. General regulations respecting trade
with other nations never apply to the colonial
trade, unless specially included. They are anal
agous in principle to the rule of the United
States, of excluding foreigners from the eoasting
trade.
by the act of 1882 Spanish colonial vessels
coming into American ports were required to
pay the same tonnage duties as were levied on
American vessels in the colonial ports thus
demanding for the trade with the colonies on
the same footing as the trade with the mother
country. This produced no alteration in the
Spanish laws, and another act was passed in 1874
which was extremely stringent in its provisions.
1t required all Spanish vessels bound to Cuba or
Porto Rico to pay to the United States, as dis
terminating tonnage tax, the difference between
the duties payable in Cuba or Porto Rico bv
Spanish vessels, and those paid in the same
ports III American vessels. The difference in
respect to cargo of flour is not far from six dol
lars ton, and the general discrimination is
about eight per cent.
Mr.. Mallory proceeds to show that since this
law was passed the export of flour from the
United States has fallen off, until during the wear
l649, OF the 215,837 barrels of flour imported
into Cuba only 1877 were from the United States,
and not one OF these was carried in an Ameri
can bottom.
The effect complained of by Spain of this
dlfferential duty is that it is aimed expressly at
the internal regulations of Spain for the encour-
agement of her domestic shipping interests
and that for every reduction of the burdens I'M.
on the trade of Spanish vessels, the U. States
makes n proportional increase of its charges
on Spanish vessels. Thus, without any change
in the charges on American vessels if the Span
ish Government should favor its own vessels in
preference to those Of all other nations, in the
island ports, by, say, five per cent, the United
States adds that i've per cent. on the Spanish
vessels sailing out of American ports.
MIR. Mallory argues at length to show thatthis
is unjust in principle, that all nations have the
right to regulate and protect their coastng trade
in which light he considers the trade between
Spain and her colonies. He proceeds to show
that these acts are not merely retaliatory but
vindictive. Under the tariff of l842 there ia
discriminating duty of ten per cent laid upon
dutiabe merchandise in foreign bottoms, which
made our determinations, with the eight per
cent. dliferentlal duty on tonnage, which is
about the average, fully eighteen per cent,
against the Spanish discrimination of EIGHT Der
cent. against us. Under the present tariff there
Is duty OF twenty per cent on Cuba coffee in
Spanish bcttoms it being a free article in our
own, which is a further excess over fair retalia-
ton.
Mr.. Mallory fortifies his opinion of the evil eff
tects OF these laws by the following statistics
The act of 1884 has been in force seventeen
years, period amply sufficient to test its policy: and
who look at the present condition of our trade and
OF our relations generally with Cuba and fail to see how
ill-timed and suicidal it was?
The population of Cuba is now 1s51) 10000 and
Its trade has greatly increased. In l94e its imports
amounted to S25 56 and its exports to $26O77o67
and IN 1919 Its imports amounted to sec 400 and
its exports to $22436 $50, making the aggregate trade
Of 18ls S5l,5l2,632 and that of 1e49, $4s 757ol6
Our geographical position admirable merchant
marine, aud great agricultural and manufacturing inte
rests Combine to assure that participation in this
trade would steadily and measuraby increase with tho
population and resources of Cuba and such must nev
tally have been the result but for our experiment in re-
tailation But IN fact our exports have almost stood
still Our own Treasury statistics show the value of
exports to Cuba for the year ending 30h June 1851 to
have been SG,524,1l3 gain in seventeen years of
1881 Alb Great Britain and the continental countries
trading with Cuba, adopted retaatory measures to
conterva her RESTRICTIONS and they have been greatly
benefited by unwise legislation as the following
table OF Cuban imports for 1849 will, to some extent
show:
IMPORTS IN SPANISH VESSELS
FROM SPAN. 1876 1870 06l
Uhltea otaIes- 1l,048 90
france. :..--.--.-..-.... 770,92O 90
GREAT Britain .---......... 345 900 m
south America. Observation-Disclosures. 1870 74e 0ol
Geinahy Observation-Disclosures. 912,727 O4
belShn' observation-disclosures 323,297 OIL
Iioliahd; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 17,104 90
Oehhlarh- 320,266 Oh