New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-04-10

resolution of the Senate interesting and highly valu
able report from the Treasury Department has been
mtted the subject of the trade of the United States
with the islands Of Cuba and Porto Rico The informa-
ton called for by the Senate in order to determine
upon the expedency of repeating modifying the act of
1884 concerning tonnage duties Spanish vessels EN-
poyed in the trade between the United States these
Islands and the subject will engage the attention
of Congress
In 1928 the tonnage duty foreign vessels in Cuba
s2s per ton and Spanish rs cents In 1853 it
reduced to S1 foreign and 62s Spanish YES
sells, at which latter rates it continues.
In the periods respectively the duties foreign
merchandise, imported under the Spanish flag from
per cent less than in foreign vessels except few
articles paying specific duties among the prominent
of which -four of great staples the duty on
which faror of the Spanish flag from one to one
dollar and half per barrel
In the year 1882 under the representations made to
Congress the subject of the inequality tonnage duty
Cuba between Spanish and American vessels an
retaliation passed levyng Spanish vessels coming
from the colonies of Spain the same tonnage duties
were exaced from American vessels at the ports from
whence they came. This act, however. did not induce
the Spanish Government to equaze the tonnage duties
regarded the Spanish and American flags in the Islands
of Spain.
Their vessels continued resort to our ports for
above the vessels of the two nations placed
footing equality regards the tonnage duty which
respectively levied upon them the difference duties in
Cuba upon cargoes carried by them respectively in
most instances much greater than the freight. On
the article of flour for instance, American vessel
would have carry it free of in order to Place the
shipper of it footing of equality with that conveyed
Spanish vessel at the freight and that is full rate
to Iavana) of one dollar per barrel
an act passed providing that Spanish vessels coming
from the Island of Cuba Porto Rico either directly
after touching any port place. should in the ports
of the United States such further tonnage duty in add
ton to the tonnage duty which may be payable under
any other law shall be equivalent to the amount
discriminating duty that would have been imposed thu
cargoes imported in the said vessels respectively if thu
same exported from the port of Havana in Anne
rican bottoms.
The report goes on to say:
Such is the history of the influences and proceeding
which have produced the existing state of things a
the trade between the United States and the abov
colonies
our flag upon footing of perfect equality with the Span
sh and might naturally be expected under such cir
cumstances has thrown into the hands of American sh
nearly or quite the entire trade between thos
islands and the United States, but has inflicted muc
injury upon the interests of the United State
than any possible advantages which may be thus derve
from the exclusive employment of our tonnage
The operation of the of June 3d. 1884 is very oh
| vious. Spanish vessel proceeding from the Unite
States Cuba must previous to clearing pay expor
duty under the of tonnage duty equal to the dill
ference of duty which the different articles comprisin
her cargo would pay if imported into Cuba in Amer
can vessel So ad valorem articles
the average differences about per cent. 1t is yer
therefore that article of the kind shppe
from the United States is burdened with tax of pc
cent more than similar article shipped from any othe
country where the Spanish flag not subject to this
port duty 1t is in fact, bounty of per cent held
to the consumers Cuba and Porto Rico induce then
to procure their supplies from other countries instead
the United States far they possibly do TIL
natural result has been that nothing but bulky article
and those of prime necessity and which, from the
unity of the United States be had more prompt
| and atlvantageously here, furnished from OF
ports and by vessels. Other descriptions of gooG
are now almost exclusively obtained by those colont
from Europe for if shipped from hence in American
sells they would pay the additional duty entry in tho
islands, and if in Spanish vessels it would have to
Maid on clearing from American port 1t is true
the same articles shipped from Europe by foreg
flag they would pay the extra duty if impore
in an American vessel but Great Britain and other +,
ropean nations wisely preferred to furnish the
plies of their produce manufactures by allowing I'll
SPANISH flag to the carriers of it and the advantag
to their industry wealth in furnishing the mechandi
far outweigh the profit the freight which remain
after the expenses connected with it deducted.
While we have been greatly injured by the operation
the act of 3Oth June 1884 regards the supply of Anne
lean produce or manufacture it has almost totally ann
hilated the entrepot trade between those colonies and
United States in articles of foreign production.