The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-12
ARRIVAL OF THE STEAMSHIP NORTH STAR.
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TWO Weeks Later News from
California and the Pacific.
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SUMMARY OF EVENTS.
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MARRIAGES. BIRTHS, AND DEATHS.
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M A r K & T S.
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M A r x ET s.. a.
&C., &C., &c.
O'Clock P. NJ yesterday from Aspinwan, whence she
sailed the Sd instant with the passengers who left San
Francisco the 10th ult in the steamship Uncle SAM
The passage has thus been made in triae twenty
two and half days. which is quicker than ever before
performed by the Panama route.
The Uncle Sam made the from San Francisco to Pa
mama in twelve days and eight hours
The steamships George Law and FL Dorado were at As
pinwan, and would sail the arrival Of the mails
The u s. sloop of-war Cyane, Commander Hoins, from
Caledonia Bay January 81 arrived at Aspinwa on the
LIST instant-oHacers and crew all well Nothing haa
been heard Of Lieutenant Strains expedition.
The steamship California left San Francisco on the
afternoon Of the 18th u for Panama. with the Cafor
mia malls She was detained to give parties oppor
tunitv to answer letters which left New York the
goth January and arrived at San Francisco in the steam
ship John L. Stephens on the 14th ult
The John L. Stephens had among her passengers Gen
eral Wool Lieutenant Hardie, and Governor Foote of
Mississippi
We are indebted to Mr.. J. j. Delano, purser Of the
North STAR and the express agent of Messrs. Adams
Co. for California papers.
The steamship Golden Gate account of the disaste
to which, we gave in the last from California,
rived at San Francisco on the Sd February having made
her way up with one paddle wheel She would soon be
repaired, and resume her place.
Our New Granada Correspondence.
AsPINwALL, Feb. 16, 1854.
Our Commercial Difficulties rith Ne,c Granada
Action of the Provincial Govanmert Of Panama
The U. S. Mail Steamship Company-1ar on
the Passengers-Treaties and their Observance.
n< ha int limo tn maj
Of the readers Of your popular journal, to be &C
quainted with the nature of the difficulties between
the government Of the Province of Panama and the
United States Mail Steamship Company, especially
MS these difficulties are assuming very interesting
aspect.
The beggared state of the national and provincial
treasury-the cause of which can only be sought
in the Incidence Of the people and the neglect and
folly of this government-has drawn the attention
of the legislature to the enterprise and energy Of
foreigners chiefly citizens of the United States, as
source whence, by means Of exorbitant taxes, the
deficiency might be supplied.
Thus in late law, the provincial government has
presumed to change the nature of this port. The
general government has expressly declared 1t free
port but this law of the provincial government inn
poses tax upon all vessels carrying passengers to
or from this port and other ports OF this province,
from or to any port not in this republic. The pro-
fits accruing from the carrying such passengers to
the owner or master of such vessels are estimated
to amount to SO per passenger, and no proof is
admitted to the contrary OF these supposed profits
the provincial government claims ten per cent ,sotha
the masters or owners Of ech and every such vessel
is liable to pay one dollar for each and every
passenger he brings or carries to or from tins
port to or from any port not in this republic.
The same law applies Of course TO Panama,
and thus we find tax of two dollars for every
passenger from the Atlantic coast Of the United
States to the States and Territories on the Pacific
md s.scc will
Editor, how seriously this law must affect the United
States Mail Steamship Company, both on the Allan.
tic and the Pacific. We are informed that Mr.. w
Fairchi3d, the efficient agent Of that company in
this place, has hitherto reported himself not au
thorized to pay this tax until he has " Law" upon
the subject-and doubt whether Mr.. Law will give
his sanction.
: What is the government doing in the meantime
to enforce this law2 The Governor has given ORDER
to the American Consul to detan the papers Of al
vessels until the captains present certificate at thu
consulate from the Tefe PdiiticO; and this oficia
win net give such certificate until they present re
ceipts from the officer who isappointed by theGover
NOR to collect the tax.
We do not believe, however, that the enterprisine
captains who command the steamers of this com
panyswin wait for decision of the question, should
1r.iLaw not authorise the payment of the tax. i
they cannot get their papers they will very likely
feel themselves bound ~ their commissions from
tAeNavy Department to 60 to sea without them.
Isithis the manner In which American citizens
and commerce are favored by the treaty of 1876 be
tween the united StaIe3 ana Lnl6 governments IuS
thirty fifth article of that treaty stpulates tina
the citizens, vessels, and merchandise of the United
States shall enjoy in the ports Of New Granada
including those OF the ports of the Granadian terri
tory generally denomnated Isthmus Of Panama
from its southernmost extremity until the boundar.
of Costa Rica-all the exemptions, privileges ant
immunites concerning commerce and navigation
which are now and may hereafter be enjoyed b!
Granadian citizens and merchandise"
Again, in the same article, it says -" Nor shall
the citizens of the United States be liable to an,
duties, TOLLS charges of any kind to which nativ
citizens are not subjected for thus passing the sail
doubt whether the United States will regard i
any peculiar privilege, intended to be secured t
her citizens by those treaty stipuatons to be com
PEELED to pay two dollars per head for the privieg
of crossing over about fifty miles of New Granadia
territory, In passing from the Atlantic States Il
those on the Pacific, &C., and rice cersa.
1t is to no purpose that the Provincial government
has much taxed its shrewdness that the phraseoo
gy of the law does not exempt New Granadial
vessels from the payment Of that tax, for it cal
hardly be a secret in the United States that New
Granada has no vessels which can at all DC anecte'
by this odious enactment. 1t cannot, in fact, b.
concealed that the law Is expressly enacted to pres
money from the United States Mail Steamship Com
pany 1t affects all other vessels only nominally, a
they carry only very few taxable passengers Up0l
the said company alone the tax falls very heavy
and amounts monthly to several thousand dollars
Again: The law estimates the profits realizes
from each passenger to be ten dollars and exact
PS S~n' Wy, e," ouPPooS Si,"s ouS. P,oiae' -.
not accrue to the company: what right has thi
Province to any share in the same? Does the com
pany hold its charter from this Province? Are TIN
contracts between tie company and the passenger
entered into in this Province2 And, finally, TIN
question arises: "Where these profits realised?'
Certainly not in this port or in Panama; but, If a
all, they must be realised upon the high seas
Surely the Governor must be an aspiran
for straight jacket, If he receive full credit TO
his presumption to tax vessels upon the high seas
over which neither he nor any other other morta
can hase any exclusive dominion, unless he justife
the tax upon tie ground that he sends an imposing
protect these steamers until they reach their por
or destination.
1t seems to me that his Excellency the Governor
might, with equal propriety-suppose the profits o.