New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-20
BERMUDA.

Core spondence of The N. Y Tribune.
BERMUDA, Friday, June 8, 1855.
Beyond the interest which attaches to the dig
ging and shipping of the exceedingly fine crop of
is no topic of local importance to communicate to
you. There is one subject however which may
mention, inasmuch as while it intimately concerns
ourselves il has relation to the recent commercial
policy of the United States.
Since the accomplishment of reciprocal trade
between the United States and the British North
American Provinces our attention has been at
tracted to the anomalous position in which that
measure has placed Bermuda, so far as relates
TO the export of the potato. The high duty OF 80
DER cent which that edible bears on importation
in the United States falls now exclusively on the
small shipments that these Islands make to your
country-for the great potato growing Colonies OF
Nova Scotia, Canada, and Prince Edwards Island,
now enjoy the boon of perfect immunity from
any duty whatever on sending their potatoes to the
marts of the United States.
Now YOU are aware that this Colony deals al
most exclusively with the United States, so far as
breadstufls provisions, live stock, the productions
of the dairy, implements of agriculture, and host
of other things that fall within the consumption of
a civilized people are concerned. 1t is merely in
the article ranked under the head of dry goods or
textile productions, that we resort to England.
We admit all the agricultural implements that you
manufacture also your manures, whether manu-
featured or in the original elements, such as
guano, &c, your ice, your apples and other fresh
fruits and your POTATOEs-aH free Of duty. or
this latter article take every Fall not less than
1000 barrels, for which we pay you in British sov
ereigns, as we do for nearly everything we import
from YOUR country 1t is therefore not too much
to ask OF your Congress to place the article Of pO
tatoes on the free list of your Tariff since, to keep
il among the commodities that pay 30 per cent
duty is now nothing less than an niictiOn on this
small Colony only, while the amount of duty re-
allied in the aggregate from all the pota-
toes that Bermuda could ship you is too III
significant in itself to weigh one moment
with YOUR statesmen. Even if our potatoes
came into competition with those of the
American planter, IL would then be little more than
a puerile policy TO maintain protective duty on
the article simply because little Bermuda raised
few thousands barrels yearly. But we do not com.
pete with your cultiyators at all we raise and send
Won potatoes at time of the year when your old
stock is exhausted and your new potatoes have not
oven neened above the soil Messrs Editors of
Tur tribune. if you would turn but modcum OF
yonr influence toward the advocacy of an aug
mented American free-list OF imports, SO as 10 III
clude potatoes, arrow.root, oranges and vegetable
productions in general, you would confer most
important service on the people OF TINS Colony
while, at the same time, you would not In the most
minute respect inflict any injury on any American
interest whatever.
The flagship Boscawen, with the Admiral on
board, sails to-day for Halifax.
The American schooner Adaline for Boston ana
the British schooner Justina, for New YORK, are
now loading at this port