New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-12
THE SOUND DUES.


The Tos1oa Times copies Mr. Secretary Marcys
last dispatch to the United States Minister at Copen
hagen. which we gave the other day, and comments
upon il q. follows:
"With the increasing relations between the United
States and the European Powers, with the extension
OF American commerce, and the CONSCIOUSNESS o' uh
folding strength on the part OF the American people,
many international questions are likely 70 arse, ana
MANI RIGHTS acouie-ced in by custom are likely to be
contested document has just been issued from the
American Department Of State which places ID Gear
light the position which the United states GoVerh-
n ept conceives itself entitled TO maintain. Since the
navigation Of the Baltic has been essential TO the trade
az nations it has been recognized as night OF Den
mark to regulate the passage OF the Sound, ana 20
establish fixed dues TO be PAID by every passing yes
sci In proportion to it, tunnage While exercising TINS
control the Danish Government has been bound by
usage to extend to the marine OF all nations the assist
ance which II necessary 20 the navigation oil STRAIT anu
shallow seas. Lighthouses have been constructed
huovs laid down and pilots have been in readiness to
facilitate the voyage of every merchantmen. In ac-
cor,laIce with European customs this prescrlpuve
night found general assent from tie family OF CONNER
cial nations The grounds of the caun are Ill under-
TODD hut Il is felt that practically the arrangement
was beneficial, and France aud England have paid
without muT1nur.
"Rut lately the right to demand such dues has been
questioned by the United State. America and Rus
sa are both producers of material, consequently
have had till lately hut little direct intercourse but
now American enterprise has penetrated INTO the ba
tic and the war which prevails may have made the
traffic with Memel and Dantsc more lucrative tor our
kip.men. The exactou Of a tribute has not found
favor with the Americans. Where there Is right 10
demand there must of couIse, be the ght 10 stop
reousaut vessel and consequently the night to conf
NIT an outrage on the American nag. Hence the
Sound Dues have been debated with more or lea
acrinony throughout the ports of the Union, and the
Government of President Pierce has brought the mat,
ter before the Danish Cabinet, or rather proclaimed
s total denial Of the right assumed. The discussion
Ios cd 80 ar document
publish elsewhere Mr. Marcy expressly tells his Mn
ter at Copenhagen that he has no intention OF arguing
further on the question; enough, he thinks has been
said; America has arrived at ITS conclusion, which IA
tba, il is not bound 10 paw The Secretary of state
then proceeds to speak Of the proposal which Denmark
has made for solution of the ditticulty and reason
ing from bis own position ne certainty nus tue og T
of the argument. The United States have totally
denied the right Of a Power holding the shores OF
strait which led TO the waters of some other Power TO
exclude foreign merchant vessel from passage. inc
alternative which Denmark lays down III default OF
navment il such an exclusion. The United States de-
G ar the Baltic to be in the same category as the
Black Sea- or even the Mediterranean, anu denies that
the Sound should be obstructed any more than the
Straits of Gibraltar, Mossna, the Dardanees, or
the Bosphorus. Denmark, in her answer, unaccount-
ably loses sight of the real question and makes the fol-
lowing proposal: The nations Interested shall send
II representatives to Congress at Copenhagen, at
which il shall be debated what sum shall be paid to
Denmark 80 as to capitalize the Sound revenues and
induce Denmark to free the commerce OF the world.
Mr. Ma1ys answer il obvious. To send represent-
alive TO such Congress would be to yield the whole
question which is, whether foreign nations are bound
10 pay ut nl and not how much is proper tribute.
II does not give high notion of Danish diplomacy
that its Ministers should have gwen their opponent
such an evident advantage. The American tears up
tue falacy to his hearts content, aud then opens new
ground. .
1.-The Danish Government, in inviting congress,
had given a supplementary to the main one o.
regulating commercial rights. The Sound Dues were
not TO be considered as forming question OF trade
only. There was political phase in the matter.
Unless the representatives, OF all nations We're invited
though there mig be an arrangement merely COM
meroal and fiscal there could not be one destined to
serve a compliment 20 treaties of peace and COM
promises by which the system of the political balance
has been adjusted This euough for the Aneli-
can Secretary. He straightway declares that the
United States will never consent to the pretenson
that the New World is to be appropriated to al Just
the political balance OF the Old Enough, con-
inucS Mr. Marcy has been seen of the theory of the
balance of power to impress this Government with
Fixed determination to avoid being brought within its
vortex. America will avoid for ever such dam
gerous completely Having thus on the question of
right and the question of State policy declined all III
reference in the proposed Congress the Secretary ot
State descends to practical matters The Sound is
and its shoals dangerous; the Danes are
accustomed 10 place lighthouse and buOys at the SER
wee of the mariners. Here is work done which ought
10 be paid for the United States therefore, willing
to enter into arrangement TO pay fair equivalent
for any advantages their commerce may receive, but
such payment must be disconnected from any pre-
tended right to control the navigation of the Sound
and Belts
"Such is the latest phase OF dispute on which
much has been said and written. Whatever justice
there may be in the arguments which the Americans
so peremptoriy urge there can be no doubt but the
payment OF these dues consecrated by prescription
and justified by common sense may fairly be de-
handed. To such extent, indeed, has this demand
been admitted by Great Britain, that the interest on
Danrh loans raised in this country has been guaran-
eed the receipt OF these very Sound Dues. Again,
the expense of keeItg up the aids to navigation
would fall on small aud poor State, which gains but
little hom the trade Of its great neighbors Denmark
has, however, grounded her claims wrong basis.
Sire claims the right to stop any ship at pleasure not
because she has built lighthouses, but because she il
one of the pow which bold the Strait. She alleges
that il u only OF her free bounty that ship proceeds
even when it has paid the dues. She holds to tho
theory that power processing the shores Of Strait
may exclude al foreign ye-sez-a claim entirely inde-
fen-ibc, ard one which would, as Mr.. Marcy urges,
close the Dardaneles and the Straits Of Reggie, and
even the Mediterranean if the British more pos
Se-sed TaDgier. If Denmark takes lower ground che
will have the world on her side. Every nation is in
ter,stod in preserving the free navigation Of the Sound
and Belts and II wiling to pay fair amount for such
-afety The trade Of the Baltic will probably be
vastly increased when this war i brought TO close,
and We trust that BY that time Denmark will have
made fair terms with the nation. of both the Old and
New World"
BOARD or COUNCILAEN.