The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-06
THE sTADE DUES.

Extracts of letter from leading mercantile
house in Hamburg to 4. b. Ames, esq, late Ameri-
consul at that port;
During your stay here you have frequently heard of
the duty tolls which levied river at the
Hanoverian town of Ste without any reasonable ground
Hanover not doing the least thing for the lights buoys
anything which for maintaining the navigation
the Ebe The duty is therefore, doubly felt by all
ships proceeding to Hamburg, and great annoyance to
Therefore, although the goods which we
import for account in Hamburg bottoms
empt from the duty, have been long since devising
schemes for the abolition of such absurd duty which
is molestaton of all nations trading to the Elbe with
out any sort of compensation.
The abolition of the Sound Dues for which we are all
indebted the United States has of late formed VAL
liable precedent and put the Stade dues again in the
foreground with the agitation is considerable and
we are all persuaded that it wants the impulse only
to settle also this question forever without difficulty and
in peaceabe way. And who else could give such an
impulse better than your country
After the United States have rejected the Sound dues
it is but natural consequence that they should proceed
in the way against the Stade dues the dig
nifty of your country and the justice of your policy de-
mand it equally it will further increase your influence
and will be act much In the general interest the
trading world in the particular interest of the Ameri
commerce. The promotion of the international in
eress of is of the principal tasks of our
present times and those States which take the lead in
this respect may be sure to acquire prominently hon
orable position in the public opinion of nations It is
worth WHILE therefore, for your government to consider
the matter and the moment for prompt action is most
favorable.
The treaty which exists between your country and
Hanover dated 10th june 1896 expires on the 10th Of
June, 1858, if notice is given twelve months before
Of the desired cessation of the treaty From the 10th
Of June of this year your s consequently
at liberty to give such twelve months notice at any time
and with the cessation of the treaty your recognition of
the Stade duty expires likewise. Your government is
at liberty to give already now sixmonhs notice
only of the cessation Of the treaty for the 18th article of
your treaty contains the express condition. II Hanover
should raise the mpos duty then existing Amer
can tobacco, pr. ety. ggr per cwt that the govern
mcn Of the United States shall have full power to give
at notice of the cessation Of the treaty
This evcntuaty has happened for when Hanover enter
ed the Prssian Zoll vercin In the beginning of 1854
the impost duty tobacco raised to pr city per
cwt and has been maintained at this rate since
The right of your government is therefore, quite In
contestable and great object to influence your
government to do without delay what the interests of
your merchants demand and what will add the
fame and popularity of your great countrytha is to
say ITO declare at once to Hanover that the treaty is to
after six twelve months and that after its cess
ton the obligation the part Of American ships or
their cagoes to pay the duties at Stadc will be no more
recognised admitted and that your government is de-
termned to give full protection to your ships acting
der this declaration and refusing the payment of the
Stade dues" M
The consequence of such declaration Of your govern
ment would be that most of the other seafarng coun
tries would equally be freed Of the obligation to pay the
pate at all times in any advantages granted to the most
favored nations. The government of Hanover am in
formed, is well aware of the danger which the conse
quences of such declaration from your government
would involve for them and is quite ready on the first
official notice it receives from your side to express its
readiness for negotiations the basis that which
served for the abolition of the Sound dues The differ
ence here is only that it regards much smaller sum-
and that Hanover for fear Of losing ALL will take what
they get IT, in order to settle the matter in a
friendly way the United States should finally consent to
pay also share of the indemnifcaton which undonbt
eddy the European nations would allow the Hanoyera
government the whole share of your country would most
likely not exceed $40 900; therefore mere trfe for
your foushng finances and quite out of proportion to
the advantages which your rising commerce with Ger
many would derive from it.
There is circumstance still which must not be lost
sight Of and which shows best that the United States
most called for to be again the first in the attack upon
this absurd duty river for the navigation of which
all and every expense exclusively paid by Hamburg and
When few years ago England claimed reduction of the
Stale dues Hanover referred to the treaty at the Congress
of Vienna in 1875 when the right to levy duty at Sadc
had been recognised by all present. Now the United
States, as you not represented at Vienna
and have therefore, obligation whatever to allow any
further their ships to be taxed and mosted by duty
for which possible justification be found in the
general law Of nations and which is in fact better
than the piracics of Agies and Tuns in former days
Up to tho S0th of September there had arrived at tho
port of New York l45 I57 foreign emigrants since the