Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-07-02
For the Delaware Republican.


The bill reported became law in June,
1854, and contormably to its provisions, the
secretary of the Treasury, in February,
1850, issued to- the collectors of the Gus
toms his circular, in the following words =
u nave to call the attention of the officers of
customs to the accompanying copy of the act
VI: congress concerning tonnage duty on Span
ls1 vessels, approved the Both June last, and
winch goes into operation on the first of March
next, showing the rate of duty to be levied
on the arrival of Spanish vessels at any
port IN The United States, coming from the
Islands OF Cuba or Porto Rico" The above
contract contains, in substance, the first three
SECTIONS OF the act of 1854. The 9th section
SHOWS the purport and scope Of the act, and
.hat u was designed by the committee in which
~ was adopted, to force the government of
spain into more liberal and just course Of
legislation in regard to the commerce between
me United States and this island, by placing
spanish vessels, with their cargoes, coming
INTO or departing from the United States in
y. t,ie same condition as to imports OF all kinds,
tnat American vessels are subjected to in the
colonies Of Spain.
This equality was determined as imperativcly
IN ~, behalf of the interests of Cuba and Porto
RICO, as in vindication of our commercial
rights and the 9th section expressly limits its
continuance and restricts its application to the
accomplishment of that end.
IN lo49the Treasury Department ascertained
mat certain privileges had been accorded on
tile part of the Spanish government to vessels
o. inc United States entering and departing
from ports in the island of Cuba. A circular
was Immediately issued from that department,
which, after citing the provisions of the acts
CT 1882 and 1884, and specifying the privileges
alluded to, says: i" 1t consequently follows
HAT where no tonnage duty on cargoes of
American vessels, wintering or departing from
ports in the island of Cuba is imposed, Spanish
vessels coming from such ports arc to be sim
llary treated in the ports Of the United
States.''
In 1852, similar circular was issued to col
lectors, instrncting them to admit Spanish
vessels arriving from Spanish or any other
foreign ports, those Of Cuba and Porto Rico
excepted, to entry on the same footing as
American vessels
These acts have been in force now during a
period OF twenty-five years, and with the ex-
ceptlon of the slight privileges which called
for the circulars already referred to, have failed
to produce the effect contemplated by their
enactment. The commerce between the U.
States and these islands, in the aggregate, have
not fallen Off; but the increase has not been
such as should be expected trem the great ex
pansion OF our general commerce, and the in
creased development of the agricultural and
industrial resources OF Cuba, since that period.
Spanish ships from our ports, and to destroy
in measure, all that portion Of the carrying
trade hence to Cuba which comprises articles
of foreign product; for, the Spanish vessels,
no longer permitted to engage in the carrying
trade between the United States and Cuba, on
more favorable terms than American vessels
were soon driven from our ports, and supplied
the wants of the island from the countries
where the articles were produced and thus
the hardware, glass, deli, and drygoods OF En-
gland, that had been previously brought to the
United States in American packet ships, prin-
cipally from London and Liverpool to New
York, were now directly imported into Cuba;
and the same results has attended the carry
ing trade from France, in her silks and fancy
wares, and Germany in her cottons, linens,
and hosiery.
The following table exhibits the number and
nationality Of vessels employed in the trade
of Cuba during the three years, 1896, 1929, and
1884;