The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-07


the yulA ar section Of the Fifth avenue but we
cannot de- cend 30 low. Meantime, we still
ask-vSy d ;. have Mr.. Ticmanns and when is
that bill Of sdvss>' ising to be paid.
YANKEE EvEnrHsI- Va. SPANISH CONNER
CIAL WIsDoM.-At tire pA'sent day there is no
leading civilized nation which adheres 30 close
ly to the system Of high protective duties a.
Spain, and there IL none which is more victim
lied by smuggling in all its forms The one
begets the other, and both tend to commercial
isolation and retrograaation. Spain, in order TO
force her colonies TO trade exclusively with the
mother country, imposed higher duties on their
imports than on those made direct to her from.
foreign countries
This restrictive policy, early commenced by
Spain, was made more rigid and more strictly
enforced when the precious metals began to
TOW into the country from South America The
government entertained the absurd notion that
by prohibiting foreign importations they would
be able to keep the gold and silver in the
country, and at the same time promote
domestic manufactures This policy has
produced effects Numerically opposite to those
intended. Smuggling, under such system, was
extensively carried on, and which, indeed, is
continued to the present day. Contraband ar-
ticles were paid for in specie, which, at the
same time from competitiok contributed to
PROSTATE domestic manufactures Goods, in
the same way, were also candestinely intro
duced into her colonies, and specie Withdrawn
in payment. The result was that her specie
was exhausted, while she refrigerated in COM
mercial and manufacturing prosperity.
Nothing can be more absurd than for any one
nation to imagine that it can pass laws to keep
the precious metals boarded within its bounds
that it can without disastrous results to its own
prosperity and progress dam up the healthy
course Of trade by selfish idea of keeping all
the specie at home, by either curtailing or cut
ting off trade with foreign nations. Those per-
sons in the United States who think that specie
can be kept in the country under high tariff du-
ties, had better read the commercial history Of
Spain and learn the results Of such policy.
The duties imposed on foreign importations
into Cuba are enormous, and especially on Anne
rican agricultural products. BY cheap negro
labor, employed on that island in the cultiva-
ton of sugar, we are forced to become its largest
customer, and in 1856 paid her balance of
trade against us of Sc, 329,9l4, and including
Porto Rico a total balance Of $l9, 1854, $50.
The population of Cuba 1t is supposed is ca
pable of consuming from 100000 to 900, 900
barrels of -four per annum, were it admitted at
a low rate of duty. The present tariff on Anne
rican -four in Cuba is about $40 81 per barrel
when imported in American bottoms, and only
50 so per barrel when imported in Spanish YES
sells. Besides, the tonnage duty on American
vessels is 81 so per ton, and only 62lc. per ton
On those of Spain.
The duty on -four shipped direct into Spain il
on sliding scale of between % and SO per cent.
The last years crop in that country was short,
and the duty became reduced so as to induce
importations from other countries, including
the United States. While Spain relaxed the
duty at home, she maintained 1t at SO 81 per
barrel in Cuba. In 1852, of 1927 $50 barrels
flour imported into Cuba, only 1910 bbls. were
received from the United States direct, the re-
mainder being derived from Spain. Last year,
of about 100000 barrels imported, only
$4,000 barrels were from the United States
This year Spain has not had flour to spare for
the Cuba market, yet she has been unwilling to
relax the duty in favor Of its inhabitants.
Owing to Yankee enterprise, however, the
Cubans have been indirectly fed with large sup
plies Of American -four.
The plan has been to load vessels In New
York for ports in Spain, chiefly on the Atlantic
side, where il would be landed, rcpackcd in
barrels with Spanish marks, and reshppcd
to Cuba In Spanish vessels Within month or
two past the shipments from this port to Spair
reached often in single week to from $1,000 to
10000 barrels. The same vessels carry out bar
rel and pipe slaves, from the former Of which
the Spanish barrels are produced to receive
the -four intended for Cuba.
Surprising the -four to cost in this market IS
per barrel and shipped direct to Cuba, the duty
there Of $40 81 would alone bring up the cost
TO SIS 81; whereas on landing in Spain, and
made to pay duty of say 80 per cent, would
raise its cost in Spanish port to 81 so per bar
rel, or to s6 so. When reaching Cuba in n
Spanish bottom ii would have to pay duty OF
81 so, making the whole cost about 50 per
barrel-lcaving difference in price, via Spain
TO Cuba, Of Sc 81 in favor of the exporter.
Thus, a cargo Of -four has to cross the Atlantic
twice, on voyage Of two months or more,
while Cuba lies within some four OF five days
sail Of New York; and from which we in 1856
'57, took produce TO the amount of s24, 4s5, 69I,
and sent out in exports direct only 81 ,sO9 ,26s.
So much for Spanish commercial wisdom and
Yankee enterprise.
II il believed that much Of the flour landed
in Spain is Struggled in, and reshpped to Cuba
without paying any duty at all. Large quanti-
ties of both -four and tobacco are Struggled into
the country from Gibraltar and other points.
If the Yankees are enabled to reship -four
from Spain to Cuba without paying additional
duttpa fhpv hoy In ;cat