The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-01-05
Immense Tax On Commerss.


On tho lst day Of January the law imposing
duty Of ten cents ton on all vessels entering
at American ports went into effect This law.
Of which much complaint has. already been
made by our merchants and shipowners, was
passed. BY the last Congress on the lAth of July,
under the title Of An act increasing tempo
rarily the duties on imports and, for other par
poses," and reads ~ follows
SEQ Is. And DO further enacted That upon all shipa,
vessels or steamers which, aftehs 3lst day Of Dsssn-
United states from any foreign port place, from any
port or place In the United States, whether ships
70 n a.
tonnage duty Of ten cents per ton Of hs
as 81 y sad'SS e s' &: ds pS
or tonnage duty shall not b corscted more than
once in each year in any SHIP vs:.: Or s,osms. n.vag
States or 70 carry the bank whale other sheriss,
whilst employed therein, or ON any ship, vessel o.
British provinces Of North Amerca or any o. the wsse
India slands Provided also, That nothing In this oct
rights and privileges which may have been Or may b
acquired BY any foreign nation under the laws and
treaties Of the United siass relative 10 the duty on
tonnage Of vessels
II will be seen by this that vessels are taxed.
more heavily than almost any other species Of
property, and fears are entertained that 1t will
not only be the means Of seriously smbarraa
ing and restricting our commerce, but that II
will lead to rstsliatory measures and taxation
on the part Of foreign Powers. In addition to
this h the stamp tax under the Internal Re.
venue bill, by which nearly all vessels to and
from foreign ports are compelled TO- pay froA
one TO five dollars each according TO their tori
mage.
To show the immense revenue that viii BE-
derived from this tax, let M glance at the tor
mage employed between this port and Eaxov 4
during the past year. The number Of arriu u
from Europe during that period was Rinst cen
hundred, with an aggregate tonnage Of one and
half millions, which, at the rate Of ten fcents
per ton, gives the enormous amount of one
hundred and ffty thousand dollars which
would be thus drawn from the very life-blood
Of our city. To point out more clearly the
practical operation Of this law let us take for
example the steamers Scotia, Of four thousand
tons, and the Ocean Queen, Of two thousand
tons. the former making about eight trips pee
annum to Liverpool, and The latter twelve tips
70 Aspinwall. The first named would pay bur
hundred dollars trip, or three Thousand two
hundred dollars psr year, and the lass asasd
two hundred dollars trip, or t~rnty4or hum
dred dollars per year.
twill be psrcsiyed, on reading the act, that
Mexico. tbs Britkh provinces Of Nora Anne.
,ios and the West India islands, are favored
localities, vessels arriving from which are
| placed on the same footing win Ameri.
can vessels employed In thu coasting
trade. This appears like favoitism, aud
from this fact it Is held BY msny that the
act Il in contravsntion Of existing treaty rcgu-
,.tiens. As the tan Is considered unnecessarily
and insonsistently burdensome and calculated
to throw hindrancss in the wS Of our trade
and commerce, particularly Win Europe, IL =
70 be expected that our merchants will lose no =
time in petisi0ning Congress 70 modify the -"