New-York tribune., 1871-12-14
HARBCR CORRUPTION.
AN IMPORTANT REPORT FROM THE VESSEL
OWNERS.

pEpnPT FROM THE VESSEI-
AN i"i O" ~,,rc
OWNERS
rlE ExroRTIONs THAT RUIN COMMFaCE-ONE
MILLION DOLLAKs slNLhN AnNoMn '.,., ID
s.snaat,on p"u'r ~s. xe,,e,
Inc seseei-o~ncie D.. ~ ~. .sa,, .,a :.
.y ats ,avus ,E0 snT, IN on anI
seiVea s"e .'n"~ n.N. s Me-, wsnn ,hs T'na;rnan
Dor hasters resd py Ahs'oh "'ron' Wv .'""
The Joint Committee on behalf OF the vexeOwners
and Captains Association, and Of the shpOwner A.
Se.t TO reform the abuses existing under the present
Harbor- Masters system" beg leave TO report:
The r eleven 'ns
movements of all yeeses In the harbor The eOmpenea'
ton OF these Oficials provided for by Of u eenb
per tun computed on the registered tunnaee Of an vss
and make faSt to any wharf and in addition thereto Ger
fees collected from The law sfsy IT. sn
prohibits the taking OF brbes considerations :" huy
Kind by these Harbor Masters and requires ste ,s ""f
:ss :ss.; Esa'n at their posts and attend " their duties ~
The tunnaGe tax Of ~ cents per n.tct aIn .c ;tr,
The Cus,om Hons on the tn:ry Of the vessel under
private arrangement bet ween the officials rln anonnt
NJ large reyenur derived rom cana boatA nnaing IN
all an estimated amo;n; of $50 coo Of sraed lcfa
were nos.iv men az in.crr,ty having sufficient nautical
knowiedg. TO enable them to supern,end &c ,r"vc
Inents Of vessels Lattery howe vci. the officials "r
hungry poiit,cais mostly the rNrai dstriri "n
tireiy ignorant OF tnoir duties, and who occupy innr
men ssss n that ikey ar themselves heavily arod for
u
large amount o. money. and they use tAthe cIicuu'
stance. as AL excns for their cxsctions
more s1 and more insnpporaGe Tba amount Nac
mail ley,ed apon the shipping in slsnt of fre
SStnes SSt sss Snsn 500 ca Y@%r BY sSie TScr Tatc
The Total TAX upon the Gknmrrce Of the
cf vesseis by tf@ aid o. the Hsrboi ~ mmicrariy
ts,in a,ed al 81 900 COO per yeff During the pact
thYre v,ars t, more fcct,ay ah3 safety 10 carry ont
their scLcmc Of robncry me Harnor ascrs Lave caied
u,
dtrcd " which bills embrace beside tie ORDINARY towaec.
varying from So to $3.50, and wscs extra amounts
are pas-d IL agents aud by thC distI hPd the
1t absoiualy ,mpose,b for any sp or vessel to o.
tan berth III any Of the wntownnks. without pr-
viouly with ths Startor Masters. ~
yn Soe KS and ~ nanv eases Pay eSa sartace o ther
tarQues rather than submit the fYOrbit;nt demands
~ re oo M, deem On se on ,s s
70 pioSent specific cases or the na,uos Of ihe
sua,rer. ns Inc extortons are pyT,ticcd every
@ tns loads S or ;'" %"oads ' As icuE as s nesroas
aon, ya,ss since an rf ri WIS made to bc"E up
TuphoSs efoTs thS IeSsstnrs suffered severely for
years afterward through the cnrnlty Of the Harhor
naIner your 1ommit,ee consider tia proptr ant ior
NY shond ne ekeiGlsea @ % SVer Tue aoGns' G' piS' ; &
ehs oi an Nest' s ~ ", u LILA % i, , @ ra % ~, f, ,n
eeiar charge .hoaa be paid by the community a;
|no .o,, sr. ,,'"'eu u'''''' u '''"' ~ WIN
lnc sirrn.e Court Of Toe United States has de eid'G IL
two INSTANCES lset MI mcMah"hf ol'h'oh III llht
TRlBCSL OF Dee that all tlinnaee lax upon snppiF
by state authority Is unconstitutional ana fa ao ~
conformity thertWth the treasury department oi the
Uhcd States through n. Sargent, the Commissioner OF
Customs. under date OF Aug 20; 1859 III,
structed Moses H. Grlninli thtn collector OF
this port, that the collection OF HatbOr-Mas-
frs fees could not e justified Ivy any CUSTOM and that
ali must bow tbcse decisions OF the highest tribunal
Of the country Notwithstanding this, HarhOr. MASTER
fees are now before. regularly collected through tbt
Custom House, this branch OF tue Government arpu
entIy vouchug lor tneT ctaltS 10 dtee npposloh 10
-. "o,", 80 ,"ou.d for The co,IerIio, surS ans, ,,,
neuts az Harbor Masters have assisted materially In
bringing about the present distressed condition OF the
shIpphs iht Iest, anu ~ soo" '"1'"N e"uu a'o III IL
Xitsr careful Consideration OF the whole snbic you-
Conuittee would respectfully suggest that The best
ii,,,"S o ~ t the upea'm svf. % u,hor Mns"rS s'
both illegal and unnecessary and they would
be pI.ccd under the Jurisdiction Of TIE Gors C'n,