The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-04
THE PRESIDENT RETALlA7ES
German Vessels Must Hereafter Pay
Tonnage Taxcs.
THE GERMANS WERE DISCRIMINATING
American Vessels Required to Fay
Tonnage. White German Vessels
Were believed OF the Tax.

washington, December 3.--Tnc president
has issued a proclamation suspcnding after
January next the operations OF the act
which relieves German vessels entering
United States ports from the payment OF
tonnage dues and other shipping charges
This action MSS taken ',poa proof that
American vessels nrc denied correspond
ing privileges IN German ports. The hip
ping charges under our laws arc based en-
u sliding scale The presidents action
doubtless viii arouse Widespread interest In
shipping circles.
The presidents proclamation III 10 into
effect January 8. after which date the ves-
sells Of Germany entering our ports must
| pay shipping charges ranging on sliding
scale Ut from ~ 30 cents ier ton per
annuni.
The president mentions the act that his
proclamation OF January &C. 1855, suspend.
| Ing the collection OF the whole OF the duly
OF cents per ton or 20 exceed 80 cents
| rer ton uron German vessels entering the
ports OF the United states. Is ACCORDING to
| section 2, oct of congress approved June 10
1886. This suspension was proclaimed upon
proof then appearing satisfactory that no
/ tonnage III light house dues or any eQuiva.
| icrt tax or taxes whatever Nere inpos ID
upon American vessels entering Gogmnu
ports and that American vessels and thair
cafBoes were not required in German rurts
to pay any fee or Import duty higher or
lothor than was payable by German vessels
or their careoes In the United states. as
blvtn III the aforesaid proclamation OF 1855
The suspension was TO continue only 20
Ions as the reciprocal exemption Of Ameri.
can vessels continued IN Gormaa ports
tontinulng the president says II now 40
pears upon satisfactory proof that such dues
or an equivalent thereto are imposed. unnn
American vessels and their odrgocs en-.
tered IN potts OF the United STATES There
lnro the president revokes his former AUS
pension OF The collection OF the whole ,f tho
NNly OF cents per ton, not tp exceed 50
cents per ton per annun on Gcrn1u ven
sols entering the ports of the Cnitcd states.
This revocation Of the proclamation Ct lSNS
Vii take effect on January g. 1897
The effect OF the presdidcnt's prpclamn-
ton is to reimpose upon the vessels en,or-
lux from Germany the same tonnage dues
that are imposed On vessels entering the
United States from Great britain, France.
italy, Spain and other maritime nations
IN Europe and Asia.
German vessels were exempted In 1879
from the payment Of those dues under the
shipping reciprocity act Of 1856 nurng
the past year, at the request of the treas
ury department, the state department. has
made full investigation into the char,es
iron American vessels IN German ports
ana the fact has been developed that while
| the imperial government duvs not Impose
taxes on shipping, yet the government Of
The German maritime states for years have
| imposed shipping taxes so that there WINS
no real reciprocity. Ne n business propusi-
ton. the urrangemon, has been cnrs er-
ably a deiriment TO the United Statvs.
Since iSSS the tonnage on foreign vessels
coming into the United States has amount
lal 1 nH tan. 1f Z
sells. while tho tonnage Of American vcs-
sells outcrrg has amounted o barely r. 0Dh
The annual loss Of revenue TO the Unit 4
States under this arrangement has been
approximately 500 900. whiic the cxcmp
lions which American vessels would have
gained IN German ports would have
amounted to barely 5000 n year. Az n mat
ter OF fact these taxes have boon levied on
American vessels in German ports and /;
IA understood that the United states Will
mako claim for the recovery of the
amount so eytorted Beyond this fact the
exemption q German vessels from tonnage
taxes In ports OF the United states has
becn in fact discrimination on the pat
Of the United States against it's own trans
Atlantic lines The terminus Il ,hr Amer
ioen line steamers rs At southampton aud
tho ST Louis St pnul. ctc., entering Into
=. tho United States from that port have
been required to pay tonnage taxes wh'ie'
as tie North Gtrlnpu linEd h'epHc's '''n'
ing al bremen and touching AT Southamp-
ION for mail and passengers IN competition
: with our steamers have cterci the uni'cc
! stntes entirely free (ronl tonnage dues
Now Yorlt. Dcocmhcr 3. -Rcsard'nS the
proclamation Of President Cleveland rem
posinp the tonnago dues and other sh'ppini
d c,orees ON German vessels In ports oi TN
United States representative OF "rtI" '
, :, ,,,.a c,nuany slid today. "rh. proposrt
change would COS, CIR cornprny about slW
. annually for each weasel sailing from bFo
men to %ow FORK. ~ might mean 'otd
OUTLAY Of $4,000 year. some VI ou, sp,i'
-, h,,itdinr having n greater tonnage
j. wo,,ld probably cost the company Htill more
I cam no, say how such chang" wou''
: rect rates, but the extra cNpenac WIZ nav
, 10 be horne ny somohody' Gun M's ~ ',a
ar, FOR Tho change. concerning which w
have heard nothing.