Year: 1863

having once teSted the value Oh Tue hO"A


as an advertising medium, it is in vain to try TO
induce them to advertise anywhere else
although one of our poorest and meanest con-
temporaries made the attempt some time ago by
means of Q secret circular Among the pro-
prietors Of places of public amusement 1t is an
axiom in regard 10 advertisements that "a line
In the HERALD is worth a column in any other
paper" Thus the HERALD is in effect the official
advertising organ not only Of the national Post
Office and the Corporations of this and other
cities, but also Of our entire business commu-
nifty and Of the people Of the whole country


Onerous Tax ON Commerce Uader the


ssa Tonnage Act OF July, 1889.


The construction put upon this law by the
customs authorities ut this port has given rise
to many serious complaints, among our mer-
chants and shipowners, and is deemed by them
to be not enly violative of the spirit Of the act
itself, but contrary to all well conceived ideas
of that justice and equity by which it is be,
lieved its trainers were governed in Its
enactment. @ aa oe a


BY its terms it will be seen that all vessels
entering at custom house in the United States,
from any foreign port, excepting ports in the
British provinces of North America, the West
Indies, Mexico and Central America, are COM
PEELED to pay duty Of ten cents per ton on
each and every entry of the vessel, while ves-
sells from ports in these localities pay once
year. This portion of the act, although deemed
by many to be in violation Of existing treaty
stipulations, is easily understood, and, with few
exceptions, readily acquiesced in. Included in
this provision Of the law, by which vessels en-
gagged in trade with these aforementioned
specially favored localities are exempted from
the payment of this tax, except annually, are all
vessels licensed to trade between different dis
tricts of the United States and in the construc-
ton placed upon this particular portion of the
Law may be found the cause Of nearly all tie
many complaints which are daily being made
against it on the ground of its partial and un-
just operation. Now, no person, on reading this
law, which says that all vessels licensed to
trade between different districts Of the United
States are exempt from the payment Of this tax
except once year, can for a single moment
imagine or believe that it was the intention Of
its trainers that vessels 90 employed should be
compelled to pay every time they enter at
custom house. Yet so 1t is, unless they happen
to be sailing under an enrolment and license
Now, let us glance for Q moment at the opera
tion of this law, under the construction that
vessel must be specially licensed to trade coast
wise, or rather that in order to entitle her to
the benefit of this exemption she must sail
under the protection Of paper specially
marked "license." .,.,...,


Under the acts of l792-93 there are two
kinds Of papers, under one of which each aud
every vessel must sail. Those employed in tho
coasiing trade usually sail under the protection
Of an enrolment and license, the former of
which Is perpetual, or need never be changed
90 long a. she remains in this trade, the owners
rig or size of the vessel while the latter is in
force only one year, when it must be surren-
dered for now one, at which time the United
States hospital dues for the time she has been
running must be paid. Vessels engaged in
| trade with foreign ports must, under the act Of
| 1892, sail under q register, which need never


be renewed except there be change Of owner





this document they not only have the right to
trade coastwise, but to all parts Of the world.
This Is the highest grade of license known
under our laws, and Il is folly to suppose for
| q moment that vessels sailing under such q
document are not entitled to all the benefits ac-
corded to enrolled vessels under this act.


The question is simply this: Are vessels hav-
10 oJa,


parts Of the world equal in privileges to those
under enrolment and license, which cannot
go to q foreign port without incurring the pc
nalty Of forfeiture OF vessel aud Cargo?


1t is claimed that the papers Of these vessels
may be changed whenever the owners choose,
and that they can thereby avoid the payment of
the tax; but that, as an argument, has no force;
compulsory change Of papers when not desired
| by the owners. Let us take, for example, a
vessel sailing from this port to Portland, Me.
| As matter Of course, she may sail under an
| enrolment and license, or register; but she


takes out her license here, at which time she is


compelled TO pay her tonnage dues of ten cents
per ton, and goes to Portland. While there
a charter Is offered for port in the British


provinces, a few hundred miles distant which,


on being taken, necessitates a change Of papers;
for her enrolment only permits her to trade


coastwise. A register Is therefore taken out,


she goes to her destination, returns TO this port,


where tonnage dues are cxacted on entry.


So far no complaint is made.


The vessel then goes to Philadelphia under
4 has, ,y,,aa


thence again to this port, where they must again


be paid; at which the master and owner. under


the delusion that the tax is onerous, are ready


to suggest the propriety of government taking


the vessel at once, instead Of by monthly in


stalmsnts. In this instance IL may be asked,
| nWhr do ynx not CHANGE your nancrs so a 10