that end passed another act, which was approved December 14, 1893, a copy of which I inclose. The cause having been removed which led to the imposition, in the United States of America, of duties which discriminated against Mexican vessels, it is proper to enforce the provisions of section 4228 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, which provides that when satisfactory evidence is furnished to the President that the imposition of discriminating duties upon United States vessels, and upon goods imported in the same, has been suspended by any nation, the President of the United States of America may issue his proclamation declaring that the foreign discriminating duties of tonnage and impost within the United States are suspended and discontinued, so far as respects the vessels of such foreign nation, and the produce, manufactures, or merchandise imported into the United States from such foreign nation, etc. The Government of Mexico has consequently instructed me to notify that of the United States that the act of the 14th instant is now in force, and to state that the Mexican Government therefore trusts that that of the United States will order, in behalf of Mexican vessels, and of goods imported by them into the ports of the United States, the suspension of the provisions of the circular of the Treasury Department dated May 27, 1889, which was issued in pursuance of section 2502 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and which is still in force, and that it will likewise order the discontinuance of the discriminating tonnage dues. Be pleased to accept, etc., M. ROMERO. Mr. Gresham to Mr. Gray. No. 177.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 29, 1894. SIR: I inclose herewith copies1 of the communications enumerated below in relation to the discriminating duties levied by the Mexican Government upon American vessels. In view of the request contained in the note of the Mexican minister here, you are instructed to ascertain whether or not the Mexican Government continues to discriminate in any manner, either by rebates or otherwise, against American steam vessels or American sailing vessels, or the cargoes of either, imported into or exported from Mexico, from or to the United States, or from or to any other foreign country. In this connection your attention is invited to Mr. Butler's No. 205, of the 16th ultimo. I am, etc., W. Q. GRESHAM. Mr. Romero to Mr. Gresham. [Translation.] LEGATION OF MEXICO, Washington, April 7, 1894. (Received April 7.) MR. SECRETARY: I have the honor to inform you that I have received instructions from the Mexican Government to inquire of that of the United States if any decision has been accorded in regard to the note 1 Not printed. which I addressed to your Department on the 26th of December, 1893, with which I forwarded to you a decree of the Congress of the United Mexican States, promulgated the 14th of the said month of December, which derogated articles 1 and 2 of the law of December 12, 1883, which granted some abatement of import duties on merchandise imported in national vessels. Some time having elapsed without there having been communicated to this legation the decision of the Government of the United States in regard to this matter, the Mexican Government advises me to inform it what is its present situation. Accept, etc., M. ROMERO. Mr. Uhl to Mr. Romero. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 7th instant, in which you refer to your note of December 26, last, requesting, for reasons therein given, a suspension by this Government of discriminating duties on tonnage and cargo now imposed in our ports in the case of Mexican vessels. The subject of your note was referred to the Treasury and is still under consideration by that Department. As soon as a conclusion is reached it will be made known to you. Accept, etc., Mr. Uhl to Mr. Gray. EDWIN F. UHL, Acting Secretary. No. 208.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Referring you to instruction No. 177 of 29th January last, in which you were desired to "ascertain whether or not the Mexican Government continues to discriminate" in the matter of certain duties against American vessels, I have to ask, in view of a recent note of the minister of Mexico here, and in order to reply to the Treasury letter of 22d January last, that you will report the facts required at your very earliest convenience. I am, etc., EDWIN F. UHL, Acting Secretary. No. 275.] Mr. Gray to Mr. Gresham. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Mexico, April 16, 1894. (Received April 23.) SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of the Department's dispatches Nos. 177 and 208, respectively, dated January 29 and April 10, 1894, relative to discriminating duties levied and collected by the Mexican Government from American vessels. On receipt of your No. 177, and under date of February 12, 1894, I addressed letters of inquiry, to obtain the information desired by the Department, to the American consuls at Vera Cruz, Tampico, Mérida, Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Guaymas, ports of Mexico. These letters were identical with the one addressed to Mr. Schaefer (see inclosure No. 1). The delay of this reply to your No. 177 has been occasioned by the failure of the consuls fully to answer my inquiries. I herewith inclose copies of all correspondence in the case, including requests by me for further information. It appears from advices (see inclosures) that the Mexican Government continues to levy and collect discriminating duties from American vessels. I am, etc., ISAAC P. GRAY. [Inclosure 1 in No. 275.-Discrimination by Mexico against American vessels.] Mr. Gray to Mr. Schaefer. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Mexico, February 12, 1894. MY DEAR SIR: The Mexican Congress enacted a law on the 12th of December, 1883, granting certain deductions in import duties upon foreign goods imported into Mexico in Mexican vessels. In view of said discrimination by the Mexican Government in favor of Mexican vessels, the Secretary of the United States Treasury, in pursuance of section 2502 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, issued on the 24th of May, 1889, circular 9402, directing that a discriminating duty of 10 per centum ad valorem, in addition to the import duties paid on goods imported in vessels of the United States, should be levied and collected upon goods imported in Mexican vessels, and it was further ordered by the Secretary of the Treasury that $1 per ton should be collected from Mexican vessels entering United States ports, instead of 3 cents per ton therefor, collected under the act of June 19, 1886. The Mexican Government, through its minister at Washington,' has informed the Department of State that the provisions of the Mexican law of December 12, 1883, under which said discrimination was made in favor of Mexican vessels, has been repealed, that foreign vessels are now placed by Mexico on an equal footing with Mexican vessels, and requesting the Government of the United States to suspend its said circular 9402, and to discontinue its discriminating tonnage dues. I am instructed to ascertain whether or not the Mexican Government continues to discriminate in any manner, either by rebates or otherwise, against American steam vessels or American sailing vessels, or the cargoes of either, imported into or exported from Mexico, from or to the United States, or from or to any other foreign country. For a full understanding of the nature of this inquiry your attention is invited to the inclosures enumerated below. You will please give the matter your particular attention and report to me at your earliest convenience. Sincerely yours, ISAAC P. GRAY. 1 See correspondence with Mexican legation at Washington, pp. 397, 398. [Inclosure 2 in No. 275.] Mr. Schaefer to Mr. Gray. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Vera Cruz, Mexico, February 22, 1894. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your communication of February 12, with inclosures as stated. In reply will say that the discrimination against all foreign sailing vessels still continues, and if any orders not to collect the $1.50 tonnage duty have been given, I have no knowledge of its noncollection; in fact, the contrary is the case. An American schooner, the Millie Williams, arrived here from Pascagoula, Miss., on January 18, 1894, laden with lumber, and the $1.50 per ton was collected on her cargo. Since then no Américan sailing vessel has arrived at this port laden with anything on which these dues could be collected. As you are doubtless aware, this duty is collected only from sailing vessels, steamers not being charged any tonnage duty. The discrimination is against all foreign sailing vessels. The Mexican sailing vessels do not pay the tonnage duty. I would say, however, that no Mexican vessel has come into this port from the United States since my arrival here, some eight months since, but that previous to that time the only charge against them was $50 for light-house dues. In all other respects, so far as I can learn, this tonnage duty is the only difference between charges for Mexican vessels and foreign. While on this subject I wish to call your attention to a matter that appears to me could be remedied and would redound to the benefit of the American marine. I allude to the Mexican law governing masters and officers of national (Mexican) steamers. This law, in common with the general maritime laws of all nations, provides that masters, chief officers, and engineers of all vessels flying the Mexican flag shall be naturalized Mexican citizens. The exceptions to this law should, in my opinion, be that a properly qualified engineer of any nationality should be permitted to ship in charge of the mechanical department of any national Mexican steamship. My reason for this is, that a thorough knowledge of the art of mechanical engineering can only be obtained by the Mexican citizen outside the limits of his country. As a consequence of this law, owners of steamships who would find it greatly to their advantage are prevented from nationalizing their steamers on account of being compelled to place the most important department of their vessels in the hands of inexperienced men. Could this concession be obtained, the American mariner would be benefited in other respects; the law could be complied with by the utilization of so-called "paper officers," leaving the ship actually in command and under the management of practical American seamen and engineers. I am, etc., CHARLES SCHAEFER, [Inclosure 3 in No. 275.] Mr. Gibson to Mr. Gray. U. S. Consul. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have been detained in answering your inquiry of February 12, 1894, for the fact that I could (not) until now get the necessary information. FR 94-26 In replying I herewith inclose statement from William Lunn & Co., lumber merchants at this port. The same is self-explaining, though by no means as explicit as I would have liked. You will see from this that all American vessels are required to pay $1.50 per ton at landing, also 5 per cent pilotage, as well as light-house dues in and out, which amounts to $50. The inclosure shows plainly the amount paid by Lunn & Co. on six lumber vessels all landing between January 14, 1893, and January 14, 1894, and also shows the difference in the measurement here and the actual register tonnage. I wish to call your attention to the fact that there are no Mexican vessels landing at this port with cargo from ports in the United States. All of the six mentioned in inclosure are lumber vessels from Puget Sound and sailing under our flag. I will make further investigations when the St. Paul arrives from San Francisco on the 4th of the coming month, and should I get further facts will report to you at once. I am, etc., JOHN S. GIBSON, JR., U. S. Consul. [Subinclosure A in No. 275.] Statement of dues paid by American vessels from January 14, 1893, to January 14, 1894, consigned to William Lunn & Co. Mr. McCasky to Mr. Gray. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: Your letter relative to discrimination against American shipping with its several inclosures, under date of February 12, reached this office February 27. I have secured a list of charges imposed at this port and which I copy below. As far I can learn they are assessed without discrimination and follow the provisions of the general federal laws. I. Foreign steamers and sailing vessels with cargo of general merchandise pay the following charges: Tonnage dues, $1.50 per register ton, paid only in the first port; pilotage, $1.75 per foot draft coming in, and the same going out; discharging, $8 in stamps; clearance of the custom-house, having cargo, $8; clearance of the captain of the port, |