ernment, United States vessels and their cargoes are not obliged to pay any discriminating duty in the ports of Italy, either as compared with Italian vessels, those of the Netherlands, or those of any other country. I beg your excellency to be pleased to bring the foregoing to the notice of the Treasury Department, and to request that Department to take the necessary measures in order that Italian merchant vessels may be allowed to enjoy the advantages granted by the President's procla mation of the 22d of April last, and by the other proclamations previously issued by the President of the United States in pursuance of Article XIV of the act of March 26, 1884. Begging you to be pleased to acquaint me, as speedily as possible, with the decision reached by the Treasury Department in regard to this matter, I offer you, Mr. Secretary of State, my warmest thanks, and I avail, etc. E. FERRARA. No. 62. Mr. Bayard to Count de Foresta. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, COUNT: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Ferrara's note of the 27th ultimo, stating that United States vessels and their cargoes are not obliged to pay any discriminating duty in the ports of Italy, either as compared with Italian vessels, those of the Netherlands, or those of any other country. I communicated the facts to the Treasury and have received a letter from that Department informing me that Italian vessels coming from the ports named in the President's proclamation of April 22 last, of which I inclose copy, will be admitted in the United States under the terms of that proclamation. Accept, etc., T. F. BAYARD. JAPAN. Mr. Hubbard to Mr. Bayard. No. 383.1 SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith, for the information of the Department of State, a copy of a note received from his excellency the minister for foreign affairs, in reply to my note of the 30th ultimo in pursuance of your instruction (circular) dated July 9, 1887. UNITED STATES LEGATION, Tokio, Japan, September 24, 1887. (Received October 24.) The Department will observe that in this instance-as in all similar propositions heretofore-the Japanese Government, while earnestly professing a desire to enter into separate reciprocal conventions for mutual considerations of benefit to be received by the high contracting parties through such conventions, yet declare that, under the favored nation clause of the existing treaties, it can not be done by their GovH. Ex. 1, pt. 1--122 ernment in the comprehensive sense intended by the invitation of the United States Government, conveyed by your instruction. The note herewith of the minister for foreign affairs fully explains the status of this Government in response to my note acquainting that minister of the desire of my Government in the premises. I have, etc., RICHARD B. HUBBARD. [Inclosure with No. 383.-Translation.] No. 7637.] Count Inouye Kaoru to Mr. Hubbard. DEPARTMENT FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Tokio, the 15th day, the 9th month, the 20th year of Meiji. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's note of the 30th ultimo, in which you inclosed copies of a communication from the honorable :he Secretary of State of the United States and two acts of Congress, approved June 25, 1884, and June 19, 1886, respectively, and invited His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government to unite with your excellency's Government in a measure looking to the reciprocal abolition of tonnage and light dues upon vessels employed in the trade between the ports of Japan and those of the United States. While His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government warmly appreciate the friendly spirit that inspired the invitation, and fully recognize the enlightened and liberal aim of the Government of the United States in the endeavor to ameliorate the condition of shipping, they are, nevertheless, prevented by their conventional engagements with other powers from accepting the invitation in its most comprehensive sense. I have not, however, failed to observe, as pointed out by Mr. Bayard, that the act of Congress, in accordance with which the invitation was issued, is broad enough to cover a reduction as well as a total extinction of tonnage and equivalent charges on navigation. In order, therefore, that vessels interested may, to a limited extent at least, avail themselves of the benefits of the law, I beg to assure your excellency that vessels of the United States engaged in the foreign trade of Japan are in all respects placed upon an exact equality with national vessels engaged in the same trade and upon the same footing as the vessels of the most favored nation. No tonnage or light dues whatever are levied in the ports of Japan upon American vessels, but in lien thereof, and in lieu of all similar charges, an entrance fee of $15 and a clearance fee or $7 at each entry and clearance, irrespective of burthen, is collected from American vessels in common with all other foreign-going ships. I avail, etc., COUNT INOUYE KAORU. No. 417.] No. 64. Mr. Hubbard to Mr. Bayard. LEGATION OF THE UNITED States, Tokio, December 28, 1887. (Received January 21, 1888.) SIR: Respectfully referring to my dispatch No. 383, in which I had the honor to inclose a copy of a note from the Japanese minister for foreign affairs in reply to my note to him transmitting a copy of your circular instruction of July 9, and accompanying inclosures, with an invitation to His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government to enter into an arrangement with the United States Government for a mutual abolition or reduction of tonnage dues, etc., on vessels plying between the ports of our respective countries, I now have the honor to submit to the Department of State a copy of a note just received from Count Ito on the same subject. The accompanying note is in reply to a communication from me in which I inclosed a copy of your instruction No. 164, expressing regret at the action of the Japanese Government in declining to enter into said arrangement or convention as desired by the United States Government. The reply of Count Ito explains itself, and I only have the honor to respectfully invite your attention to his communication and especially to the closing paragraph of his note. I have merely acknowledged the receipt of this reply, informing the Japanese Government that I would refer the same and the accompanying inquiry to my Government for its early consideration. I have also assured the minister for foreign affairs that a response thereto would be made, and might be anticipated, in accordance with that spirit of justice and good neighborhood which has always been manifested by our laws as well as by our treaties with all friendly powers. I have, etc.. RICHARD B. HUBBARD. [Inclosure in No. 417-Translation.] Count Ito to Mr. Hubbard. DEPARTMENT FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Tokio, the 24th day, the 12th month, the 20th year of Meiji. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's note dated the 9th instant, transmitting a copy of a communication from the honorable the Secretary of State, in which he expresses regret at the non-acceptance by His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government of the invitation of the United States to enter into a convention for the abolition of tonnage or other equivalent charges on merchant vessels plying between Japan and the United States. The nature of Mr. Bayard's reply leads me to believe that he has slightly misappre hended the exact meaning of my former note on this subject. You will recollect that Mr. Bayard, in his instruction of the 9th July last, a copy of which you forwarded to Count Inouye, intimated that the shipping acts under which his invitation was extended were sufficiently comprehensive to cover either a reduction or a complete abolition of tonnage and equivalent charges, and in the same connection he added, "It is open to any foreign country in all or any of whose ports a less charge is made than that now imposed in the ports of the United States to obtain forthwith a reduction in the United States on vessels from such port or ports to an equality with that levied in the port or ports designated." In replying to the invitation of the Government of the United States, I pointed out the reasons which prevented His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government from entering into an arrangement having for its object the complete extinction of all customs charges in respect of merchant shipping. In order, however, that vessels proceeding from Japan to the United States might, to a limited extent at least, take advantage of the acts in question, I took occasion to assure you that no tonnage dues were levied in the ports of Japan on vessels of the United States, and that such vessels were, in the matter of fees, placed upon a national as well as the most favorednation footing. The exemption of vessels of the United States from tonnage dues is already a mat ter of conventional understanding between our respective Governments, as will be seen by reference to article 6 of the trade regulations attached to the treaty of 1858. It was consequently more particularly in the direction of equivalent or other shipping charges that His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government were unable to accept the proposal of the United States. Having in view the fact, however, that those charges are considerably less than the tonnage dues ordinarily imposed in the United States, I beg to inquire what the future status of Japanese and other vessels proceeding thither will be in respect of navigation charges. I avail, etc., COUNT HIROBUMI ITO. No. 186.] No. 65. Mr. Bayard to Mr. Hubbard. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 4, 1888. SIR: I have received your No. 417 of December 28, 1887, concerning the desire of Japan to enter into a convention for the abolition of tonnage or equivalent charges on merchant vessels plying between the United States and Japan.. A copy of your dispatch was at once communicated to the Secretary of the Treasury, a copy of whose reply, dated the 1st instant, is herewith transmitted. To enable full consideration of the subject and a definite reply to be made to the inquiry of the Japanese minister for foreign affairs as to the future status of Japanese and other vessels proceeding to the United States respecting navigation charges, it will be necessary to ascertain the amount of tax or taxes, equivalent to tonnage or light-house dues, imposed in Japan on American vessels. You will therefore take occasion to obtain this information, which should be set forth in detail, if possible, in accordance with the suggestion of the Secretary of the Treasury. I am, etc., [Inclosure in No. 186.] T. F. BAYARD. Mr. Fairchild to Mr. Bayard. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, February 1, 1888. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated the 24th ultimo, relating to the proposal of the Government of Japan to take advantage of the provisions of the act of Congress approved June 19, 1886, entitled "An act to abolish certain fees," etc. The copy of a letter from the Japanese minister for foreign affairs, accompanying the United States minister's dispatch, states that the charges in Japan are less than the dues ordinarily imposed in the United States, and inquires what the future status of Japanese and other vessels proceeding to the United States will be in respect of navigation charges. Before replying to his inquiry, this Department suggests that information be obtained through the proper officers of the United States in Japan as to the amount of tax or taxes, equivalent to tonnage or light-house dues, imposed in Japan on Amer ican vessels. Not only the amount should be ascertained, but the frequency of the charge should be also stated, to enable this Department to determine the question which will arise under section 14 of the act of June 26, 1884, as amended by section 11 of the act of June 19, 1886. There should be also explicit information to show whether or not the fees or dues, of any kind or nature, imposed on vessels of the United States, or the import or export dues on their cargoes, are in excess of the fees, dues, or duties imposed on the vessels of Japan or on the cargoes of such vessels. I am, etc., SIR: Referring to your instruction No. 186, dated February 4, concerning the desire of Japan to enter into a convention for the abolition of tonnage or other equivalent charges on merchant vessels plying be tween the ports of the United States and Japan, and in which instruction you directed me, at the instance of the honorable the Secretary of the Treasury, to ascertain the amount of tax or taxes equivalent to tonnage or light-house dues imposed in Japan on American vessels, I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of the reply from the Japanese minister for foreign affairs to my note making said inquiries. It will be observed that Count Okuma says that nearly all the information desired by the honorable Secretary of the Treasury is contained in the communication addressed to me by Count Ito on this subject on the 15th of September, 1887, a copy of which note I had the honor to inclose to the Department of State in my dispatch No. 383 of September 24, 1887. I beg, therefore, to invite the Department's attention to the following extract from the note of Count Ito referred to: In order, therefore, that vessels interested may, to a limited extent at least, avail themselves of the benefits of the law, I beg to assure your excellency that vessels of the United States engaged in the foreign trade of Japan are in all respects placed upon an exact equality with national vessels engaged in the same trade, and upon the same footing as the vessels of the most favored nation. No tonnage or light dues whatever are levied in the ports of Japan upon American vessels, but in lieu thereof and in lieu of all similar charges an entrance fee of $15 and a clearance fee of $7 at each entry and clearance, irrespective of burden, is collected from American vessels in common with all foreign-going ships. I beg also to call the Department's attention to the closing paragraph of the note from Count Okuma which I have the honor to inclose herewith: In order, however, that full and complete answers may be made to Mr. Fairchild's inquiries, I beg to supplement Count Ito's reply by the assurance that no higher fees or dues of any kind or nature are imposed on vessels of the United States than are imposed on Japanese vessels, and that no higher import or export duties are levied on the cargoes of vessels of the United States than are levied on the cargoes of Japanese vessels. I have, etc., RICHARD B. HUBBARD. [Inclosure in No. 452.-Translation.] Count Okuma to Mr. Hubbard. DEPARTMENT FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Tokio, the 14th day, the 3d month, the 21st year of Meiji. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 8th instant, with its accompaniments, in continuation of the subject of tonnage or other equivalent charges levied on merchant vessels plying between Japan and the United States. Nearly all of the information on the subject desired by the honorable the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is contained in the communication addressed to you by my predecessor, Count Ito, on the 15th September last, to which I have the honor to invite your attention. In order, however, that full and complete answers may be made to Mr. Fairchild's inquiries, I beg to supplement Count Ito's reply by the assurance that no higher fees or dues of any kind or nature are imposed on vessels of the United States than are imposed on Japanese vessels, and that no higher import or export duties are levied on the cargoes of vessels of the United States than are levied on the cargoes of Japanese vessels. I avail, etc., COUNT OKUMA SHIGENOBU. |