No. 534.
Mr. Heap
to Mr. Hunter.
Consulate
of the United States,
Tunis
,
August 13, 1878.
(Received August 30.)
No. 278.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a copy of the
proceedings of a meeting of the consuls to consider the letter of the prime
minister, dated 31st July last, in reference to the insufficiency of the
light-house dues, a translation of which I transmitted with my dispatch No.
277, dated second instant.
The increase of dues recommended by the consuls will not produce an amount
sufficient to cover the annual deficit, which is even greater than that
stated in the minister’s letter, but will reduce it considerably, and the
government will be urged to exercise a stricter supervision over the
expenditure, which, it is believed, has been needlessly lavish. They have
also been earnestly requested to enjoin greater care in maintaining the
lights in a state of efficiency.
Although the Tunisian Government has the incontestible right to modify these
dues to suit its own convenience or necessities without consulting the
opinion or obtaining the consent of other governments, they are unwilling to
adopt the new rate until it has received the approval of the governments
represented here.
I am, & c.,
[Inclosure No.
278.—Translation.]
Proceedings of a consular meeting on the 8th of August, 1878, to consider
the question of lighthouse dues.
The dean of the consular corps, Sir Richard Wood, having read a letter
from his excellency the prime minister of His Highness, in which the
Tunisian Government calls the attention of the consular corps to the
precarious condition of the light-house administration, the expenses of
which considerably exceed the receipts, and the government [Page 933] is of opinion that the dues at
present paid for the maintenance of the lights on the coasts of his
states should he increased.
Messrs. Heap and Cubisal, who have examined the question carefully,
present a project of reform as follows:
“All vessels anchoring at any port of the regency, including those
engaged in the coasting trade, shall pay a tax of 8 centimes per ton
measurement.
“All vessels under 36 tons anchoring in the harbor of the Goletta shall
pay a fixed duty of 5 piasters.
“All vessels anchoring as above, measuring over 38 and under 100 tons,
shall pay 10 piasters.
“All vessels anchoring as above, measuring over 100 tons, shall pay 20
piasters.”
This project receives the approbation, ad
referendum, of all the representatives. The cons ill of France
makes the following reservation, which is concurred in by the consul of
Belgium:
“The Tunisian light-houses, having caused numerous well-grounded
complaints on the part of navigators of every nationality, it is to be
understood that the concurrence of the two above-named consuls to the
proposed increase of dues is given on the express condition that the
Tunisian Government shall bind itself to give more efficiency to the
light-house service. The dangers to which the negligence of the keepers
has exposed navigation fully justify these remarks. In case fresh
complaints are made, the consuls of France and Belgium will, on finding
them well founded, immediately relieve the persons under their
jurisdiction from the payment of all light-house dues in the ports of
the regency.”
The acting consul of Italy expresses his concurrence in this
declaration.
The other representatives declare that they reserve their action in this
matter until complaint shall reach them of negligence on the part of
keepers of light-houses.
- RICHARD WOOD,
Her Britannic
Majesty’s Agent and Consul-General.
- CHARLES NYSSEN,
Consul of the
Netherlands.
- THEODOROVITCH,
Consul-General of
Austro-Hungary.
- G. H. HEAP,
Consul of the United
States.
- E. CASSAS,
Consul and Acting
Consul-General of France.
- GRANDE,
Vice-Consul, Acting
Consul-General of Italy.
- P. CONVERSANO,
Vice-Consul, Acting
Consul-General of Germany.
- JOSEPH CUBISAL,
Consul of
Belgium.
Tunis
,
August 8,
1878.
