No. 355.
Mr. Bell
to Mr. Bayard.
The Hague, February 19, 1886. (Received March 4).
Sir: I have the honor to report that upon inquiry I learn that the chambers of commerce of several of the most important cities of the Kingdom, including Amsterdam and Rotterdam, have presented protests to the Second Chamber against the project of law looking to an increase of the import duty upon petroleum, wood, &c., into the Netherlands.
All of the chambers have protested especially against the proposed duty on pretroleum.
In the first place, they contend that the duty would affect the commerce in the article, and especially object to it because the increased price would strike a product chiefly consumed by the laboring people.
I have, &c.,