Having just received a reply from his excellency, I have herewith the honor
of transmitting to you copies of both notes, together with a translation of
the latter.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
208.—Translation.]
Baron Bosenörn-Lehn
to Mr. Anderson.
Copenhagen, February 22,
1886.
Mr. Minister: In a note dated August 11 of last
year you desire to ascertain whether in the ports of Denmark or any
dependency thereof, any discrimination exist against vessels of the
United States as compared with the vessels of Denmark (other than those
engaged in the coasting or colonial trade), or the vessels of any third
country.
In reply I have the honor to make the following statement:
According to article 3 of the treaty of April 26, 1826, between Denmark
and the United States, United States vessels engaged in the Danish
foreign carrying trade are in the ports of Denmark to be treated in
every respect the same as Danish vessels.
Ship dues, which in Denmark have replaced the former tonnage,
light-house, and clearance dues, and are the only ones collected, are
therefore exacted of United States vessels according to the same rules
as of Danish vessels, and in the royal and municipal harbors they pay
the same harbor and wharf dues as the Danish ships (at least in case the
Danish vessel does not belong in the harbor concerned, as in some
municipal harbors—Copenhagen excepted—the harbor dues are lower for such
vessels than for other Danish vessels.)
In the above-mentioned note you did not include vessels engaged in the
coasting trade. I would, however, state for your information upon this
point that His Majesty’s Government is willing, in case of reciprocal
action on the part of the United States, to grant United States vessels
the right of free coast trade between the harbors of the kingdom upon an
equal footing with Danish vessels.
According to articled of the treaty of 1826, the provisions of that
treaty are not to apply to Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, or the
Danish West Indies.
By independent legislation in Iceland no restrictions or discriminations
in the treatment of United States vessels are provided for, save those
in regard to the coasting trade, and the trade between Iceland and this
Kingdom and His Majesty’s Government is willing, in case of reciprocity
on the part of the United States, to remove this discrimination against
United States vessels.
The laws governing the Faroe Islands require of United States vessels
visiting these islands for purposes of trade, besides the usual tonnage
dues, the supplementary charge of 2 kroner per ton of the vessel’s
tonnage, and in addition thereto the above-mentioned restriction in
regard to the coasting trade and the trade between the islands and the
Kingdom is in force. But inasmuch as this supplementary charge has by
treaty already been removed in regard to vessels of various other
nations, His Majesty’s Government is willing to extend this favor to
those of the United States, and also, in case of reciprocity, to extend
to them the privileges of the coasting trade among these islands as well
as of the trade between the islands and the Kingdom.
In the Danish West Indies United States vessels are, upon the whole,
treated in all respects the same as Danish vessels.
Finally, I may call your attention to the fact that the trade of
Greenland is no more open to Danish vessels than to foreign vessels,
that trade being reserved exclusively for the Crown.
I seize, etc.
