No. 983.
Mr. Bayard
to Mr. Curry.
Department
of State,
Washington
,
March 19,
1888.
No. 275.]
Sir: Referring to my No. 272 of the 28th ultimo,
concerning the discrimination against the American steam schooner Jeanie at Cardenas, I now inclose for your
information copy of a dispatch from our commercial agent at that port
transmitting a letter from the collector stating that he would report the
facts to the superior authorities at Matanzas and await their order to
return the proportion of money due to the said vessel.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 275.]
Mr. Churchill to
Mr. Rives.
United
States Commercial Agency,
Cardenas
,
March 9,
1888.
No. 66.]
Sir: I had the honor to receive your dispatch
No. 28, of the 18th February, and for which I am much obliged. I now
have to advise you that in the matter of steam schooner Jeanie, of New York, that came to this port on
the 10th day of October in ballast from Ponce, Porto Rico, to load
sugars for the United States, the collector of this custom-house charged
the vessel with one dollar Spanish gold for tonnage dues, which was paid
under protest made by me and in name of the captain, claiming “that the
Jeanie was the same as a Spanish vessel in
like circumstances,” and that a Spanish vessel coming from Porto Rico in
ballast to a port in this island would pay but 25 cents per 1,000
kilograms of weight of cargo for port dues, and I now have to inclose a
copy of a letter received from the collector of the customs of this
port, in which he communicates the advice that he has received from the
chiefs of his office, whose head is at Matanzas, and this collector has
assured me that as soon as he gets in all the information that is
required he will send his report to Matanzas and then await their orders
to return the proportion of money due to the said vessel.
I am, etc.,
[Page 1450]
[Inclosure 2 in No.
275.—Translation.]
Mr. Jover to Mr.
Churchill.
Cardenas
,
February 25,
1888.
Sir: The central administration of the customs
at Matanzas, by a communication dated the 9th instant, instructs me as
follows:
“In an official paper issued by this central office in consequence of the
protest made before the United States consul at Cardenas by the master
of the American steamer Jeanie, which arrived at
that port from Puerto Rico in ballast, intending to clear therefrom,
laden with Cuban products, his excellency the intendente-general has
annouuced the following decision:
“‘In view of the royal order of July 22, 1886, published in the Official
Gazette at Havana August 3 of the same year, and also of the circular of
the intendente-general’s office published in the Official Gazette of
(August ?) 12, 1886, and also of the decision of the same intendente,
made known in his instruction of February 28, 1887, in reply to the
inquiry of this custom-house (Matanzas), it is ordered that the vessels
of the United States be put on a footing of equality with Spanish
vessels as to the payment of navigation and port dues, and that they be
allowed the benefits granted under the seventh article of the Law of
Commerce of July 20, 1882.’
“In pursuance of this decision, and in the understanding that it
prescribes no new or provisional changes, and that its benefits accrue
to American vessels from the date of the aforesaid circular of the
intendente-general (12th August, 1886), you will proceed to correct the
charges imposed (upon the Jeanie), to which this
present letter refers. I advise you of his excellency’s orders for your
guidance and effective compliance therewith.”
I communicate this to you for your information.
