Proclamation 433—Revoking Customs Duties on Vessels Entering the United States From Ports of the Island of Tobago

Whereas by a proclamation of the President of the United States, dated the second day of December, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, upon proof then appearing satisfactory that no tonnage or light-house dues or other equivalent tax or taxes were imposed upon American vessels entering the ports of the Island of Tobago, one of the British West India Islands, and that vessels belonging to the United States of America and their cargoes were not required in the ports of the said Island of Tobago to pay any fee or due of any kind or nature, or any import due higher than was payable by vessels from ports or places in the said Island of Tobago, or their cargoes, in the United States, the president did therefore declare and proclaim, from and after the date of his said proclamation of December second, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, the suspension of the collection of the whole of the duty of three cents per ton, not to exceed fifteen cents per ton per annum, imposed upon vessels entered in the ports of the United States from any of the ports of the Island of Tobago by section 11 of the act of Congress approved June nineteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-six, entitled "An act to abolish certain fees for official services to American vessels and to amend the laws relating to shipping commissioners, seamen, and owners of vessels and for other purposes."

And whereas the President did further declare and proclaim in his proclamation of December second, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, that the said suspension should continue so long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States and their cargoes should be continued in the said ports of the Island of Tobago and no longer;

And whereas it now appears upon satisfactory proof that tonnage or light-house dues, or a tax or taxes equivalent thereto, are in fact imposed upon American vessels and their cargoes entered in ports of the Island of Tobago higher and other than those imposed upon vessels and their cargoes entered in ports of the Island of Tobago, or their cargoes, entered in ports of the United States, so that said proclamation of December second, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, in its operation and effect contravenes the meaning and intent of said section 11 of the act of Congress approved June nineteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-six;

Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, president of the United States of America, by virtue of the aforesaid section 11 of the act aforesaid, as well as in pursuance of the terms of said proclamation itself, do hereby revoke the said proclamation of December second, eighteen hundred and ninety-one suspending the collection of the whole of the duty of three cents per ton, not to exceed fifteen cents per ton per annum (which is imposed by the aforesaid section of said act) upon vessels entered in the ports of the United States from any of the ports of the Island of Tobago; this revocation of said proclamation to take effect on and after the date of this my proclamation.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 13th day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-third.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY

By the President:

JOHN HAY,

Secretary of State.