Lapas attēli
PDF
ePub

They further show that the mixing of cotton oil with olive oil enabled the Italian dealers to find foreign markets for large and always increas ing quantities of Italian olive oil; but that the exportation of olive oil almost entirely ceased with the stoppage of the supply of cotton oil.

Mr. A. Rossi, to whom I am indebted for these data, and who is one of the ablest of Italian writers on questions of political economy, does not hesitate to declare the law a blunder, in an article recently published in the "Sole," the leading commercial newspaper of this country. Its repeal may be expected.

DUNHAM J. CRAIN,

Consul.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Milan, April 5, 1882.

TARIFF ON COTTON-SEED OIL.

REPORT BY VICE-CONSUL-GENERAL HOOKER, OF ROME.

I have the honor to inform you that the Italian Chamber of Deputies have just approved a bill increasing the duty on cotton-seed oil, pure or mixed with other oils, from 6 to 20 lire per quintal. The same act also fixes a tax of 14 lire per quintal on cotton-seed oil made in Italy. The bill has been referred to the Senate for confirmation.

The Italian cabinet strongly supported this bill in the Chamber, and sought to show that it was necessary to raise the price at which cottonseed oil may be obtained; claiming that the heavy adulteration of olive oil with cotton-seed for table use is injuring the home production of olive oil and discrediting it on foreign markets.

The new duty will seriously affect our trade in cotton-seed oil with Italy; the fine quality being chiefly imported from the United States. I may say that the manufacture of cotton seed oil in Italy is of little or no importance.

As showing the growing importance of the American trade in cottonseed oil with Italy, I may add that according to Italian statistics 140,000 quintals were imported from the United States and Canada during the five years, 1875 to 1879; during the year 1880 these imports ran up to 213,754 quintals.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE GENERAL,

J. C. HOOKER,
Vice-Consul-General.

Rome, March 8, 1881.

QUR NEW TARIFF AND ITALIAN EXPORTS.

REPORT BY CONSUL DUNCAN, OF NAPLES.

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the act approved March 3, 1883, to modify the internal-revenue taxation and the duties on imports into the United States.

It may not be amiss for me, in this connection, to refer briefly to the effect this modification of the tariff will probably have upon exportations to the United States from this consular district as well as from elsewhere in Italy.

The duties on some of the more important articles shipped from here is either not changed at all or so lightly that exportation will not likely to be sensibly affected.

Gloves. For instance, the duty on lambskin gloves, the most important article in value of exportation from Naples, remains at 50 per cent., as heretofore.

Fruit. The duty on green fruit (oranges and lemons) is made specific instead of ad valorem-a decided improvement, and is perhaps slightly lowered, but likely not enough to make much change in the business.

Tartar or argols (partially refined) is reduced 33 per cent., that is, from 6 cents to 4 cents per pound, which will, no doubt, be favorable to an increase of business.

Licorice. The same may be said of licorice in sticks, which is largely shipped from here, and which has been reduced 25 per cent.; but the duty remains 40 to 45 per cent. on the value here-certainly a pretty heavy duty.

Macaroni, one of the specialties of Naples, has been put on the free list, instead of having to pay 2 cents per pound, which, I do not doubt, will considerably increase the exportation.

Silk. The reduction of duties on silk, in which North Italy is so largely interested, will doubtless be favorable to an increase of business. Works of art.-But while the foregoing modifications of our tariff may be regarded as favorable to an increase of business, the same cannot be said as to the change of duty on works of art (paintings, statuary, &c.), in which Italy is perhaps almost more interested than any other country. The principle on which works of art for public institutions have been hitherto admitted free, and for individuals at the moderate duty of 10 per cent. was that the introduction of what tended to educate and elevate the public taste ought to be encouraged. As Italy is a country where Americans invest largely in works of art of all kinds, this action of Congress is, of course, not well received. Nor does it seem to be more favorably regarded by American artists residing in Italy for the purpose of study and the exercise of their profession than by Italians. A prominent American artist from Rome told me a few days ago that all but one of those resident there were opposed to any duty at all on objects of art, and considered that the best encouragement our Government could give to Americans artists was to promote by free admission whatever tended to cultivate and educate the popular taste for art. He said the artists contemplated taking steps to make their views on the subject known publicly before the meeting of the new Congress, next autumn. He added that in Italy every facility was afforded American artists for the prosecution of their studies, and that they felt highly indignant that our Congress should act so illiberal towards Italian artists in return. He said, too, that they were afraid the Italian Government might be induced to impose an export duty of 30 per cent. on all objects of art made by American artists in Italy, which, while it would only be a just retaliation, would have the effect of driving them all out of the country and excluding them from all the advantages of art study in Italy.

If this is the feeling among American artists, the very class Congress intended to benefit, and we see that it is the same in New York, Paris, and Munich, of course it is still stronger among Italian and other foreign artists, against whom the action was directed. B. O. DUNCAN,

Consul.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Naples, April 28, 1883.

AUSTRO-HUNGARY.

THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN TARIFF.

REPORT OF CONSUL-GENERAL WEAVER, OF VIENNA.

Referring to my dispatch, No. 235, transmitting duplicate copies in the original text of the new general tariff law of Austria-Hungary, which was proclaimed on the 28th ultimo, and which went into operation 1st instant, I have now to inform you that a careful translation of the complete law and tariff has this day been forwarded to the Department by direct mail under separate cover for publication if deemed of sufficient importance.

As was pointed out in my dispatch, No. 209, the changes established by the new law are material, constituting, in many instances, an enormous increase of duties, partly as a protection to home industries, but more generally for increase of revenue.

The various changes can be seen by comparing the new tariff with the former one of June 27, 1878, published in our Commercial Relations for 1878, pp. 127-140. The rates of tare in the new law have likewise been modified in certain instances, but the changes are not deemed of sufficient importance to warrant a translation and publication different from that which appears on pp. 140-144 of Commercial Relations of 1878.

JAMES RILEY WEAVER,
Consul-General.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL,

Vienna, June 17, 1882.

Law of May 25, 1882, regarding the general customs tariff of the Austro-Hungarian customs district.

With the consent of both houses of my Parliament, I decree as follows: ARTICLE I. The provisions of this law are valid through the general customs and trade districts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but do not apply to the districts exempt from customs duties.

ART. II. All goods imported are dutiable unless expressly declared free of duty, and are subject to those duties which are prescribed in the accompanying customs tariff on imports, according to the class to which the goods belong. Where it is not expressly stated otherwise in the tariff, articles of consumption are also to pay, according to legal regulations, the internal, state, province, or city tax and additional expenses.

For goods in transitu no duty is to be collected.

An export duty is only to be paid on such goods as are specified in the customs tariff on exports.

ART. III. Goods coming from countries which treat Austrian and Hungarian vessels or goods of Austrian and Hungarian origin with less favor than the vessels or goods of other nations, are subject on entering to an additional payment of 30 per cent., and if the tariff declares them to be free, then a special ad valorem duty of 15 per cent. will be levied upon them.

The Government has a right to make exceptions from this rule and either apply it to certain categories of goods, or classify the categories of goods under a higher or lower tariff.

ART. IV. An alphabetical list of goods to be published will determine the detailed arrangement of each article in the proper class of the customs tariff according to their letter and spirit. In cases of necessity the same may be revised and corrected. Chemical products entering for the first time into commerce, or paying by virtue of

The duties on some of the more important articles shipped from here is either not changed at all or so lightly that exportation will not likely to be sensibly affected.

Gloves. For instance, the duty on lambskin gloves, the most important article in value of exportation from Naples, remains at 50 per cent., as heretofore.

Fruit. The duty on green fruit (oranges and lemons) is made specific instead of ad valorem-a decided improvement, and is perhaps slightly lowered, but likely not enough to make much change in the business. Tartar or argols (partially refined) is reduced 33 per cent., that is, from 6 cents to 4 cents per pound, which will, no doubt, be favorable to an increase of business.

[ocr errors]

Licorice. The same may be said of licorice in sticks, which is largely shipped from here, and which has been reduced 25 per cent.; but the duty remains 40 to 45 per cent. on the value here-certainly a pretty heavy duty.

Macaroni, one of the specialties of Naples, has been put on the free list, instead of having to pay 2 cents per pound, which, I do not doubt, will considerably increase the exportation.

Silk. The reduction of duties on silk, in which North Italy is so largely interested, will doubtless be favorable to an increase of business.

Works of art.-But while the foregoing modifications of our tariff may be regarded as favorable to an increase of business, the same cannot be said as to the change of duty on works of art (paintings, statuary, &c.), in which Italy is perhaps almost more interested than any other country. The principle on which works of art for public institutions have been hitherto admitted free, and for individuals at the moderate duty of 10 per cent. was that the introduction of what tended to educate and elevate the public taste ought to be encouraged. As Italy is a country where Americans invest largely in works of art of all kinds, this action of Congress is, of course, not well received. Nor does it seem to be more favorably regarded by American artists residing in Italy for the purpose of study and the exercise of their profession than by Italians. A prominent American artist from Rome told me a few days ago that all but one of those resident there were opposed to any duty at all on objects of art, and considered that the best encouragement our Government could give to Americans artists was to promote by free admission whatever tended to cultivate and educate the popular taste for art. He said the artists contemplated taking steps to make their views on the subject known publicly before the meeting of the new Congress, next autumn. He added that in Italy every facility was afforded American artists for the prosecution of their studies, and that they felt highly indignant that our Congress should act so illiberal towards Italian artists in return. He said, too, that they were afraid the Italian Government might be induced to impose an export duty of 30 per cent. on all objects of art made by American artists in Italy, which, while it would only be a just retaliation, would have the effect of driving them all out of the country and excluding them from all the advantages of art study in Italy.

If this is the feeling among American artists, the very class Congress intended to benefit, and we see that it is the same in New York, Paris, and Munich, of course it is still stronger among Italian and other foreign artists, against whom the action was directed. B. O. DUNCAN,

Consul.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Naples, April 28, 1883.

[ocr errors][merged small]

AUSTRO-HUNGARY.

THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN TARIFF.

REPORT OF CONSUL-GENERAL WEAVER, OF VIENNA.

Referring to my dispatch, No. 235, transmitting duplicate copies in the original text of the new general tariff law of Austria-Hungary, which was proclaimed on the 28th ultimo, and which went into operation 1st instant, I have now to inform you that a careful translation of the complete law and tariff has this day been forwarded to the Department by direct mail under separate cover for publication if deemed of sufficient importance.

As was pointed out in my dispatch, No. 209, the changes established by the new law are material, constituting, in many instances, an enormous increase of duties, partly as a protection to home industries, but more generally for increase of revenue.

The various changes can be seen by comparing the new tariff with the former one of June 27, 1878, published in our Commercial Relations for 1878, pp. 127-140. The rates of tare in the new law have likewise been modified in certain instances, but the changes are not deemed of sufficient importance to warrant a translation and publication different from that which appears on pp. 140-144 of Commercial Relations of 1878.

JAMES RILEY WEAVER,
Consul-General.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL,

Vienna, June 17, 1882.

Law of May 25, 1882, regarding the general customs tariff of the Austro-Hungarian customs district.

With the consent of both houses of my Parliament, I decree as follows:

ARTICLE I. The provisions of this law are valid through the general customs and trade districts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but do not apply to the districts exempt from customs duties.

ART. II. All goods imported are dutiable unless expressly declared free of duty, and are subject to those duties which are prescribed in the accompanying customs tariff on imports, according to the class to which the goods belong. Where it is not expressly stated otherwise in the tariff, articles of consumption are also to pay, according to legal regulations, the internal, state, province, or city tax and additional

expenses.

For goods in transitu no duty is to be collected.

An export duty is only to be paid on such goods as are specified in the customs tariff on exports.

ART. III. Goods coming from countries which treat Austrian and Hungarian vessels or goods of Austrian and Hungarian origin with less favor than the vessels or goods of other nations, are subject on entering to an additional payment of 30 per cent., and if the tariff declares them to be free, then a special ad valorem duty of 15 per cent. will be levied upon them.

The Government has a right to make exceptions from this rule and either apply it to certain categories of goods, or classify the categories of goods under a higher or lower tariff.

ART. IV. An alphabetical list of goods to be published will determine the detailed arrangement of each article in the proper class of the customs tariff according to their letter and spirit. In cases of necessity the same may be revised and corrected. Chemical products entering for the first time into commerce, or paying by virtue of

« iepriekšējāTurpināt »