No. 280.
Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Reed.

No. 48.]

Sir: I inclose a copy of a letter from Mr. Henry Beste, of New York, and of the protest dated the 20th instant, made by him against the payment of an impost exacted by the Spanish consul at New York, on the cargo shipped by him on the American schooner Clara Fletcher, L. I Sargent, master, bound for Arroyos, Porto Rico, of ten cents for each and every 1,000 kilograms weight of said cargo, amounting to $17.10. The legation will make use of this case, in connection with the other similar ones it has in charge, according to its best judgment.

I am, &c.,

FRED’K T. FRELINGHUYSEN.
[Inclosure in No. 48.]

Mr. Beste to Mr. Hunter.

Sir: I had this honor, January 31 of this year, and should have said on 1st page, 6th line, “for every one thousand kilos,” instead of “for every kilo,” which I herewith correct.

Having been subjected to the same impost therein referred to, but on cargo shipped per American schooner Clara Fletcher, and from New York, I have had served upon the Spanish consul my protest, and ordered a copy to be forwarded to your good self.

I may state here that an analogous case would be the instruction from the Department of State of these United States to their consuls at Cuba and Porto Rico “to impose and collect a tax of ten cents for every two thousand pounds of sugar or other products, including the packages in which packed, exported from those islands, shipped to and cleared for a port in these United States.”

I am, &c.,

HENRY BESTE.
[Appendix to inclosure.]

To whom it may concern:

I hereby protest against the payment of an import exacted by the Spanish consul at New York on the cargo consisting of goods the product of these United States, shipped by me on board the American schooner Clara Fletcher, L. I. Sargent master, [Page 464] bound for Arroyo, Porto Rico, of ten cents for each and every one thousand kilograms weight of said cargo, amounting to seventeen dollars and ten cents, and paid under compulsion, on the ground that no foreign consul has the right to levy and collect a tax on goods shipped from these United States of North America to the country or colony under the government he represents, and being also liable to loss from peril of the seas before arrival at destination.

[seal.]
HENRY BESTE.

Done and protested at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, this twentieth day of March, A. D. 1882, before me. In testimony whereof, as well the said Henry Beste as I, Edwin F. Corey, a notary public in and for the State of New York, by letters patent under the great seal of State, duly commissioned and sworn, have hereunto subscribed these presents, and I have caused my official seal to be hereunto affixed.

[seal.]
EDWIN F. COREY,
Notary Public.

City and County of New York, ss:

I, Edwin F. Corey, a public notary duly commissioned and sworn, and dwelling in the city of New York, do certify the foregoing to be a true and exact copy of an original protest on record in my office.


[seal.]
EDWIN F. COREY,
Notary Public, 54 Wall street, New York.