Whereas satisfactory evidence has been received by me that upon vessels
of the United States arriving at the port of Boca del Toro, United
States of Colombia, no duty is imposed by the ton as tonnage tax or as
light money, and that no other equivalent tax on vessels of the United
States is imposed at said port by the Colombian Government; and
Whereas by the provisions of section 14 of an act approved June 26,
1884, "to remove certain burdens on the American merchant marine and
encourage the American foreign carrying trade, and for other purposes,"
the President of the United States is authorized to suspend the
collection in ports of the United States from vessels arriving from any
port in "Central America down to and including Aspinwall and Panama" of
so much of the duty at the rate of 3 cents per ton as may be in excess
of the tonnage and light-house dues, or other equivalent tax or taxes,
imposed on American vessels by the government of the foreign country in
which such port is situated:
Now, therefore, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the act and section
hereinbefore mentioned, do hereby declare and proclaim that on and after
this 9th day of September, 1885, the collection of said tonnage duty of
3 cents per ton shall be suspended as regards all vessels arriving in
any port of the United States from the port of Boca del Toro, United
States of Colombia.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
[SEAL.]
Done at the city of Washington, this 9th day of September, 1885, and of
the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and
tenth.