Whereas satisfactory proof has been given to me by the Government of the
Empire of Germany that no tonnage of light-house dues, or any equivalent
tax or taxes whatever, are imposed upon American vessels entering the
ports of the Empire of Germany, either by the Imperial Government
or by the governments of the German maritime States, and that vessels
belonging to the United States of America and their cargoes are not
required in German ports to pay any fee or due of any kind or nature,
or any import due higher or other than is payable by German vessels or
their cargoes:
Now, therefore, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 11 of the
act of Congress 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,"
approved June 19, 1886, do hereby declare and proclaim that from and
after the date of this my proclamation shall be suspended the collection
of the whole of the duty of 6 cents per ton, not to exceed 30 cents per
ton per annum (which is imposed by said section of said act), upon
vessels entered in the ports of the United States from any of the ports
of the Empire of Germany.
_Provided_, That there shall be excluded from the benefits of the
suspension hereby declared and proclaimed the vessels of any foreign
country in whose ports the fees or dues of any kind or nature imposed on
vessels of the United States, or the import or export duties on their
cargoes, are in excess of the fees, dues, or duties imposed on the
vessels of such foreign country or their cargoes, or of the fees, dues,
or duties imposed on the vessels of Germany or the cargoes of such
vessels.
And the suspension hereby declared and proclaimed shall continue so long
as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the
United States and their cargoes shall be continued in the said ports of
the Empire of Germany, and no longer.
In witness 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 26th day of January, A.D. 1888, and
of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twelfth.