Embassy
of the United States,
Berlin, February 26,
1898.
No. 313.]
[Inclosure in No. 313.]
Mr. White to
Baron von Bülow.
Embassy of the United States,
Berlin, February 26, 1898.
No. 187.]
The undersigned, ambassador of the United States of America, has the
honor to invite the attention of His Excellency Minister von Bülow,
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imperial secretary of
state for foreign affairs, to the manner in which the provisions of
the decree of the Bundesrath of the 5th instant, in regard to the
importation of live plants and fresh fruit from America, are
interpreted by the German customs officials at different places.
The undersigned is informed that at Hamburg, at which port the bulk
of the fresh fruit arrives from America, no complaints are made. The
expenses of cartage of the fruit which is to be examined at the
Botanical Museum have as yet been borne by the “Zoll-Declarations
Bureau,” and the only loss incurred by the importer consists in the
value of the apples examined, and in the slight delay caused by the
examination.
In the Rhine district, however, the case appears to be different.
Here almost no fresh fruit is imported, but on the contrary there
are large quantities of dried and evaporated fruit, and of so-called
“fruit waste” (skins and cores), which is prepared in the same way
as is dried fruit, and which is used in immense quantities in making
fruit jellies brought into this country. There seems to be a
difference of opinion in regard to this “waste” among the customs
officials at the places where it is imported or sold, and it is
understood that several firms (among the number, Mr. Jac. Kirberg,
of Gerresheim, and Messrs. Kaiser & Hamm, of Mehlen) have
entered protest. In some places the waste is admitted freely, it
being treated as dried fruit and as not affected by the decree above
referred to, while in other cases it has been treated as fresh fruit
and been submitted to examination, and released only after
considerable delay, and after the importer had been obliged to pay
charges for unloading and reloading, as well as the costs of the
examination itself.
The undersigned has the honor to request that His Excellency will
kindly cause immediate attention to be given to this matter, so that
uniform treatment may be accorded all fruit waste arriving in
Germany, and the present uncertainty and the damages occasioned
thereby terminated, and at the same time avails himself of this
opportunity to renew the assurance of his most distinguished
consideration.