American Embassy,
St.
Petersburg, April 17,
1905.
No. 7.][Inclosure.]
Ambassador Meyer to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs.
American Embassy,
St.
Petersburg, April 14,
1905.
Excellency: Under instructions from the
Government of the United States of America, I beg leave to call the
attention of the Imperial Government to the discriminating customs
duties imposed since the year 1901 upon certain American products,
especially machinery, tools, and manufactures of iron and steel, on
their importation into Russia.
The Russian minister of finance, in an order published February 15,
1901, to take effect March 22, 1901, withdrew the benefits of the
Russian conventional or minimum tariff for European commerce from
the products of American manufactures enumerated in tariff articles
150, 151, 152, 153, 161, and section 2 of article 167, and applied
thereto the higher rates prescribed in the general tariff, involving
increases of duty of 20 and 30 per cent.
These discriminations against American trade have now continued for
four years, during which period the trade relations between the two
countries have been seriously hampered.
In order to help and stimulate mutual commercial intercourse I would
respectfully beg your excellency to bring this matter to the
attention of the Imperial Government, and that on further
consideration it will be found favorably disposed to the
discontinuance of the existing discriminating duties on important
American articles of export and at the same time restoring the full
benefits of most-favored-nation tariff on all imports from the
United States.
I avail, etc.,
George von Lengerke
Meyer.
