893.841 Surtax/47: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
Peking, October 5,
1927—8 p.m.
[Received October 5—4:12 p.m.]
[Received October 5—4:12 p.m.]
912. Following from American consul general at Shanghai:
“October 5, 1 p.m.
- 1.
- Referring to my telegram September 2, 4 p.m.10 and other telegrams regarding surtax on tonnage, Customs authorities have now approached shipowners of vessels cleared by consular clearance only, offering to issue new tonnage-dues memoranda in exchange for offering ones presented by consular officers to Customs bank before issuing clearance and to issue tonnage-dues certificates for 4 months from date of consular clearance. I consider this satisfactory as do American shipowners.
- 2.
- Some of my colleagues are inclined to favor deductions [deducting?] from tonnage dues deposited with them the amount of tonnage surtax paid to the Customs under protest. This question will be discussed by the consuls general concerned on October 6. I am not in sympathy with such attitude since the surtaxes are not a part of the treaty dues and this procedure might lead to undesirable practices.
- 3.
- The tonnage surtaxes paid under protest by American firms amount to 3,981 Shanghai taels and 32 tael cents.”
Mayer
- See telegram of the same date to the Department, supra.↩