ST. CROIX-E. H. PERKINS, Consul.

JUNE 30, 1863. I enclose two copies of the "Law concerning Trade and Navigation," and the rates of duties for this island, marked "Ă," and two copies of a royal ordinance, marked "B," by which the protection heretofore granted to "all productions of the mother country, and all goods on which duties have been paid in Denmark, imported into this island in Danish vessels, from a Danish port not a free port," has been so modified that, from the first of April last, all such imports pay half duty; and from the first day of April, 1864, all protection is removed and full duty paid; and by which, also, goods heretofore paying half duty pay full duty, from the first of April last.

The export duties on sugar, rum, and molasses were changed a few months before my arrival here, placing foreign vessels on the same footing as Danish. By the new law all exports of sugar are 5 per cent., and all exports of rum and molasses are 3 per cent. ad valorem, just half the former rates paid by foreign vessels or by Danish vessels to a foreign place. These changes, which place foreign commerce on the same footing with Danish, will affect very favorably the interests of American citizens engaged in the trade of this island.

The other alterations have been made in this tariff since it was published in 1850.

A.

Law concerning trade and navigation for St. Croix.

[Translation.]

We, Frederik the Seventh, by the grace of God, King of Denmark, the Vandals and the Goths, duke of Sleswick, Holsteen, Stormarn, Ditmarsh, Lauenborg, and Oldenburg, make known the diet has passed, and we, by our royal assent, sanctioned the following law:

A.-NAVIGATION.

§ 1. All vessels, native or foreign, both from native and foreign ports, may trade to St. Croix, and there discharge and load at the two ports of entryChristiansted and Frederiksted.

§ 3. Every vessel is to pay tonnage dues according to its tonnage, both on entering and on leaving, at the following rate :

If the vessel discharge or load to the amount of one-half its tonnage and above, per commercial last....

30 cents.

If it discharge or load from one-quarter to one-half of its tonnage, per commercial last..

20 cents.

If it discharge or load less than one-quarter of its tonnage, per commercial last....

10 cents.

All vessels not discharging or loading are exempt from tonnage dues, as well as vessels belonging to the Danish West India islands, when trading between St. Croix and the two other islands.

If tonnage dues are paid at one of the custom-houses of this island, or at St. Thomas, additional tonnage dues are to be paid only in case the vessel should again discharge or load, during the same voyage, goods to such an amount that, together with the previous amount discharged or loaded, it shall reach a quantity on which a higher tonnage due is fixed.

At Christiansted, vessels are further to pay one-half the amount of tonnage

dues, at the above rate, for keeping the harbor, with wharves and other appurtenances, in repairs.

B.-IMPORTS.

§ 4. All goods, without exception, may be imported as well from Danish as foreign ports. Fire-arms and ammunition can only be landed on special permission from the governor general, and subject to such control as he may deem

proper.

$5. Within twenty-four hours after the vessel has been brought to an anchor the whole cargo, whether intended to be discharged or not, shall be entered at the custom-house, specified in writing. If the whole cargo is not to be discharged, the remainder shall, on the vessel's clearing out, be entered for export in the same manner.

6. On imports the following duties and exemptions are fixed:

I. In general:

a. Free of duty are sugar, rum and molasses puncheons, staves, headings, hoops,. agricultural implements, all implements used for the manufacture of sugar, the distilling of rum, and for cane mills, mill timber, fire-bricks and fire-stone, machinery and parts thereof, fresh fish and turtles, greens and vegetables, coals, mules and asses, manure, printed books and papers, and used furniture, when imported as the property of a person going to reside in the island.

b. A fixed duty to be paid on

Flour of wheat, per 100 pounds....

Flour of rye, barley, oats, maize, and all other kinds of flour, per

100 pounds...

Bread of wheat, per 100 pounds...

Bread of other corn, per 100 pounds.

Peas, dried, of any kind, per barrel..

Beans, likewise, per barrel.

Beef tongues, hams, sausages, pickled, smoked, or dried, per 100

pounds...

Pork, pickled or smoked, per 100 pounds..

Fish, dried or salted, per 100 pounds

Fish, pickled or smoked, per 100 pounds.

Butter, per 100 pounds.

60 cents.

25 cents.

75 cents.

35 cents.

25 cents.

25 cents.

$1.25

80 cents.

25 cents.

40 cents.

$1.50

Cheese, per 100 pounds.

Lard, per 100 pounds..

C. Five

$1.50

40 cents.

per cent. duty to be paid on iron, steel, lead, copper, zinc in bars, rolls, or plates, sheet-iron, spelter, rope, tar, pitch, rosin, chalk, lime, temperlime, cement, gypsum, bricks and tiles, flag-stones, earthen pipes, lumber of every kind, except those mentioned in sub-letter a, nails, screws, spikes, tools of every description, ships' anchors and chains, blocks, mule harness, raw leather, wooden yokes, live cattle, except mules and asses, which are free of duty, and horses,

salt, tallow, cart wheels, axles and boxes for carts and sugar wagons, canvas

for sails.

d. Twelve and one-half per cent. duty to be paid on all other goods, of whatever name, origin, and description, which are not enumerated in sub-letters a, b,

and c.

II. Exceptions:

a. Free of duty are all productions of the mother country and all goods on which duties have been paid in Denmark imported into this island in Danish vessels from a Danish port not a free port. Such goods shall be accompanied

with a clearance, proving they are of Danish product or manufacture, or that duties have been paid on them in Denmark.

b. One-half of the duty above mentioned to be paid on all foreign goods on which duties have not been paid imported in Danish vessels, provided such goods are shipped from a Danish port not a free port and accompanied with a clearance. The transit duty proved to have been paid at such port on the goods will be deducted in the half-duty.

c. Deduction of duty will be made on all goods on which duties have been paid at St. Thomas, which duty will be here deducted, provided such goods be accompanied with a clearance from the custom-house at St. Thomas, showing the duty there paid, and this clearance be produced within fourteen days from its date.

III. With respect to the importation of cards, the directions given in the enactment of the 9th of February, 1849, remain in force, with the only difference that the duties are to be paid in conformity with § 6, I d, and II a, b, and c of this law, instead of in conformity with the ordinance of the 6th of June, 1833, § 5, a, c, d, and e.

C.-EXPORTS.

§ 7. All goods, without exception, may be exported at the two ports of entry. § 8. On the produce of this island being exported the following duties are to be paid :*

1. Sugar:

A. In Danish vessels to a Danish port not a free port.........

To a foreign place ..

B. In foreign vessels, in all cases.

2. Rum and molasses:

5 per cent.

10 per cent. 10 per cent.

A. In Danish vessels to a Danish port not a free port..
To a foreign place.

...

B. In foreign vessels, in all cases.

§ 9. On sugar, rum, and molasses imported into this island from St. Thomas or St. John's, when exported from here, will be deducted the duty which the clearance from either of said islands shows to have been paid there.

§ 10. All other goods, whether the produce of this island or imported, may be exported free of duty. On coffee, tobacco, and on the articles specified in § 6, Ib, will be given a drawback of the import duty proved to have been paid, provided the drawback on the goods exported by one clearance amounts to at least $10.

E. COMMON RULES.

§ 12. The duty stated in the preceding sections includes all that is to be paid to the custom-house on imports or exports of goods. All other hitherto existing charges, viz., weighmoney and ten per cent. fees on the duty, are hereby abolished.

§ 13. All persons, natives or foreigners, owning, despatching or possessing goods to be imported or exported, are at liberty to enter them and make out the manifest themselves.

If required, a verbal entry at the custom-house shall be sufficient, and the collector of customs shall be bound, without remuneration, to make out the manifest in due form for the signature of the concerned.

§ 14. The custom-house offices shall be open for transaction of business every

According to law of 16th April, 1862, § 3, all exports of sugar, 5 per cent.; of rum and molasses 3 per cent.