Vessels were not allowed to trade at way-ports, such as Santa Cruz, San Luis, Refugio, and San Juan Capistrano, without permission from the governor, which was easily obtained unless there was especial cause for suspicion. In June, Herrera, following instructions from his superior in Sonora, ordered that no vessel be allowed to load or unload in any other port than Monterey. He admitted that such a rule was ruinous to the territorial commerce, and said he had protested against it, but could not disobey orders. Echeandía, however, countermanded the rule provisionally, and it did not go into effect; but at the same time an internacion duty of fifteen per cent and an avería duty of two and a half per cent were added to the former import duty of twenty-five per cent, making a total of 42½ per cent, besides an anchorage tax of $10 for each vessel and a tonnage rate of $2.50 per ton.[1] Naturally these exactions displeased both the traders and the consumers of foreign goods; but they sought relief, not in written petitions, but in various smuggling expedients, in which they were rarely detected, and which therefore for this year at least find no place in the records.
For Monterey, the chief port of entry, I have no revenue statistics for the year. At Santa Bárbara, where accounts are complete, the revenue from customs was $7,446.[2] At San Francisco the recorded amount
- ↑ June 28th, Herrera to habilitados of S. Francisco, Sta Bárbara, and S. Diego, closing those ports. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Com. and Treas., MS., i. 16. July 5th, Id., insisting on internacion duty according to decree of Aug. 6, 1824. St. Pap., Ben., MS., i. 67-8. July 11th, Id. to gov., insisting on the reformation of abuses, though said abuses were necessary. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Com. and Treas., MS., i. 42-7. July 22d, Id. to habilitados. Countermands order of June 28th until govt decides, but not that of July 5th. Id., i. 51-2. Beechey, Voyage, ii. 10, 69, refers to the excessive duties. Jan. 24th, revised tariff of prices for products. St. Pap., Sac., MS., x. 90-1. May 10th, decree of Mex. govt. All exports free of duty. Sup. Govt St. Pap., MS., xix. 38. Sept. 26th, import duties as given in the text. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lx. 2. July 17th, habilitado of Sta Bárbara understands that by the decree of Feb. 12, 1825, internacion duty is payable only on goods taken from the custom-house for other ports, foreign vessels having to pay only the 25 per cent and Mexican the 15 per cent of import duties. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Com. and Treas., MS., i. 48.
- ↑ Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Com. and Treas., MS., i. 65. Partial statistics for each vessel are given in the list at the end of this chapter.
