454 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Import duties from 1789 to 1894. — Excepting a period of 23 years of 

 reciprocity treaties (from September 11, 1854, to March 17, 1860, and 

 from July 1, 1873, to June 30, 1885), when free trade in fishery products 

 existed between the United States and the British North American 

 Provinces, the principal products of the American fisheries have been 

 protected by moderately heavy duties imposed on foreign importations. 



The first customs act of the United States Congress (1st Cong., 1st 

 sess., Ch. n) provided a duty of 50 cents per quintal on dried or cured fish, 

 75 cents per barrel on pickled fish, and 5 per cent on all other fishery 

 products imported. In 1S01 the rate on pickled fish was changed to 

 40 cents to $1 per barrel according to varieties, and in 1812 all duties 

 on imported fishery products were doubled. Most of these duties were 

 affected by the Clay compromise act of 1833. The developing trade in 

 sardines, canned fish, etc., resulted in imposing a duty of 20 per cent 

 ad valorem on those products in 1842 and fresh fish intended for imme- 

 diate consumption were admitted free of duty. The Walker tariff act 

 of 1846 made a uniform duty rate of 20 per cent ad valorem, except that 

 30 per cent was required on salted salmon and 40 per cent on sardines 

 and canned fish. Since then these rates have been modified from time 

 to time, the duties have been changed from ad valorem to specific and 

 vice versa, and certain minor articles have been placed on the free list. 

 The rates of duty collected on the various imported fishery products 

 from the origin of the United States Government to the present time 

 are shown in the following compilation: 



15. Comparative statement of the rates of import duty imposed on fishery products under 

 the principal tariff enactments from July 4, 1789, to August 27,1894, inclusive 



