112 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 5TH FEBRUARY, 1887.
Sir,
No. 6.
The Earl of Rosebery to M. Vernet.
Foreign Office, July 26, 1886.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 13th instant, in which you were good enough to inclose a Project of Declaration which will be proposed by the French Delegates for signature simultaneously with the International Copyright Convention at the Conference to be held at Berne next September, and I beg leave to acquaint you, in reply, that the British Delegates will be furnished with instructions on the subject.
In the meanwhile, I beg leave to request that you will express to your Government the earnest hope of Her Majesty's Government that no alterations will be made affecting in substance the draft Convention agreed upon last year.
On the faith of the Resolution of the Conference that the text then agreed upon should be signed without alteration by those Governments who might be willing to accept it, Her Majesty's Government have already, by a Statute which has just passed through Parliament, amended the British International Copyright Acts to meet the exact terms of the draft Convention, and they would view with great regret any proposals tending to a reconsideration of the bases of union already fixed.
I have, &c.
No. 7.
Mr. Bryce to Mr. Boyle.
(Signed)
ROSEBERY.
·
Sir,
Foreign Office July 27, 1886.
I AM directed by the Earl of Rosebery to transmit to you, for the consideration of the Board of Trade, a copy of a note from the Swiss Agent and Consul-General in London proposing a slight alter- ation in the text of the draft International Copyright Convention, which appears to his Lordship to be free from objection.*
With reference to your letter of the 24th instant, I am desired to inclose a draft of instructions to the British Delegates, and to state that his Lordship would be glad to be informed whether the Board of Trade concur therein.
His Lordship further thinks that it may be desirable for the British Delegates to advocate the view that the next International Conference for the revision of the Convention should not be held at an early date, in order that changes calculated to render necessary alterations in domestic law may not be adopted prematurely.
No. 8.
I am, &c. (Signed) J. BRYCE.
Sir,
Mr. Bramston to Mr. Bryce.-(Received July 30.)
Downing Street, July 29, 1886.
I AM directed by Earl Granville to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th instant, respecting the adhesion of the Colonies possessing representative government to the International Copyright Union, and to state to you, in reply, for the information of the Earl of Rosebery, that as the countries, parties to the Convention, have, under Article XX, the right of separately denouncing it, Lord Granville thinks it may be desirable to secure the corresponding right of withdrawal for the large Colonies possessing separate elective Legislatures.
I am to add that the list will be the same as that in recent commercial Treaties, namely, Canada, the Australasian Colonies, Cape, and Natal.
Sir,
No. 9.
I am, &c.
(Signed) JOHN BRAMSTON.
Mr. Boyle to Mr. Bryce.—(Received July 30.)
Board of Trade, London, July 29, 1886.
I AM directed by the Board of Trade to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th instant, transmitting, for their consideration, copy of a note from the Swiss Government proposing a slight alteration in the text of the International Copyright Convention about to be signed at Berne, and also draft instructions to the British Delegates.
* No. 4.
† See No. 11.