THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 1st NOVEMBER, 1884.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.--No. 387.
851
The following Documents respecting an Agreement between the Governments of Great Britain and Siam for regulating the Traffic in Spirituous Liquors, are published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 1st November, 1884.
FREDERICK STEWART,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
No. 1.
Earl Granville to Prince Narès Varariddhi.
Foreign Office, August 1, 1884.
M. le Ministre,--By Article VI of the Agreement between the Governments of Great Britain and Siam for regulating the traffic in spirituous liquors of the 6th April, 1883, it is stipulated that, “Subject to the provisions of Article V, the present Agreement shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by mutual consent between the two Governments."
I have now the honour to propose, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, that the 1st January, 1885, be fixed as the date in question; and I should be glad to receive a note from you to the effect that this proposal is accepted by the Siamese Government.
I beg leave, at the same time, to state that the fact of a date being thus fixed will in no wise prejudice the right of British subjects, under Article V of the aforesaid Convention, to claim, now or hereafter, the treatment accorded to subjects of the most favoured nation in regard to the spirit trade in Siam.
No. 2.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
GRANVILLE.
Prince Narès Varariddhi to Earl Granville.-(Received August 2.)
The Siamese Legation, 14, Ashburn Place, London, August 2, 1884.
My Lord,I have the honour to acknowledge the letter of your Lordship dated yesterday, in which the 1st January, 1885, is proposed by your Lordship as the date on which the Agreement between the Governments of Siam and Great Britain for regulating the traffic in spirituous liquors shall come into operation. On behalf of the Siamese Governinent, I beg to accept this date, and to assure your Lordship that the Siamese Government is fully alive to the fact to which your Lordship makes reference, that the fixing of the date cannot in any way prejudice the right of British subjects secured to them under the Vth Article of the aforesaid Agreement.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
NARÈS VARARIDDHI,
Agreement between the Governments of Great Britain and Siam for regulating the Traffic in Spirituous Liquors.
Signed at London, April 6, 1883.
THE Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Government of His Majesty the King of Siam, being desirous of making satisfactory arrange- ments for the regulation of the traffic in spirituous liquors in Siam, the undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have agreed as folows :---
ARTICLE I.
Spirits of all kinds not exceeding in alcoholic strength those permitted to be manufactured by the Siamese Government in Siam may be imported and sold by British subjects on payment of the same duty as that levied by the Siamese excise laws upon spirits manufactured in Siam; and spirits exceed - ing in alcoholic strength spirits manufactured in Siam as aforesaid may be imported and sold upon payment of such duty and of a proportionate additional duty for the excess of alcoholic strength above the Siamese Gevernment standard.