the French
"Government
Pants urged in
despatch
bis
the
to Lord Daly
of Janney
I
18.
RMZ
No. 7.
Lord Lyons to the Earl of Derby.-(Received January 20.)
1674
170
(No. 58. Confidential.) My Lord,
Paris, January 18, 1875.
THE Duc Decazes told me yesterday, that he had been in communication with the Department of Marine and Colonies respecting the Note and Memorandum on the Commercial Treaty between France and Annam, which had been addressed to him on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, by Lord Lytton, on the 15th of November, 1874. A Memorandum in reply had (he said) been sent to him by the Minister of Marine, but it had not appeared to him satisfactory; and after some further communication with his colleague, he had himself caused a Memorandum to be drawn up. He was, however, unwilling to multiply written documents on the subject, and therefore hesitated about giving it to me officially, as the definitive answer of the French Government. He should, however, be glad if I would take it home with me, and after considering it, talk it over with him. It would thus, he added, remain open to correction, if we should, on going over it together, agree that it required alteration.
The Duke then put into my hand the paper, a copy of which I do myself the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith.
I cannot say that it appears to me to be in any way satisfactory. It defends the Treaty as it stands, and holds out no hope of any modification being made in it.
The defence seems to me to be remarkably weak.
It was represented in the English communication, that this appeared to be the first instance in which one of the European Governments had departed from the wholesome rule heretofore observed, in accordance with which every nation represented in Chinese and Japanese waters, has hitherto been content, as regards its interest in those waters, to act in concert with other nations, seeking no exclusive privileges for itself, but co-operating in the common interest to obtain equal rights for all.
The answer to this seems to amount in substance to little more than that France stands in a peculiar position towards Annam; that France has made sacrifices which entitle her to particular privileges; and, that after all, the position of other nations with regard to commerce with Annam will be better than it was before the Treaty.
It is needless to observe on the difference between the principle thus laid down, and that acted upon by England in her negotiations with China and Japan.
The reply to the objection to the differential duties in favour of trade with Annam passing through the French Colony of Saigon, can hardly be taken seriously. The reply is that the trade at Saigon is not exclusively in the hands of the French, and that ships of other nations may, by resorting thither, share in the reduction of one-half of the duties provided for by the IVth Article of the Treaty.
On this principle France might contend that she might, without arrogating any exclusive advantage to herself, require that all trade with any country over which she exercises an influence, should pass through Marseilles, or any other French port.
In point of fact, however, I believe that this differential duty in favour of Saigon has been the main object of the whole Treaty.
Your Lordship may, perhaps, recollect the conversation with the Duc Decazes, of which I had the honour to send you a Report in my despatch No. 428 of the 1st of May last. On that occasion the Duke was so good as to give me, in the following terms, a
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The French Memorandum unanimously, and as open to any
disposed to set aside the observations of Her Majesty's Government, and proceed to submit the Treaty to the Assembly for ratification without further communication with them. If, however, he goes out of office, his successor may take a different view, and, even if he remains in, he may be overruled by the Department of Marine and his colleagues.
I purpose to wait for instructions from your Lordship as to what observations Her Majesty's Government desire me to make before I comply with the Duke's invitation to talk his Memorandum over with him; and, although he seems to propose only an oral discussion, I should nevertheless be disposed to take with me some written paper and leave it with him.
Unless Her Majesty's Government deem it advisable to let the matter drop, and without further remonstrance to leave the French Government to take its own course, it will be advisable that the Memorandum should not be too long unnoticed, lest silence should be construed into acquiescence, and at the same time that there should exist