publication, this Board assented and eventually fixed upon the 15th of the 9th month (23rd October) as the date for bringing these Regulations into force. The British Government then telegraphed calling for a postponement, while the Japanese Minister strongly opposed the suggestion. This Board was thus placed in an exceedingly difficult position, and on the 22nd instant addressed a letter to the British Minister sending at the same time the three Secretaries, Tao, Hu, and Pan, to pay a visit at the British Legation. Here they were informed by Mr. Cockburn that His Majesty's Government had no other apprehension in the matter, but that merchants might be placed in difficulties after the Regulations had been brought into force, and for this reason they desired a postpone- ment. On the 23rd we received a letter from Sir Ernest Satow in which his Excellency stated that, as this Board desired an immediate reply, he would telegraph to his Government this Board's assurance that if the Regulations contained any provision injurious to British merchants it should at once be altered.
"This Board highly appreciates the courtesy of his Excellency in this matter. These Trade-marks Regulations, it will he recollected, were Imperially sanctioned as a provi- sional measure. Regulation 28 provides that they are provisional in nature, and that if after enforcement it is found that they present dificulties to either Chinese or foreign merchants they should be modified accordingly. This assurance we now have the honour to reiterate. The British Government may be perfectly satisfied on this point, and we trust that His Majesty's Minister will telegraph to them to this effect. This Board has now made all its arrangements, which indeed have been ready for some time past, and finds it difficult to postpone the enforcement of the Regulations. They have the honour to request that the British Minister may be informed accordingly." While communicating to your Excelleney the above despatch, I avail, &c.
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Majesty's Government instructing me that the amendments that may be found necessary must be inserted before the Regulations are put into force.
I have accordingly the honour to repeat my request that the date for the coming into operation of the Regulations may be postponed for six months.
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Sir E. Satow to Prince Ching.
Your Highness,
Peking, November 1, 1904. IN my letter of the 28th October on the subject of the Trade-marks Regulations I informed your Highness that I was as yet without a reply to my telegram, sent in accordance with my promise to the Board of Commerce, but that up to that time my instructions from His Majesty's Government were to press for a postponement of the date of their coming into operation.
I have now the honour to state that I have just received a telegram from His Majesty's Government instructing me that the amendments that may be found necessary must be inserted before the Regulations are put into force.
I have accordingly the honour to repeat my request that the date of coming into operation may be postponed for six months.
I avail, &c.
(Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
Your Highness,
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
Sir E. Satow to Prince Ching.
Peking, October 28, 1904.
I HAVE the honour to refer to the communication on the subject of the Trade- marks Regulations addressed to your Highness by the Board of Commerce and trans- mitted to me in your Highness" note of the 26th October. In this the Board of Commerce state that on the 23rd they received a letter from me, informing them that I would telegraph to my Government the Board's assurances that if the Regulations contained any provision injurious to British merchants it should be altered at once.
I have the honour to observe that while my letter of the 23rd October contained the above promise to telegraph their assurances to my Government, it also stated that my instructions from His Majesty's Government to press for a postponement of the date of operation of the Regulations were too precise to permit me to suggest any alternative, and that I must accordingly again urge the Board to accede to that request. I think it desirable to call your Highness' attention to the above passage in order to prevent misunderstandings.
I added in the same letter that I would again address the Board as soon as I received a reply from His Majesty's Government. I telegraphed in accordance with my promise, and have since again telegraphed on the same subject, but I have not yet received a reply. I can therefore only repeat that up to the present my instructions are to ask for a postponement of the date at which the Regulations come into force.
I avail, &c. (Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Sir E. Satow to Board of Commerce.
Your Excellencies,
Peking, November 1, 1904. IN my letter of the 23rd October on the subject of Trade-marks Regulations I informed your Excellencies that I would telegraph the Board's assurances to His Majesty's Government, and that as soon as I received a reply I would again address the
Board.
I have now the honour to inform you that I have just received a telegram from His
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