This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
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# CHINA TRADE.
## CONFIDENTIAL.
[1662]
No. 1.
[January 16.]
## SECTION 1.
Sir,
Board of Trade to Foreign Office.-(Received January 16.)
Board of Trade, January 15, 1908.
I AM directed by the Board of Trade to refer to your letter of the 6th ultimo, transmitting a copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokio respecting the protection of trade-marks in China and Corea, and, in reply, to state that they fully concur with Sir E. Grey in thinking that the second paragraph of Article I of the draft Convention is objectionable.
The Board of Trade do not, however, think that the fresh wording suggested by Mr. Crowe should be adopted, since it brings the question of fraudulent intent (a thing always difficult to prove) into the matter, and they would therefore prefer that the paragraph in question should be struck out.
As regards the question of hong marks, the Board consider the suggestion of Mr. Crowe a valuable one; and they would propose the insertion of a new paragraph to the following effect, viz.: "A trading style or firm name or hong mark shall be protected in both the countries of the Contracting Parties without necessity of registration, whether they form part of the trade-mark or not."
I am also to state that the Board concur in Sir E. Grey's opinion that the Convention with Japan should be concluded before continuing the Chinese negotiations and in the course he proposes to take as regards the separate Convention for Corea.
I am, &c.
(Signed) T. W. P. BLOMEFIELD.
[2813 q-1]