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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
C O
577
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL,
1700]
No. 1.
3535
[January 13.]
#5 13 12
SECTION 3.
Sir,
Foreign Office to Colonial Office.*
Foreign Office, January 13, 1912. WITH reference to recent correspondence on the subject of the Opium Conference at The Hague, I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to forward, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of a telegram from the British delegates dealing with the terms of the adhesion and ratification clauses of the proposed convention.†
It will be observed that the delegates are inclined to accept the revised wording of the clauses put forward by the German delegates, but they consider that, instead of ratification by the Signatory Powers being contingent upon adhesion by all the non-Signatory Powers of Europe and America (as suggested by Germany), the condition of ratification should be the adhesion of a substantial number of the non- Signatory Powers invited to adhere.
It is believed from the words of the telegram "adhesion and ratification to be for colonies and outside possessions also," that the intention is that in the interval between signature and ratification, the British self-governing dominions should be invited to accede to the convention, and that the King's ratification, if and when deposited, should cover only those self-governing dominions who have acceded.
It is true that the German proposal is a new departure, as the usual practice is the accession of self-governing colonies to take place after ratification, and to be regarded as a separate procedure. But it appears to Sir E. Grey that, so long as it is made quite clear that the self-governing colonies cannot be bound in any way until they have acceded the proposal is not unacceptable.
It is accordingly requested that Mr. Harcourt will take the matter into consideration at his early convenience, and will state whether he concurs in the opinion that the line of action suggested by the British delegates may be sanctioned on the condition outlined in the preceding paragraph.
A similar enquiry has been addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
W. LANGLEY.
I am, &c.
* Also to India Office and Board of Trade, mutatis mutandis.
+ British delegates, Telegraphic, January 11, 1912.
[2340 n-3]