9928.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O. 885
Reference :-
11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
MY LORD,
No. 853. (GOLD COAST.)
LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.
We are honoured with your Lordship's commands signified in Mr. Hammond's
Temple, September 10, 1873. letter of the 22nd instant, stating that he was to transmit to us by direction of your Lordship various letters which had been received from the Colonial Office on the question of the expediency of addressing a representation to the French Government, with the view of preventing the importation of arms and ammunition into Ashantee through the adjacent territory cf Assinee which is under French protection.
That your Lordship had hitherto hesitated to make any such representation in the absence of any measures on the part of Her Majesty's Government to prevent the supply of arms to the Ashantees by British subjects.
That it would appear from these papers that our advice had been given against the introduction of a Bill into Parliament to enable Her Majesty to prohibit by proclama- tion or Order in Council the export of arms, ammunition and other articles of military or naval use to specified places, and that Her Majesty's Government had not adopted the practice which, as stated in the report of the Commissioners of Customs inclosed in the letter from the Colonial Office of the 10th of June last, had been resorted to on previous occasions, of prohibiting generally the export of certain articles, but allowing by subsequent Order in Council their exportation under bond to other places than those from which it was desired to exclude them.
That your Lordship had now received from the French Chargé d'Affaires an inclosed note proposing an agreement between the Governments of England, France, and Portugal to prevent by combined action the supply of arms to the tribes on the West Coast of Africa.
That Mr. Hammond was to request that we would take these papers into our con- sideration and favour your Lordship with our opinion whether Her Majesty's Govern- ment could properly enter into such an agreement as was suggested.
That he (Mr. Hammond) was further to enclose a letter from the Admiralty from which it would be perceived that Commodore Commerell had already addressed a representation to the French Admiral on the Coast, drawing attention to the import of arms and powder through Assinee.
That a copy of a printed statement, drawn up in the Foreign Office, of the Acts of Parliament and Orders of Council for prohibiting the export of arms was also inclosed.
In obedience to your Lordship's command we have the honour to
Report
That the importation of arms and ammunition may, we believe, be forbidden by proclamation made by the Governor or Governors of the British Settlements on the West Coast, and we see no reason why an agreement, as proposed by Mr. Dutreil, should not be entered into by the Governments of Great Britain, France, and Portugal.
We are aware that in giving this opinion to your Lordship we are advising a course of action which may be directly injurious to the manufacturers of arms and ammuni- tion in this country, but it seems to us, and we respectfully submit to your Lordship's consideration, that England should not hold back out of consideration for a particular branch of manufacture, from adopting a measure suggested by a great friendly power in itself lawful and well fitted to promote civilization and the cause of humanity, and to lead in the way of barter and trade to the introduction of other manufactures of at least equal importance.
The Earl Granville, K.G.
&c. &c.
&c.
We have, &c., (Signed)
J. D. COLERIDGE.
G. JESSEL.
J. PARKER DEANE.
o 16279.-861,
95.-5/86.