16563.
No. 147.
(SOUTH AFRICA.)
SIR,
LAW OFFICERS TO COLONIAL OFFICE.
Royal Courts of Justice,
July 29, 1897.
We were honoured with your commands signified in Mr. F. Graham's letter of the 24th instant stating that, with reference to our Report of the 13th April last, and to that of our predecessors of the 23rd October 1893,† on the subject of the Dynamite monopoly in the South African Republic, he was directed by you to transmit to us the draft of a despatch respecting the monopoly, which you proposed to address to the High Commissioner for South Africa.
That Mr. Graham was to observe that in that draft no complaint was made of any breach of Article XIII. of the London Convention, as information had recently been received, from which it appeared that explosives manufactured in Scotland by Nobel's Company found their way into the South African Republic.
That Mr. Graham was to enclose a copy of a historical memorandum prepared in the Colonial Office, together with the correspondence noted in the margin regarding the treatment of the Roburite Explosives Company by the Transvaal Government.
That he was to enquire:
Roburite
Co., May
21, 1897. Colonial
Whether we concurred in the terms of the draft despatch to Sir A. Milner. (2.) Whether, in our opinion, the Roburite Company had a claim for compensation Office, from the Government of the South African Republic which Her Majesty's Govern- June 14, ment ought to support.
1897. Roburite
We have taken the papers into our consideration, and in obedience to your commands. Co., June have the honour to
16, 1897.
Report-
That, we approve of the terms of the draft despatch to Sir Alfred Milner initialled July 7, by us.
Colonial Office.
1897.
Roburite
In our opinion the Roburite Company have a claim for compensation from the Co., July Government of the South African Republic. Majesty's Government gives its support to this claim, the Company ought to be required
We think, however, that before Her 14, 1897. to submit some figures which can be relied upon, showing the amount of their loss. At present it appears of a somewhat speculative character as regards the amount.
The Right Hon. J. Chamberlain, M.P.,
We have, &c.,
RICHARD E. WEBSTER, ROBERT B. FINLAY.
DRAFT.
SIR,
&c.,
&c.,
Sir ALFRED MILNER.
&c.
Downing Street,
July
1897.
1
The question of the importation of explosives into the South African Republic has, as you are aware, been brought to my notice by the Roburite Explosives Company, Limited, who complain that their manufactures are refused admittance into the Republic, and that they are thereby debarred from carrying on their commerce within the Republic conformably to Article XIV. of the London Convention.
On receipt of these representations it became my duty to give the whole subject my full and careful consideration.
• No. 136.
↑ No. 44.
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