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bead, 139
48
has considered the possibility of any preference from the Colony which he represents,"
the reply given by Sir Robert Bond was as follows:--
"Our tariff, as I stated a few days ago, has been framed solely for revenue purposes, and I do not think it would be possible for us to make any preference. Further, I do not think it would be any advantage to the Mother Country for us to revise our tariff in any way, inasmuch as the only goods that we import from foreign countries, principally the United States of America, are goods which this country could not supply to us."
While it is quite correct that the Premier of this Colony did not object to the principle of preferential trade, it is correct that he made it very clear indeed to the Conference that the principle could not be carried out in practice in this Colony.
25644.
No. 3.
R. BOND,
Colonial Secretary.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received July 21, 1904.)
[Answered by No. 6.]
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and is directed by the
Mr. White Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit to him, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the accompanying paper, noted in the margin, respecting German commercial relations with Canada and Australia.
Sent to Board of Trade.
Commercial, July 15,
1904.
Foreign Office,
July 20, 1901.
Enclosure in No. 3.
(No. 139. Commercial. Confidential.) MY LORD,
Berlin, July 15, 1904. An article having appeared in the "Cologne Gazette "of the 10th instant to the effect that, as the various commercial treaty negotiations in which Germany is at present engaged were making good progress, the Agrarian party were urging that the now German Tariff should be brought into force on the 1st of April next, I took an opportunity, on the 12th instant, of asking Baron von Richthofen whether there was any possibility of this taking place.
His Excellency replied that so early an application of the new Tariff was quite out of the question, as the negotiation of the remaining commercial treaties, viz., with Russia, Austria-Hungary, Roumania, and Switzerland, would necessarily take some time, and it would not be possible to submit them to the Reichstag before December, while the period of transition required by German commerce to re-arrange its business according to the new conditions would certainly be more than three months (one year is claimed by the
'Commercial Treaties Association ").
His Excellency then mentioned the position of the British Empire in regard to the new German Tariff, saying, that as far as the renewal of the modus vivendi with the United Kingdom is concerned, there would doubtless be no difficulty, but that the question of Canada and Australia, especially the former, was a serious one, and formed the only acute issue in the relations between the two countries. He told me, further, that he had now decided to make a definite proposal to your Lordship through Count Metternich, but gave me no indication as to what this proposal was to be, except that I gathered it would turn upon the question whether Germany was to negotiate with His Majesty's Government for the whole British Empire, or would be allowed to make separate arrangements with the self-governing Colonies.
I have, &c.,
J. B. WHITEHEAD.
The Marquess of Lansdowne, K.G.,
&c.
&c.
&c.
25644.
49
No. 4.
The SECRETARY OF STATE to the GOVERNORS-GENERAL and GOVERNORS.
Canada.
(2) Australia. (3) New Zealand. (4) Cape.
Natal.
(Confidential.)
MY LORD, SIR,
"
[Answered, Cape, by No. 5.]
Downing Street, July 29, 1904.
Foreign
d'Affaires,
Berlin, 30th
WITH reference to my [(1) confidential despatch of 20th January 1904,] Office to [(2) despatch General" of 18th December last,] [(3), (4), and (5) confidential His Majesty's despatch of 23rd January last]. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the Charge confidential information of your Ministers [to all except (2), a copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Berlin]s [to (2) only, copies December, of correspondence as noted in the margin] respecting the commercial 1903, relations of Germany with the British Empire, and the proposed opening of No.139, Com-
mercial, 15th negotiations between Germany and certain British Colonies."
July 1904.§
32427.
No. 5.
I have, &c.,
ALFRED LYTTELTON.
The ACTING GOVERNOR OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE to the SECRETARY OF STATE.
SIR,
(No. 264.)
(Received September 14, 1904.)
Government House, Cape Town,
August 29, 1904. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, with reference to your confidential despatch of 29th July last, a copy of a minute from Ministers relative to the commercial relations of Germany with the British Empire.
I bave, &c.,
É. S. BROOK, Major-General.
(Minute No. 1/485.)
Enclosure in No. 5.
MINISTERS TO ADMINISTRATOR.
Prime Minister's Office, Cape Town,
August 29, 1904.
Ministers have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of His Excellency the Administrator's Minute, "Confidential No. 2," of 16th instant, trans- mitting for their information a copy of a despatch from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on the subject of a communication received from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Berlin giving the result of an interview with the German chancellor concerning the enforcement of the new tariff of that country.
In the course of his remarks Baron von Richthofen stated that there would doubtless be no difficulty as far as the renewal of the modus vivendi with the United Kingdom was concerned, but that the question of the position of certain colonies formed the only acute issue in the relations between the two countries. In this connection the Chancellor announced his intention of making definite proposals to the British Government, the nature † 44697; not printed.
755; not printed. No. 4. | Not printed.
1772 not printed.
§ Enclosure in No. 3.
D
E 45018.