36
Already there has set in that sense of uncertainty and lack of confidence referred to in the report of the Royal Commission (p. 9, par. 52) as one of the effects of the bounty system.
We beg, in conclusion, humbly, but most urgently, to protest against the proposal of His Majesty's Government to retire wholly, or partially from the Brussels Convention, and we most sincerely and earnestly/pray that they will take no such action as will lead to the possibility of a renewal of the bounty system.
To you, Sir, who know what this question means to almost every man, woman, and child in the West Indian Colonies, who studied their grievances on the spot. and sympathised with their distress, we feel we need offer no apology for thus addressing you at such length.
We have, &c.,
H. CRUM EWING,
JAMES R. GREIG,
Vice-Chairman.
Director.
37
J'ai été chargé d'avoir l'honneur de porter d'urgence ce qui précède à la connaissance de Votre Excellence et saisis &c.,
Son Excellence
24434
Sir Edward Grey, Bart., M.P.,
&c.,
&c.,
&c.
No. 58.
LALAING.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received July 10, 1907.)
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and, by direction of the Secretary of State, transmits herewith copy of the under-mentioned paper.
To the Right Honourable
Sir Edward Grey, Bart.,
His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
24433
No 57.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received July 10, 1907.)
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonics, and, by direction of the Secretary of State, transmits herewith copy of the under-mentioned paper.
Foreign Office,
July 10, 1907.
DESCRIPTION OF ENCLOSURE.
Name and Date.
Subject.
`India Office, July 3
***
Sugar Convention.
(Copy also sent to Board of Trade and Treasury.)
Foreign Office,
July 10, 1907.
Name and Date.
Belgian Minister, June 27
DESCRIPTION OF ENCLOSURE.
Subject
Sugar Convention.
Copy also sent to India Office, Board of Trade, and Treasury.)
Enclosure in No. 57.
MONSIEUR LE SECRÉTAIRE D'ETAT :
Londres, le 27 Juin, 1907. Pour faire suite à ma lettre du 11 Juin courant, j'ai l'honneur de faire savoir à Votre Excellence que le Ministre du Roi à Paris a reçu de Monsieur le Ministre des Affaires Etrangères de la République une communication annonçant que le Gouvernement francais donne son entière adhésion à la proposition de confier à la Commission permanente des Sucres le mandat spécial d'émettre un avis sur l'accueil à réserver à la demande du Gouvernement britannique relative à la Convention des Sucres.
Le Gouvernement de la République autorise ses délégués à la Commission à se prononcer sur les divers points envisagés dans la communication que le Gouverne- ment belge a adressée aux Etats contractants et à traduire éventuellement, d'accord avec leurs Collègues étrangers, les conclusions de la Commission sous la forme concrète d'un projet de protocole additionnel à la Convention.
Il résulte, d'autre part, d'une communication du Chargé d'Affaires de Belgique à Luxembourg, que le Gouvernement Grand-Ducal adhère également à la proposition de convoquer la Commission permanente aux fins indiquées ci-dessus.
(R. and S. 1823.)
SIR;
Enclosure in No. 58.
India Office, Whitehall, London, S.W., July 3, 1907. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 19398, dated 19th June, 1907, enclosing a copy of the circular letter addressed by the Belgian Government to other European Powers on the subject of the proposal recently made by His Majesty's Government regarding the Brussels Sugar Convention.
It is possible that if the Powers agree to the question being remitted to the Permanent Commission for consideration, the British delegate may be invited to give the Commission some information as to the views and attitude of the Govern- ment of India relative to the Convention. I am accordingly to make the following remarks.
Although the Government of India decided that the formal adhesion of India to the Convention was not necessary, they cordially approved the undertaking of the signatory Powers to suppress bounties direct and indirect, and in enforcing the provisions of the Indian Tariff Act respecting bounty-fed imports they have closely followed the prescriptions of the Convention and they have endeavoured in every way to support its policy. On the Convention coming into force, they gladly freed the sugars of the co-signatory States from countervailing duties. The restrictive effect which these duties had on the sugar import trade of those countries with India, and the great expansion of this trade under the régime of the Conven- tion, will be seen from the figures in the table appended to this letter. The Govern- ment of India have been well satisfied with the commercial conditions which the cessation of the bounty system in Central Europe and the free competition of beet and cane sugar on terms of equality in the Indian market have brought about. They desire that these conditions should continue, and would view with great apprehension a revival of sugar bounties or of sugar trusts or cartels dependent on the existence of high protective tariffs which are now prohibited under the Convention. In India bounties are not given on the production or exportation of sugar, and preference is not shown to cane as against beet sugar, or to sugars coming from British possessions as against the sugars foreign countries.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
ول
Reference :-
885
18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO