!
3904
40
No. 23.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 7 February, 1911.)
Copy to Acting Governor, Uganda, 2 March, 1911. Confidential. L.F.}
[Answered by No. 25.]
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 following paper for observations:-Mr. Rhys Williams, February 2: (Preservation of Game in Africa). Foreign Office,
February 7, 1911.
41
I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Sir E. Grey, the accompanying copy of correspondence* on this subject.
2. Mr. Harcourt would be glad if Sir E. Grey would take steps to ascertain whether the German, Italian, Soudanesc, and Belgian Governments would be willing to co-operate with His Majesty's Government in raising the limit for tusks to 25 lbs. or 30 lbs.
I am, &c.,
1940
No. 26.
G. V. FIDDES.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
DEAR SIR,
3
Enclosure in No. 23.
6, Charles Street, Mayfair. February 2nd, 1911. I AM much obliged for the copy of the Bulletin Officiel du Congo Belge, and I am glad to see from the Game Regulations contained therein that no elephant may be killed whose tusks do not weigh at least 10 kilos: apiece (over 20 lbs.). I would like to take this opportunity of urging again upon the Foreign Office and Colonial Office the importance of having a consistent standard weight throughout British possessions in Africa below which ivory may not be traded in or exported; this weight should be at least 25 lbs., preferably 30 lbs.
At present the different Protectorates have different minimums; the East Africa Protectorate, 30 lbs.; Uganda, 11 lbs.; and so forth.
2940
No. 24.
Yours, &c.,
RHYS WILLTAMS.
COLONEL SEELY, M.P., to MR. RHYS WILLIAMS. [Copy to Acting Governor, Uganda, 2 March, 1911. Confidential.] DEAR MR. WILLIAMS,
sent to
Downing Street, 25 February, 1911.
AN official acknowledgment* of your letter of the 27th of Januaryt was you on the 7th of February, and I now write to say that, after the very full discussion which took place between representatives of the Colonial Office and the Society for the Preservation of the Fauna of the Empire on the 18th of January, the Secretary of State thinks that no useful purpose would be served by a further conference at the present time.
2. In Mr. Harcourt's opinion, the important matter is to enquire whether the German, Italian, Soudanese, and Belgian Governments are willing to raise the limit for elephant tusks to 25 lbs. or 30 lbs. in German East Africa, Italian Somaliland, the Soudan, and the Congo, if His Majesty's Government do the same thing in Uganda; and he is asking the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to ascertain from these Governments whether they will co-operate.
3. In the meantime, Mr. Harcourt regrets that he cannot assent to isolated action on the part of the Uganda Government.
SIR,
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR..
(Confidential.)
Downing Street, 10 March, 1911. WITH reference to my despatch of the 8th of February,† I have the honour to inform you that I have received unofficially some further representations from the Society for the Preservation of the Fauna of the Empire on the subject of the Southern Game Reserve.
2. When the representatives of the Society have discussed the matter with Sir A. Pease, who is now on his way to this country, and who is stated to be familiar with all the facts of the case, both from the settlers' and from the sportsman's point of view, they propose to send a formal deputation to me, but, in the meantime, they have made certain suggestions which I request that you will consider and report on at your early convenience.
3. They admit that great damage is being done to the farms of settlers by the Congolian zebra and the hartebeeste, but they suggest, as a remedy for the evil, that the Reserve should be thrown open for the shooting of these animals and any others which can be clearly shown to be responsible for the damage, until their numbers have been reduced to harmless limits.
eagerly
4. They assert that the flesh of the Congolian zebra at any rate sought after for the manufacture of biltong, and that many persons would be glad to obtain the privilege of shooting them in the Reserve provided that they were allowed to retain the carcases.
purposes should 5. They recommend, therefore, that licences to shoot for these be issued on payment of a special fee, and that the Government, while allowing the carcases to be disposed of by the hunter, should retain the hides or horns and dispose of them for its own profit.
9533
No. 27.
I have, &c.,
L. HARCOURT.
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
2940
SIR,
I am, &c.,
J. B. SEELY.
No. 25.
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.
[Copy to Acting Governor, Uganda, 2 March, 1911. Confidential. L.F.] [Answered by No. 27.]
Downing Street, 25 February, 1911. WITH reference to your letter of the 7th of February ‡ covering a copy of a letter from Mr. Rhys Williams relating to ivory in the British possessions in Africa,
‡ No. 23.
• Not printed.
↑ No. 22.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 23 March, 1911.)
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 following paper: To His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General at Cairo, No. 13 Africa, March 17: Ivory Trade: Proposal to raise limit of weight for tusks.
Reference to previous letter: Colonial Office, No. 2940. February 25.‡ Foreign Office,
March 23, 1911.
D
No. 11 in [Cd, 5775], July, 1911, and Nos. 22 and 24.
No. 16 in [Cd. 5775],
‡ No. 25.
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