29
'No. 33.
195
COLONIAL OFFICE to the EARL OF JERSEY.
(Dated June 9, 1894.)
[Transmits copies of letters from the Leeds Imperial Federation League, the Batley Chamber of Commerce, and Lloyd's, and of the reply thereto.]*
28
discrimination in the Colonies against her produce. Should any more or less definite scheme of differential treatment be mooted which it would be reasonable to consider would have a seriously detrimental effect on British industries, this consideration will, no doubt, be put forward by your Lordship as you may deem necessary.
I have, &c. (Signed) RIPON.
9707.
No. 30.
The MARQUESS OF RIPON to the EARL OF JERSEY.
(Confidential.)
Downing Street, June 9, 1894. MY LORD,
REFERRING to the letter* of general instructions which I have addressed to you this day, I desire to add, for your personal information, that it appears from an informal source that the question of the administration of the Samoan Islands might possibly be brought before the conference. In that event you should explain that as the question is one in which the treaty engagements of this country are involved you must deprecate its being raised, as, if it were to be discussed, it would be your duty to make a formal declaration upholding our treaty engagements and to withdraw from the sitting.
9496.
I have, &c. (Signed) RIPON.
10305.
No. 34.
GENERAL POST OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received June 14, 1894.)
[Answered by No. 42.]
MY LORD MArquess,
Post Office, June 12, 1894. By direction of the Postmaster-General, I send herewith the memorandum on steam communication referred to in the postscript of his letter to your Lordship dated to-day.
In sending a copy of the memorandum to the Earl of Jersey, Mr. Morley is asking that he will regard it, like the memorandum on the Pacific Cable question, as strictly confidential; but it was clear to the Postmaster-General, from what passed here yester- day, that Lord Jersey quite understood these details were to be furnished him for his own information, and not as a basis of discussion.
I have, &c.
(Signed) H. BUXTON FORMAN.
5452.
No. 31.
mwimmi
PUBLIC
RECORD OFFICE
19
C.O. 885
Reference :-
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
COLONIAL OFFICE to LLOYD'S.
Downing Street, June 9, 1894. SIB,
I AM directed by the Marquess of Ripon to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th ultimo,† suggesting that some representation should be laid before the Ottawa Conference with regard to the legislative restrictions which some of the Australian Colonies have adopted with reference to British marine insurers. In reply I am to acquaint you, for the information of the Committee of Lloyd's, that although Her Majesty's Government are sending a representative to attend the Conference at Ottawa, it is not intended that he should make any propositions or suggestions, or should submit any resolutions to the Conference.
9707.
No. 32.
I &c.
am,
(Signed) JOHN BRAMSTON.
COLONIAL OFFICE to the LEEDS IMPERIAL FEDERATION LEAGUE
and the BATLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SIR.
of the
Downing Street, June 9, 1894.
I AM directed by the Marquess of Ripon to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 29th ultimo, enclosing copy of a resolution passed at a meeting of the Leeds
2nd instant Imperial Federation League suggesting [by desire of the Council of the Batley Chamber of Commerce] that the question of the Maritime Defence of the Empire should be brought before the Conference which is about to be held at Ottawa.
am, &c.
(Signed)
• No. 29.
† No. 22.
JOHN BRAMSTON.
‡ Nos. 20 and 25.
(Confidential.)
Enclosure in No. 34.
STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH CANADA, AUSTRALIA, AND THE EAST.-Memoranda of questions which may be dealt with or affected by the Ottawa Conference.
In discussing the subject of steam communication, the Ottawa Conference is not, perhaps, likely to go outside the immediate interests of the Colonies. Canada will be mainly interested in the new services in the Pacific, and the projected quick service in the Atlantic. The Australian Colonies may wish to bring in, beside the subject of the Sydney-Vancouver line, questions relating to the service between this country and Australia vid Suez, known in the Colonies as "the Federal Service" because the Mother- country and the Colonies share the expense, and the Colonies apportion their share among themselves. They will also, in all likelihood, desire at least to illustrate the discussions from the experiences of the several Colonies in regard to other mail packet undertakings; but they may perhaps avoid showing a lively interest in a very important part of the Canadian-Pacific scheme-namely, the projected line of fast packets across the Atlantic, lest they should be expected to contribute towards its maintenance.
The Imperial Government, when it moves from its attitude of neutral vigilance, and descends into the arena of discussion, will have to enlarge the theme somewhat, and look at all the mail packet services which may be involved. Although this larger discussion can hardly take place at the Ottawa Conference, it will be useful to look at the present situation in regard to the mail communications which would be affected by the results of the Conference.
To Her Majesty's dominions in the East there are at present two great main routes, the eastern route through the Mediterranean, the Suez canal, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and the Western route across the Atlantic, the American continent, and the Pacific. For the eastern route, there are packets of the contracting mail companies leaving the Thames every week; but the contract mail service begins at the Italian port of departure, to which the mails are sent by means of special packets from Dover to Calais, and from Calais through France and Italy by a special train service organised
* Nos. 20, 22, 25, 31, and 32.
D 3