5
210
papers into our considera- That Sir H. Percy Anderson was to request us to take the tion and to favour your Lordship with our opinion whether, in Article XV. of the Treaty of the 23rd July 1862, between Great Britain and Belgium, the words:- when considered in conjunction with their "Similar articles of British origin equivalent in the French text, relate to the produce of the United Kingdom alone, or should be taken to include the produce of any part of Her Majesty's Dominions: whether, also-assuming the words " Articles of British origin" to include the produce of any part of Her Majesty's Dominions-it was open to Belgium (or any other nation claiming most-favoured-nation treatment) to demand the full benefit of that reading notwithstanding the words in the French text "produits originaires de la Grande Bretagne."
That Sir H. Percy Anderson was to request us to be good enough, at the same time, to favour your Lordship with any general observations which the consideration of the papers might suggest to us.
We have taken the matter into our consideration and, in obedience to your Lordship's commands, we have the honour to
Report-
That, in our opinion, in Article XV. of the Treaty of 23rd July 1862, between Great Britain and Belgium, the words "similar articles of British origin" by themselves, as well as in conjunction with their equivalent in the French text, relate to the produce of the United Kingdom alone.
The Earl of Kimberley, K.G.,
&c. &o.
&c.
14378.
SIR,
No. 5.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received August 16, 1894.)
Foreign Office, August 15, 1894. I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant,* inquiring whether this Office is aware of the French Frigate Shoal or Laysan Island being claimed by any foreign Power, these islands having been suggested by the Admiralty as more suitable for a cable station than Necker Island.
In reply, I am to state, for the information of the Marquess of Ripon, that in 1857 Consul-General Miller reported that Captain Paty, of the Hawaiian schooner "Manuokawai," had taken possession of various islands, among which was Laysan, No formal with the usual formalities, and in the name of King Kamehemeha IV. notification of the fact was made to Her Majesty's Government, and it is not believed that a Proclamation was issued.
With regard to the French Frigate Shoal, the archives of this office contain no information. But as these islets are much nearer to Hawaii than Laysan Island, and are situated only about 90 miles from Necker Island, Lord Kimberley has no doubt that they are considered by the Government at Honolulu as forming part of the Hawaiian group.
We have, &c.
JOHN RIGBY.
R. T. REID.
16500.
I am, &c.
H. PERCY ANDERSON
12818.
No. 6.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
No. 4.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 30, 1894.
Sir ALBERT ROLLIT asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the commercial treaties with Belgium and Germany, prevent, or not, differential fiscal treatment by Great Britain in favour of its Colonies, by the Colonies in favour of Great Britain, or by the Colonies in favour of each other?
of
借露
£
Sir E. GREY Baid, Article 15 of the treaty of July 23, 1862, between Great Britain and Belgium is as follows:-" Articles the produce and manufacture of Belgium shell "not be subject in British Colonies to other or higher duties than those which are or may be imposed on similar articles of British origin." Article 7 of the treaty between Great Britain and the Zollverein of May 30, 1865, is as follows:-"The stipulations of "the preceding Articles 1 to 6 (they contain the whole of the treaty) shall also be applied to the Colonies and foreign possessions of Her Britannic Majesty. In those Colonies and possessions, the produce of the States of the Zollverein shall not be subject to any higher or other import duties than the produce of the United Kingdom " of Great Britain and Ireland, or of any other country of the like kind; nor shall the exportation from those Colonies or possessions to the Zollverein be subject to any higher or other duties than the exportation to the United Kingdom of Great Britain "and Ireland.' The general effects of these stipulations in regard to import duties, on the points mentioned in the question, are understood to be as follows:-(1.) They do not prevent differential treatment by the United Kingdom in favour of British Colonies. (2.) They do prevent differential treatment by British Colonies in favour of the United Kingdom. (3.) They do not prevent differential treatment by British Colonies in favour
of each other.
Colonel HOWARD VINCENT.-Will the Under Secretary say whether Her Majesty's Government have decided to give notice to terminate the clause in these two unfortunate treaties which thus limits the extension of Inter-British trade?
Sir E. GREY.-That is a large question of general policy, and I cannot make any statement.
--
Mr. T. G. BoWLES.--Is that the view of the other Governments concerned ?
Sir E. GREY.-I do not think there is any doubt that the explanation is founded on what the treaties say, but that particular interpretation has not been discussed.
SIR,
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE. [Answered by No. 7.]
Downing Street, August 27, 1894. I AM directed by the Marquess of Ripon to request that the attention of the Earl of Kimberley may be drawn again to the question of obtaining landing rights in some island of the Hawaiian group which may be found suitable for cable purposes. At the Colonial Conference held at Ottawa last month the following resolution, among others, relating to the proposed Pacific Cable, was unanimously passed :--
"Resolved, That the Canadian Government be requested, after the rising of this Conference, to make all necessary inquiries and generally to take such steps as may be expedient in order to ascertain the cost of the proposed Pacific cable, and promote the establishment of the undertaking in accordance with the views expressed in this Conference."
The Canadian Government are, accordingly, about to issue advertisements, with the object of ascertaining from cable contractors for what sum they will be prepared to tender for the execution of the work, by one or other of the routes specified.
The cost of constructing the line will vary considerably according to the route selected, and the first and most pressing necessity appears to be to secure the option of It is important that this concession the most suitable route along the Sandwich Islands. should, if possible, be obtained before the tenders are sent in (1st November).
I am to enclose a memorandum which shows in detail what is desired; and Lord Ripon trusts that Lord Kimberley will be willing to instruct Her Majesty's Consul at Honolulu to use his good offices to secure possession, for cable purposes, of the island deemned most suitable for the purpose.
The Canadian Government will despatch to Honolulu an agent of theirs, who will probably arrive by the next mail. He will be furnished with a letter of introduction to Captain Hawes from the Governor-General of Canada, and he will be able to furnish him with fuller information on the points in question.
• No. 153 in Australian No. 189.
I am, &c.
JOHN BRAMSTON,
A 3