CO885-(10-11) — Page 825

8878.

SIR,

No. 657.

(SIERRA LEONE.)

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

Foreign Office, August 17, 1870. WITH reference to your letter of the 28th of June last, I am directed by Earl Granville to transmit to you, for the information of the Earl of Kimberley, copy of a further note* from the Belgian Minister insisting on the right of Belgian manufac- turers to export gunpowder direct from Belgium to the West African Settlements, and copy of the reply which has been sent to him after consultation with the Queen's Advocate.

The Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office.

I am, &c. (Signed)

ARTHUR OTWAY.

M. LE MINISTRE,

Foreign Office, August 17, 1870.

I HAVE the honour to inform you that Her Majesty's Government have, in com- pliance with the request contained in your note of the 5th instant, again taken inte consideration the question of the export of gunpowder direct from Belgium to the West African Settlements, with the view of ascertaining whether there is any dis- crepancy between the local ordinances issued in the Gambia and at Sierra Leone and the Commercial Treaty between this country and Belgium of July 23, 1862, and I have to state to you that Her Majesty's Government are clearly of opinion that no such discrepancy exists. '

If the free importation direct from Belgium were permitted, Belgian subjects would at present be in a better position than British subjects; as, whereas the latter are restricted to the exportation of gunpowder from the ports of the United States or of British Colonies, the former would be under no restriction whatever. It does not appear that the local authorities of the West African Settlements have withheld from gunpowder, manufactured in Belgium, any liberty of exportation which is permitted to gunpowder of British origin, or that, they deny to Belgian subjects or to Belgian vessels any privilege of importing gunpowder which is allowed to British subjects or to British vessels. In the case of both equally a definite point of departure is the cardinal condition of importation being permitted, and as long as Belgian subjects are allowed, through the special channel of trade prescribed by the local law for this article the same liberties which are enjoyed by British subjects, Her Majesty's Govern- ment are of opinion that the spirit of the treaty of 1862 is observed, whilst the letter is in no way violated.

Baron Beaulieu.

I have, &c. (Signed)

GRANVILLE.

o 16978.-938.

25.-6/86.

• Not printed.

T ། ། ། ། །

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

11 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO