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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TTIEN C.O.

+885

17 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

10209.

SIB,

150

No. 9.

INDIA OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received March 20, 1907.)

India Office, Whitehall, London, S.W.,

March 20, 1907.

I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknow- ledge the receipt of your letter 47782, dated 26th January 1907,* on the subject of the Bill passed by the Commonwealth Parliament, entitled "The Customs Tariff (British Preference), 1906."

I am to say that the Secretary of State in Council concurs with the Postmaster-General in considering that the Bill, by restricting preferential treatment to such British goods as are imported in British ships manned by white crews, and thereby imposing a further penalty on the employment of Lascar crews, is open to serious objection. I am to ask that the attention of the Earl of Elgin may be drawn to the protest on behalf of India made by Lord George Hamilton in 1902† against the disabilities placed on Indian seamen by section 16 of the Commonwealth of Australia Post and Telegraphi Act, 1901, and to say that Mr. Secretary Morley desires to make a similar protest against the further disabilities which this Bill would create. I am to request that when the Bill is discussed with the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, in the course of the present year, due weight may be given to the objections entertained by the Government of India and the Secretary of State for India in Council to a measure which discriminates in an unfair and oppressive manner against His Majesty's Indian subjects.

I am also to point out that the Bill contains no provision for the admission of Indian goods to the preferential rates accorded to the produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom. I am to refer to the correspondence ending with my letter dated the 6th July 1904, on the subject of the preferential arrangements of the South African Customs Union, and to say that the considerations then put forward for the extension of the preference to Indian goods apply equally in the present case. I am to ask that this view may be brought to the notice of the Government of the Commonwealth.

28356.

No. XVII.

I have, &c.,

A. GODLEY.

Extension of British Interests in the Pacific.

No. 1.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received August 10, 1905.)

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 copies of the under-mentioned papers.

Foreign Office,

August 9, 1905.

Reference to previous letter.

Name and Date.

Admiralty July 25.

To

5

August 9.

Subject.

Proposed acquisition of Gambier Islands from France.

(Confidential, M. 7517.)

151

Enclosure 1 in No. 1.

SIR,

Admiralty, July 25, 1905. I AM commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the Marquess of Lansdowne, that they have had under consideration the question of the acquisition of a coaling station between New Zealand and Panama, and that their attention has been drawn in this connection to the advantages presented by the Manga Reva or Gambier Islands.

3. These islands belong to France, and, as will be seen from the attached chart (No. 2,683) of the Pacific Ocean, lie almost midway between Panama and Auckland, practically on the direct route. From the smaller chart (No. 1,112) also transmitted herewith, it will further appear that they have good and secure anchorages with deep-water approaches.

2. The completion of the Panama Canal would render such a coaling station of the highest importance, and the amicable state of our relations with France induces their Lordships to suggest, for Lord Lansdowne's consideration, whether the present may not be a favourable moment for approaching the French Government on the matter, taking into consideration the probability that any such proposal would be likely to be more readily met, and on more favourable terms, than if deferred till after the completion of the Panama Canal.

I am, &c.,

The Under-Secretary of State,

Foreign Office.

(Confidential.)

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

C. I. THOMAS.

SIR,

Foreign Office, August 9, 1905. In reply to your letter M. 7517 of the 25th ultimo, I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to state that his Lordship takes note of the opinion of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that the acquisition of the Gambier Islands by Great Britain would be desirable, and that the matter will be borne in mind in case proposals from the French Government on other subjects should offer an opportunity for bringing it forward.

The islands were, however, placed under French protection at the request of the inhabitants in 1844, and were annexed by France in 1881. It is believed that they contain a population of about 1,000, which may very possibly be opposed to a transfer of allegiance.

Irrespective of this consideration, the present moment is not, in Lord Lansdowne's opinion, at all opportune for proposing such a transfer to the French Government. If they were willing to entertain it they would certainly bring forward counter proposals of a very embarrassing character.

I am, &c., The Secretary of the Admiralty.

35208.

No. 2.

The GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA to the SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 8.0 a.m., September 24, 1906.)

TELEGRAM.

[Answered by No. 3.]

My Ministers advise that action of French Government Tahiti exciting apprehension owing to want of knowledge. Ministers respectfully request information either public or confidential.-NORTHCOTE.

• No. 8.

† No. 1.

23975; not printed.

K