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Secretary.

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2. In reply, I am to inform you that Lord Elgin is not at present in a position to state what course His Majesty's Government will take in regard to the Convention.

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(No. 164.)

MY LORD,

No. 3.

LEEWARD ISLANDS: (ANtigua).

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received June 5, 1906.)

[Acknowledged June 13, 1906, No. 109.]

Government House, Antigua, May 17, 1906, I HAVE the honour to forward, for the consideration of His Majesty's Govern- ment, copies of two resolutions which were passed unanimously at a meeting of the Agricultural and Commercial Society held at Antigua on the 4th instant.

2. The resolutions, which were moved in a very temperate and well reasoned speech by Mr. A. M. Lee, the owner of Bendals Estate, and were seconded by Mr. N. S. Johnston, refer to the benefits derived by Antigua from the operation of the Brussels Convention, and the Executive Council, before whom I laid them at a meeting held on the 16th instant, expressed their concurrence in the views held by the Agricultural and Commercial Society.

I have, &c., BICKHAM SWEET-ESCOTT,

Governor.

3

decided to denounce the Brussels Convention, and requesting the West India Com- mittee to ask the Colonial Office if His Majesty's Government would in the circum- stances he willing to permit the Colony to endeavour to negotiate a reciprocal com- mercial treaty with the United States of America, to take effect in September, 1908.

2. It appears that this action is based on certain statements made by Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman on March 27th, though my Committee are not aware that His Majesty's Government have actually announced their intention to withdraw from the Brussels Sugar Convention on September 1st, 1908.

3. Should it be decided to withdraw, it cannot be doubted that the result will almost certainly be a renewal of cartel bounties in Austria and Germany. In this case, not only will the sugar industry of the West Indies and other parts of the world be jeopardised, but a serious blow will also be struck at the jam and con- fectionery industries of the United Kingdom, who are so largely dependent upon a continued supply of cheap sugar, and we hope that this point will not be lost sight of. 4. We may remind Your Lordship that it has been carefully estimated that the failure of the sugar industry in the West Indies would probably involve His Majesty's Government in an outlay of not less than £1,000,000 per annum, in order to carry on even the simplest form of Government.

5.

As there seems to be much uncertainty as to the policy of His Majesty's Government, we venture respectfully to suggest that in the event of it being decided not to renew the Convention, they should seriously consider the desirability of allowing the West Indian Colonies to enter into such reciprocal arrangements with the United States of America as may be found possible.

We have, &c.,

N. LUBBOCK,

Chairman.

ALGERNON E. ASPINALL,

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.885

Reference :-

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

Enclosure in No. 3.

RESOLUTIONS passed at a Meeting of the Antigua Agricultural and Commercial Society, held on May 4th, 1906.

1. That this meeting of the Antigua Agricultural and Commercial Society wishes to express the sense of the great benefit conferred on this island by the passing of the Brussels Sugar Convention in partially restoring its credit, in maintaining the manufacture of sugar on a free trade basis founded on natural price," and in many other ways; its knowledge that but for the passing of the Convention the two successful central sugar factories now in operation here would not have been erected; and its fear that if the Convention be tampered with renewed credit will again decline, and that it will be impossible to procure the further capital necessary to provide other central factories which are much needed in this island to enable sugar to be produced in the cheapest and most efficient manner.

2. That this meeting begs respectfully to represent to the Secretary of State for the Colonies the urgent need of maintaining the Brussels Convention in the best interests of the British West Indian sugar-producing Colonies, and hereby requests His Excellency the Governor to transmit these resolutions to the Secretary of State.

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No. 4.

THE WEST INDIA COMMITTEE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received June 8, 1906.)

[Answered by No. 6.]........

MY LORD,

15, Seething Lane, London, E.C., June 7, 1906. WE have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of a resolution passed at a recent meeting of the Westmoreland Sugar Planters' Association, Jamaica, expressing the great alarm with which they have learnt that the Imperial Government have

Enclosure in No. 4.

RESOLUTION passed at a Meeting of the Westmoreland Sugar Planters' Association.

That this Association has learned with great alarm of the intention of the Imperial Government to denounce, as soon as practicable, the Treaty known as the Brussels Sugar Convention.

That a return to the old system of bounties and cartels on Continental beet would again put the price of sugar in all the markets of the world below the cost sugar of production, thus ruining the cane sugar industry of the British West Indies, throwing out of employment thousands of the labouring population of these Colonies. which would constitute a grave danger to the peace of these countries, and gravely imperilling large amounts of British capital which have since 1903 been invested in that industry.

Resolved:

That in view of the abrogation of the Brussels Treaty, the West India Committee' be respectfully requested to enquire of the Colonial Office if His Majesty's Govern- ment would be willing to permit this Colony to endeavour to negotiate a reciprocal commercial treaty with the United States of America, whereby the American Govern- ment would after September, 1908, admit the sugars of this island into the United States on preferential terms as to duties in exchange for similar treatment granted by this Colony to the products of the United States of America.

That in the event of the abrogation of this Treaty and the return to Continental bounties and cartels, this Association sees nothing before it but the absolute ruin of the sugar industry of the British West Indies if they fail to get their sugars into the United States of America on favoured terms.

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