CO885-(18-19) — Page 172

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O.885

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

60

Enclosure 2 in No. 76.

TEXTE DU PROJET de certificat communiqué par Sir Henry Bergne dans la séance de la Commission du 25 juillet 1907.

I,'

Certificate for refined Sugar exported to a Contracting State.

Collector of Customs a at the port of

hereby certify that the Sugar of which particulars are stated in the Schedule annexed was refined in the United hereto and destined for exportation to

Kingdom from raw Sugar originating exclusively in Countries which have not been declared by the Permanent Commission established by the International Sugar Convention to give bounties on the production or exportation of Sugar.

(Traduction.)

Je

Certificat pour du sucre raffiné exporté vers un Etat Contractant.

percepteur des douanes au port de

"

certifie par le présent que le sucre faisant l'objet des indications portées au document provient du raffinage dans le ci-annexé, destiné à être exporté vers Royaume-Uni de sucre brut originaire exclusivement de pays qui n'ont pas été reconnus par la Commission permanente instituée par la Convention internationale des sucres, comme allouant des primes à la production ou à l'exportation du sucre.

27544

(Confidential.)

No. 77.

SIR H. G. BERĠNE to SIR E. GREY.

Brussels, July 28, 1907. SIR,

Is my despatch of yesterday's date,* intended for eventual publication if so desired, I have stated briefly the results of the recent meeting of the Permanent Commission under the Sugar Bounties Convention.

It may, however, be useful that I should submit to you a few confidential observations upon what took place at this meeting.

In the first place I should state that there was evidently a very sincere desire on the part of the great sugar-exporting countries, viz., Germany, France, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, and Holland to co-operate in framing, for submission to the Governments of the Contracting States, a Project of Protocolt giving effect to the suggestion made by His Majesty's Government.

The German delegate put forward certain suggestions at the first meeting on behalf of the German sugar trade, amongst which were a slight increase in the surtax and measures against bountied sugar being contained in sugared products exported from the United Kingdom. These proposals, however, were not pressed as proposals emanating from the German Government, and were quietly dropped.

Herr Mahlhorn, the German delegate, indeed, called upon me after making his speech, and stated that it was his most sincere wish to make everything go through smoothly. If he had said anything in his speech which could be inacceptable to Great Britain he would willingly amend it in the record. His manner was very cordial, and I feel convinced that his personal influence will be used to induce the German Government to accept and sign the Protocol submitted by the Commission. He declared that on the whole his Government were disposed to regard the British proposal favourably.

It must, however, be recollected that important commercial interests in Germany may be working in the background--and if they should be cast against the acceptance of the British proposal they would exercise great pressure upon the German Govern-

ment.

The Austrian and Hungarian delegates maintained throughout a most friendly and conciliatory attitude, but stated that our proposals had come at a most un-

Enclosure in No. 76.

• No. 76.

GI

fortunate moment for their respective countries, which were engaged in very delicate reciprocal negotiations.

They both declared that unless a system of Customs duties on sugar between Austria and Hungary could be arranged in time, it would be impossible for either country to ratify the proposed Protocol.

As a first step, however, this proposed system was submitted to and approved by the Commission, and in these circumstances and after private conversation, I feel tolerably certain that the Austrian and Hungarian delegates will persuade their Governments to sign.

With Monsieur Delatour, the French delegate, the British delegation acted throughout in complete agreement and on the most cordial terms. France will certainly be prepared to sign the Protocol.

Italy was represented by the Italian Minister at Brussels, Count Bonin de Longare, who maintained throughout a most peculiar and reserved attitude. Not only did he profess himself to be without any instructions to agree to anything, but he steadily refused to seek instructions on any point by telegraph, saying he could not receive them in time. No word of sympathy for the objects of the meeting came from him, and his whole demeanour led to the conclusion that the Italian Government were not favourably disposed towards the British proposal.

It may be that Italy will eventually decide to follow the lead of the other Powers. If not, in the last resort, it would become a question whether her signature could not be dispensed with. Italy was one of the Powers who joined the Conventions under Article VI, and is not therefore bound to conform to the provisions of Articles 1. 2 and 3. That is to say, she is at liberty to give bounties, to have a surtax of any amount, and not to refine in bond-so long as she exports no sugar.

She is not therefore a fully contracting State-and it is to be noted that Article 12 of the Sugar Convention itself provides that non-ratification by the States joining under Article VI shall not prevent the Convention from coming into force.

The Grand Duchy of Luxemburg will no doubt follow the lead of Germany. The Dutch delegates, after hearing the arrangements proposed by Great Britain as to certificates of origin for raw and refined sugar, stated that their Government was prepared to accept the British proposals.

The Peruvian and Swedish delegates mostly confined themselves to accepting the various proposals put to the vote, but stated in general terms that they were favourable to the British proposals.

He was,

The Swiss delegate stated that if any favour or concession were made to any country save Great Britain Switzerland would claim similar treatment. however, very persistent upon the question of certificates of origin for sugared products, assuming on this point such an antagonistic attitude that it is possible some trouble may arise on this point from Switzerland. On the whole, however, it is most probable that if all the great sugar-producing States are ready to sign, Switzerland will follow suit, the Swiss delegate having stated that his Government was favourable to the British proposal.

The Belgian Government is evidently anxious to meet the wishes of Great Britain in every way, and there is no doubt they will be ready to sign the Protocol.

The general conclusion seems to be that there is great probability that the Protocol will be accepted and signed by every State except, possibly, Italy. It must not, however, be assumed that the unanimous signature of the Protocol before the 1st of September next completes the affair. It would no doubt remove the necessity for a denunciation by Great Britain on that date, but signature is still subject to ratification by the respective Parliaments, and if any forces are at work to prevent an agreement, these would probably be brought into play to secure the rejection of the Protocol by the Parliaments in certain of the Contracting States. For this reason provision has been made in the Protocol de Signature that if all the necessary ratifications have not been given by the 1st of February, 1908, Great Britain will be at liberty to denounce the Convention before the 1st of March, to take effect on the 1st September 1908.

One of the chief difficulties was to come to an arrangement as to how far Great Britain should be bound to take measures to prevent bountied sugar from reaching the Contracting States through England. The promise of His Majesty's Govern- ment that Great Britain would still exact certificates of origin for imported sugar