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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

9

PACIFIC CABLE.

IMPERIAL PENNY POSTAGE.

COMMERCIAL CODE.

8

PACIFIC CABLE.

The next point to which I will allude very briefly in connection with our commercial relations is the question of improved communications. That was the subject of very important resolutions at the time of the conference at Ottawa, and already I am happy to think that considerable effect has been given to those resolutions in regard to the fast mail service, which was the first, and, probably, the most important of those resolutions. Arrangements are now in progress by which it will be accomplished, and I hope that in connection with that the service between Canada and Australia will also be improved, and there will be nothing further to be desired.

There is, however, still pending the question of a Pacific cable passing entirely through British territory. Upon that we desire to have the opinions of the gentlemen present as to how far they are prepared to go. I would say in regard to this, and also in regard to the fast steam service, in dealing with the matter at all, we are giving the most striking proof we can of our good will, and of our desire to meet your wishes. Neither of these proposals would have been made by us. I must frankly say that we are not dissatisfied with the present arrangements; we do not feel, although we think that they are valuable proposals, yet we do not feel that they are urgent, and there- fore we should not ourselves, or by ourselves, have been disposed to offer subsidies either to the steamboat service, or to the Pacific Cable, and we are only induced to do it by our desire to show that in any matter in which our Colonies are themselves deeply interested, they may count upon the support and assistance of the mother country. Well, in regard to the Pacific Cable, the matter stands thus. A representative committee was appointed, which has discussed the whole subject; it has come to the conclusion that such a cable is practicable, has roughly estimated the cost (which is probably less than was originally anticipated), and has also estimated the probable returns. What remains, however, to be inquired into is as to the subsidies which the several Colonies are prepared to give towards this undertaking. Without in this venturing to pledge my colleagues, I say that to any proposal which may be made by the Colonies, the Government will give their most favourable consideration.

IMPERIAL PENNY POSTAGE,

I also should mention the desire which is widely felt and which I share for an improved postal communication with the Colonies. I believe that that matter rests entirely with the Colonies themselves, and that they have revenue difficulties in the matter which have hitherto prevented us coming to any conclusion. But confess that I think that one of the very first things to bind together the sister nations is to have the readiest and the easiest possible communication between their several units, and as far as this country is concerned, I believe we should be quite ready to make any sacrifice of revenue that may be required in order to secure an universal penny post throughout the Empire.

COMMERCIAL CODE.

A very desirable but minor point would be, if it were possible, and I do not think that there is any serious practical difficulty, an agreement as to a commercial code for the Empire. We all know that trade relations are guided very much by the simplicity with which they can be conducted, and if we had throughout the British Empire the same law in regard to all commercial matters, I have no doubt whatever that that in itself would be a strong inducement that the course of trade should take the direction that we desire. This, however, is a matter of detail; I should only desire an expression of opinion as to the desirability of it, but if it were thought really a desirable thing to accomplish, it might be secured by an expert Commission, which would settle the details, and I think I have already circulated to the Premiers a memorandum on the subject which has been prepared by the Parliamentary draughtsmen of this country, and which would be the basis for discussion by any Commission which might be appointed.

• Appendix 10.

9

LOAD LINES.

A difficulty has arisen, which is local I think to Australia, with regard to the settlement of load lines. The settlement of load lines has been undertaken in this country with a view to securing the safety of ships at sea, and of the men who go down to the sea in them, and a load line has been established for the United Kingdom. It would be absolutely impossible for the United Kingdom, as long as that is in force, to recognise any other load line less safe than their own, because otherwise it would lead to a transfer of trade. It would be perfectly natural, if a shipowner wished to escape the obligations of the law to transfer himself to a Colonial registry, and to come into competition with our ship- owners with arrangements which, although more profitable, are certainly less safe. But some difficulty has arisen in regard to this in some of the Australian Colonies, and I should be very glad to see that removed.

I hope that a proposal which I have to make to you will entirely remove any further difficulty, and it is that the British Board of Trade should add to the expert authority which has from time to time to decide the load line representatives of the Colonies concerned. In that way the voice of the Colonies and the interests of the Colonies in any local question would be fully heard before a joint line was agreed upon.

PARIS EXHIBITION OF 1900.

LOAD LINES.

I have also a small matter to ask your instructions upon in regard to the PARIS EXHITION Paris Exhibition for the year 1900. We were very anxious, if possible,

to secure an united representation of the Empire in one building. That has proved to be impossible owing to the French arrangements, and the way in which they have divided the exhibition; but what we hope we have secured is this: that a special colonial building for the whole of the colonial exhibition, in a first-rate situation, and exactly opposite the French colonial exhibition, shall be reserved, and all the Colonies will then exhibit together in a single building. In the other one would be the French colonial exhibits, but the exhibits of the mother country of France and of the mother country of the United Kingdom will be, in each case, in a separate building. In regard to this matter it has been proposed to put representatives of all the Colonies upon the Royal Commission. It will be a position of honour and of importance. But we are in this difficulty, that the Agents-General, who would naturally suggest themselves are, I believe, rather a varying body, that some of them are likely no longer to be holding office in 1900, and that therefore it will be necessary to make a special appointment ad hoc for this purpose, and what we wish to know is whether that would be agreeable to the Colonies, and if so, if they would each of them nominate some one as their representative upon the Commission, that some one being either the Agent General or any one else whom they thought better to nominate for the purpose.

ALIEN IMMIGRATION,

One other question I have to mention, and only one; that is, I wish to direct your attention to certain legislation which is in process of consideration, or which has been passed by some of the Colonies, in regard to the immigration of aliens and particularly of Asiatics.

I

I have seen these Bills, and they differ in some respects one from the other, but there is no one of them, except perhaps the Bill which comes to us from Natal, to which we can look with satisfaction. wish to say that Her Majesty's Government thoroughly appreciate the object and the needs of the Colonies in dealing with this matter. We quite sympathise with the determination of the white inhabitants of these Colonies which are in comparatively close proximity to millions and hundreds of millions of Asiatics that there shall not influx of people alien in civilization, alien in religion, alien in customs, whose influx, moreover, would most seriously interfere with

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ALIEN

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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