CO885-5 — Page 241

597

Lord Derby is aware that the several Administrations of the Postal Union were requested by the Swiss Government to state whether they would concede the Cape Colony's demand of adhesion, coupled as it was with two important stipulations.

Out of 23 Administrations which have expressed their views on the subject no fewer than 15 have given an unqualified assent.

J

On the other hand, Germany, France, and Luxemburg are willing to concede to the Colony the condition of maintaining the present sea rates and surtaxes until after the next Congress to that of Lisbon, but not to allow her a vote and representation in the affairs of the Union; while Denmark, Italy, Holland, and Portugal are ready to concede the vote, but not the maintenance of the sea' rates and surtaxes.

Belgium alone objects to both conditions.

The net result is that there are 19 Administrations besides this Department which find no objection to the exercise of an independent vote by an important British Colony.

In the constitution of the Union no provision exists for a qualified demand for entry, such as that preferred by the Cape Government; and as the Cape's conditions are opposed by some countries, it cannot be contended that the majority in favour of these carries the admission, but there seems ample reason for hoping that, if the matter were discussed by a conference of plenipotentiaries, both demands of the Cape would be conceded in virtue of a majority of voices.

Were it not for a near approach of the next Postal Union Congress, to be held at Lisbon in October 1884, it might have been advisable to request the summoning of a special conference of the Union (the only course of immediate action open to Her Majesty's Government) to consider the question at issue as regards both the Cape and the Australasian Colonies, which have, as Lord Derby is aware, preferred similar deinands.

But, seeing that several of the Union countries are very remote, it would be wholly impracticable to summon a conference to sit earlier than six months hence, when the 1st of October will be close at hand.

In these circumstances the Postmaster-General thinks the best course will be to await the decision of the Congress of Lisbon, and he would suggest that the Cape Government should be counselled to adhere to its demands, and remain out of the Union for the present, abiding the issue of the discussion of the question next October by the Adminis- trations of the Union.

Mr. Fawcett would be glad to learn at an early date whether Lord Derby concurs in this course of action, in order that a communication as to the course intended may be addressed to the Swiss Government through Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

59 77

No. 28.

TEXT of LETTER from the GENERAL POST OFFICE to the COLONIAL OFFICE, dated 22nd April 1884.

I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acquaint you, for the information of the Earl of Derby, that in conformity with the provision of the International Postal Con- vention of the 1st of June 1878, the next Postal Congress is to be held at Lisbon on the 1st of October next, and that the Portuguese Government, through their Minister in London, have invited Her Majesty's Government to send delegates to represent this country at the Congress.

The invitation is extended to the Government of Canada, which ranks as a separate State belonging to the Union, and also to the Governments of the Australasian Colonies, the Fiji Islands, Ascension, the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, St. Helena, and the Transvaal, none of which at present belong to the Union, but whose interests are concerned, inasmuch as the question of the entry of most of them into the Union has been long under consideration.

At Earl Granville's desire, the Postmaster-General requests that you will be so good as to move the Secretary of State for the Colonies to take the necessary steps for com- municating the invitations to the several Colonial Governments concerned.

I am to add that, in Mr. Fawcett's opinion, it is highly desirable that the Australasian and South African Colonies should be represented at the Congress, inasmuch as, although the representatives could not, of course, vote upon any of the questions discussed, they would, if present at the discussions, be able to afford the Congress the most satisfactory information as to the conditions upon which those important Colonies would be prepared to adhere to the Postal Union.

I am to mention that the deliberations of the Congress will be conducted wholly in the French language.

.No. 29.

TEXT of CIRCULAR from COLONIAL OFFICE to GOVERNORS of certain COLONIES, dated 6th May 1884.

With reference to previous correspondence on the subject of the Postal Union, I have 22nd April

the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, the enclosed 1884. copy of a letter from the General Post Office, reporting that the next Postal Union Congress is to be held at Lisbon on the 1st of October next.

You will observe that the Portuguese Government have invited your Government, amongst others, to send delegates to the Congress.

No. 26.

TEXT OF LETTER from COLONIAL OFFICE to POST OFFICE, dated 7th December 1883.

I am directed by the Earl of Derby to acquaint you that he referred your letter, No. 338 I, of the 27th ultimo, to Mr. Scanlen, the Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, who is at present in this country, and that he has expressed his concurrence in the opinion of the Postmaster-General that that Colony should remain out of the Postal

Union pending the decision of the Congress of Lisbon.

No. 27.

EXTRACT of LETTER from the POST OFFICE to the FOREIGN OFFICE, dated 11th December 1883.

The Postmaster-General thinks the best course will be to await the decision of the Congress of Lisbon; and he has ascertained from Lord Derby that the Prime Minister of the Cape, now in London, concurs in the opinion that the Cape Colony should remain out of the Union pending that decision.

If, therefore, Earl Granville sees no objection, Mr. Fawcett would feel obliged by His Lordship's causing the Swiss Government to be informed diplomatically that Her Majesty's Government desire to let the question stand over for settlement at the Lisbon Congress.

No. 30.

EXTRACT OF LETTER from the POST OFFICE to the TREASURY, dated 14th of May 1885. I have the honour to transmit herewith, for your Lordships' information, a copy of the report which I have now received from the British delegates who attended the Congress of the Universal Postal Union lately held at Lisbon.

Your Lordships will doubtless view with satisfaction the success of the delegates not only in opposing, as mentioned in § 9 of their report, the German proposal to reduce the charge for sea transit, and to curtail the postage chargeable on correspondence sent long distances by sea, but also in repelling many minor proposals the adoption of which would have involved fiscal sacrifices of more or less importance.

Your Lordships are aware that the decisions of the Congress might have resulted in a loss to the British Exchequer estimated upon present figures at 70,000l. a year under the head of transit rates and postage on foreign correspondence alone. Indeed, as my predecessor reported to you on the 21st of April 1884, there was reason to apprehend that, on this important question, the somewhat isolated interests of Great Britain might have been sacrificed to the will of the majority. The threatened loss under that head might moreover have been very largely enhanced by the success of several other pro- posals discussed at the Congress, with the details of which I need not trouble your Lordships.

K 4

T

9

C.O.

Reference :-

8855 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE,

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

LONDON

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE