CO129-205 - Public Offices - 1882 — Page 396

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farms are in force, and we do not conceive that our allies would oppose our keeping up the system by selling out farms of each district to the highest bidder. The trade is put on a commercial footing at the same time that the retail price is kept up, and the renter is able either to buy spirits from natives, or make them himself, as he finds most profitable.

37. Indeed, to make this absolutely fair, His Majesty's Government would entirely remit duty on foreign spirits sold to the farmers or sellers licensed by Government.

But this would have to be arranged upon termis to be specially agreed upon. Bangkok, April 1882.

By His Majesty the King's command.

392

Printed for the use of the Foreign Office. November 21, 1882.

CONFIDENTIAL.

(4679.)

C. O.

20 883

RESP

RES 2 DEC 22

Memorandum respecting the Importation of Foreign Spirits into Siam.

Hertslet's Treaties, vol. x, p. 559,

Ibid., p. 560.

ARTICLE IV of our Treaty with Siam of the 18th April, 1855, says, "British subjects are per- mitted to trade freely in all the scaports of Siam;" but the same Article declared that they would only be allowed to reside permanently at Bangkok, or within the limits assigned by that Treaty.

By Article VIII it was further agreed that British shipping and trade should thenceforth only be sub- ject to the payment of import and export duties on the goods landed or shipped; but it was added "on all articles of import the duties should be 3 per cent., payable at the option of the importer, either in kind or money, calculated upon the market value of the goods."

To this Treaty a Tariff was attached, and it was declared, by the VIIIth Article of the Treaty, that the rates of duty laid down in the Tariff were those that were then paid upon goods or produce shipped in Siamese or Chinese vessels or junks; but it was agreed that British shipping should enjoy all the privileges which were then exercised by, or which might thereafter be granted to, Siamese or Chinese vessels or junks.

By Article X it was further agreed that the British Government and its subjects should be allowed free and equal participation in any privileges that might have been, or that might thereafter be, granted by the Siamese Government to the Govern- ment or subjects of any other nation.

No allusion whatever was made in this Treaty to the importation of spirits, and they were, therefore, liable, on importation, to a 3 per cent. duty, according to the stipulations of Article VIII.

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