CO129-396 - Public Offices - 1912 — Page 200

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DARIS,

198

July 27th, 1912.

French Government in "onsieur de Selve's "ote of the

30th October 1911, a copy of which was transmitted

to you in my despatch No. 323 Commercial of

36909

November 9th, 1911 in connection with the tranship-

ment at Fong Kong of goods coming from British

Colonies already enjoying the minimum tariff, and

which by reason of the transhipment would be subjected

to higher duties on arrival in French ports,

The Minister of Commerce is also desirous to

receive information as to the nature of the produce

and the amount of cargos which are transhipped in

Japan instead of Hong Kong and I shall be glad to

be informed what answer I can make to this inquiry.

(Signed)

I have 3c.,

Francis Bertie.

Monsieur le Ministre:-

I have the honour, in accordance with instruc-

tions from Sir F. Grey to inform Your Fxcellency that

His Majesty's Government are anxious to obtain from the

French Government an arrangement for Hong Kong under

which all goods transhipped in that colony should not

be subject to any heavier duty on arrival in France than

that to which they would be subject if shipped direct

and in one bottom from their country of origin.

I am to point out that Hong Kong is almost a free

port and offers great advantage to the trade of all

foreign countries. It is not a producing centre but a

port of transhipment and as such it is of great im

portance that goods transhipped there should not be sub-

ject to any heavier duty on arrival in France than that

to which they would be subject if shipped direct from

their country of origin. The grant of the concession

requested from the French Covernment would not adversely

affect French revenue since goods, in order to obtain

the minimun tariff are now transhipped in Japan. If

the concession were granted they would be transhipped in

Hong Kong

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