CO129-509-5 Applications by Japanese fishermen to use Hong Kong as a base 16-1-1928 - 9-8-1928 — Page 16

Llewellyn Smith by the Japanese Ambassador on 26th

January 1911: -

"The words "national fisheries" means the fisheries

"carried on by the nationals outside of home waters using "the home country as the basis of equipment of vessels and "other preparations. It is intended by the first part of "this article that, while the produce of such fisheries may "be granted the privilege of duty free or less than the "ordinary tariff, the other countries are not to be allowed "to enjoy the same privilege, stipulations or this treaty 'hotwithstanding" (see Foreign Ofrice print of correspondence

between sir п. Llewellyn Smith and Mr. Kato, confidential

9813 June 1911).

Having regard to this interpretation of the

stipulations of Article 25 of the treaty,

it appears to

the Board that the Japanese Government would not be entitled to object on treaty grounds should the Hongkong Government decide to impose a special duty on fish caught on the high seas by fishing boats, the property of firms

or companies other than British.

The Board, however, must of course not be taken as suggesting that the adoption of such a course would in itself be desirable as an indirect method of preventing the establishment in Hongkong of foreign fishing companies.

I have, etc.,

(Signed)

H. Fountain.