663373-1887-International-Copyright-Union — Page 1

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 5TH FEBRUARY, 1887. 109

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.--No. 50.

The following papers in continuation of the Correspondence on the same subject contained in Government Gazette, No. 47, of the 30th October, 1886, are published for general information.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 5th February, 1887.

My Lord,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Acting Colonial Secretary.

Further Correspondence respecting the Formation of an International Copyright Union.

[In continuation of "Switzerland No. 2 (1886)": C.-4856.]

No. 1.

M. Vernet to the Earl of Rosebery.-(Received July 14.)*

25, Old Broad Street, July 13, 1886.

I HAVE the honour to hand your Lordship the inclosed Circular note of my Government, containing a proposal of the French Government which will be submitted to the International Copyright Conference to be held at Berne on the 6th September next.

My Lord,

I am, &c.

(Signed)

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

H. VERNET,

Agent and Consul-General for Switzerland.

The President of the Swiss Confederation to the Earl of Rosebery.

(Translation.)

Berne, July 3, 1886.

THE Government of the French Republic, while announcing that it is ready to sign the International Convention for the protection of artistic and literary works, the signing of which will take place at the Conference opening at Berne on the 6th September next, transmits to us a "Projet de Déclaration," which it desires also to see adopted and signed by the Plenipotentiaries present at the Conference.

1

We have the honour to transmit to your Excellency copies of this "Projet," begging that you will be good enough to examine it, and to give to Her Majesty's Plenipotentiaries to the Conference of the 6th September, instructions on the subject. If we, as initiators of the Conferences which have elaborated the Convention, may be allowed to express our opinion, we consider that this "Projet de Déclaration" conforms entirely with the views expressed at the sittings of the Conferences of 1884 and 1885; it is designed to put an end to certain doubts which might actually be raised in the interpretation of the Convention; and, with this end, it might be adopted as an annex thereto, without thereby affecting the decision arrived at by the last Conference, namely, that no change should be made in the existing text of the Convention.

We avail, &c.

In the name of the Swiss Federal Council:

The President of the Confederation,

(Signed) DEUCHER.

The Chancellor of the Confederation.

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

(Signed) RINGIER.

Declaration. (Translation.)

SOME doubts having arisen as to the meaning of Articles V, VII, IX, and X of the Convention concluded this day, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have recognized the need of explaining them, and have, with this end in view, unanimously adopted the following Declaration:--

1. The § 2 of Article V applies to "romans-feuilletons.'