668638-1886-International-and-Colonial-Copyright-Act- — Page 23

Sir,

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30TH OCTOBER, 1886.

No. 28.

Earl Granville to Mr. Adams.

997

Foreign Office, October 22, 1884.

I HAVE received your despatches dated respectively the 23rd and 26th September and 3rd October instant, forwarding the printed record of the recent International Copyright Conference at Berne, with your observations thereon.

I have to thank you for these Reports, which shall receive my careful consideration in communi- cation with the Board of Trade; and I have to convey to you my entire approval of your proceedings as British Delegate at the Conference.

With regard to the Project of Convention and the conclusions at which the Conference has arrived, I am of opinion that it will be advisable to defer the expression of any opinion upon the part of Her Majesty's Government for the present, and until the views of foreign Governments upon the subject have been, at all events to some extent, ascertained.

No. 29.

Sir J. Pauncefote to Mr. Calcraft.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

GRANVILLE.

Sir,

Foreign Office, October 22, 1884.

I AM directed by Earl Granville to transmit to you despatches, as marked in the margin,* from Her Majesty's Minister at Berne, reporting upon and forwarding the printed record of the proceedings of the International Copyright Conference recently held in that city, at which Mr. Adams attended as British Delegate; and I am to request that you will move the Board of Trade to favour his Lordship with such observations as they may have to offer upon these Papers, and as to what course Her Majesty's Government should pursue in the matter.

Lord Granville further desires me to request that you will take this opportunity of pressing upon the serious consideration of the Board of Trade the present state of the Copyright question in this country, and the advantage which would arise from an amendment of the existing law, at all events as regards its international bearing.

The necessity for some such amendment will, in his Lordship's opinion, be greatly increased, should the late Conference result in the formation of an International Copyright Union, which Her Majesty's Government would certainly be unable to join under the present Law; whilst should the existing Conventions between Great Britain and foreign countries be denounced in view of the forma- tion of such an Union, there would be little prospect of concluding other arrangements without fresh legislation.

The position of British authors and copyright owners would in such a case become exceedingly serious.

I am to add that his Lordship has approved Mr. Adams' proceedings at the Conference.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.

No. 30.

My Lord,

M. Vernet to Earl Granville. †(Received November 5.)

Consulat-Général de Suisse, 25, Old Broad Street,

November 4, 1884.

I HAVE the honour to forward to your Lordship a Circular note from my Government, together with a certain number of copies of the proceedings of the International Copyright Conference held at Berne from the 8th to the 19th of September last.

*Nos. 25, 26, and 27.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

H. VERNET,

Agent and Consul-General for Switzerland.:

+ Copy to Board of Trade, November 14.