668638-1886-International-and-Colonial-Copyright-Act- — Page 9

Sir,

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30TH OCTOBER, 1886.

No. 9.

Earl Granville to Mr. Adams. *

983

Foreign Office, February 2, 1884.

I TRANSMIT to you herewith a copy of a note which I have received from the Swiss Agent and Comeul-General in London, inclosing an invitation to Her Majesty's Government to participate in a Conference respecting copyright which it is proposed to hold at Berne during the course of the present year, the aims and objects of which are described in the papers annexed to M. Vernet's note, which are also inclosed. †

Her Majesty's Government have decided that it will be advisable for you to attend this Conference as British Delegate, but you will be present in a purely consultative capacity, and will have no power to vote or to bind Her Majesty's Government to accept any views upon the Copyright question which may be adopted by the Conference.

Her Majesty's Government are not yet aware of the date fixed for the meeting of the Conference, you will inform the Swiss Government that you have been instructed to attend as British Delegate, and will hold yourself in readiness to do so whenever the first meeting may take place.

but

No. 10.

I am, &c. (Signed)

GRANVILLE.

My Lord,

Mr. Adams to Earl Granville.-(Received February 7.)

Berne, February 5, 1884.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch of the 2nd instant, and its inclosures, with reference to the invitation to Her Majesty's Government to participate in a Conference respecting copyright which it is proposed to hold at Berne during the course of the present year.

I have this day addressed a note to the President of the Swiss Confederation in the sense of your Lordship's despatch, and have informed his Excellency of the conditions on which I am to attend the Conference as British Delegate, and that I hold myself in readiness to do so whenever the first meeting may take place.

No. 11.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

F. O. ADAMS.

My Lord,

M. Vernet to Earl Granville.*-(Received July 4.)

25, Old Broad Street, London, July 3, 1884.

WITH reference to my letter of the 17th December, 1883, and your Lordship's reply of the 31st January, 1884, concerning the proposed Conference on the subject of international copyright, I now have the honour to forward to your Lordship a Circular note from the Swiss Government containing the invitation for the Representatives of the different countries to meet at Berne on the 8th September proximo.

:

Inclosure in No. 11.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

H. VERNET,

Agent and Consul-General for Switzerland.

Excellency,

The President of the Swiss Confederation to Earl Granville.

(Translation.)

Berne, June 28, 1884.

ON the 3rd December, 1883, the Swiss Federal Council had the honour to communicate to your Lordship the "projet de Convention" elaborated by the International Literary Association with the view of constituting a "general Union for the protection of the rights of authors over their literary and artistic works."

* To Board of Trade in original, July 8.

† No. 1.