GRANDE-BRETAGNE, SIAM

Arrangement relatif au trafic de spiritueux ; signé à Londres,

le 6 avril 1883.

Pari. Paper \3549] i883.

The Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Government of His Migesty the Ejog

Trafic de spiritueux. 239

of Siam, being deeirons of making satisfactory arraDgements for the régulation of the traffic in sprituous liquors in Siam, the Undersigned, duly antliorised to that effect, hâve agreed as follows: —

Art. I. Spirits of ail kiods not ezceeding in alcoholic strength those permitted to be manufactured by the Siamese Government in Siam maj be imported and sold bj British subjects on pajment of the samo duty aa that levied by the Siamese excise laws upon spirits mannfactured in Siam; and spirits exceeding in alcoholic strength spirits manufactored in Siam as aforesaid may be imported and sold npon payment of snch dnty and of a proportionate additional duty for the excess of alcoholic strength aboyé the Siamese Government standard.

Béer and wines may be imported and sold by British subjects on payment of the same duty as that levied by the Siamese excise laws upon nmilar articles mannfactured in Siam, but the duty on imported béer and wines shall in no case exceed 10 per cent, ctd valorem.

The said duty on imported spirits, béer, and wines shall be in substitution of, and not in addition to, the import duty of 3 per cent, leviable nnder the existing Treaties ; and no further duty, tax, or imposition whateyer shall be imposed on imported spirits, béer, and wines.

The scale of excise duty to be levied upon spirits, béer, and wines mann&ctnred in Siam shall be communicated by the Siamese Government to Her Majesty^s Agent and Consul - General at Bangkok, and no change in the excise duties shall affect British subjects until afber the expiration of six months firom the date at which such notice shall bave been communicated by the Siamese Government to Her Majesty's Représentative at Bangkok.

Art. n. The testing of spirits imported into the kingdom of Siam by British subjects shall be carried out by European officiais nominated by the Siamese authorithies , and by an equal number of experts nominated by Her Majesty's Consul. In case of différence the parties shall nominate a tbird person, who shall act as umpire.

Art. m. The Siamese Government may stop the iînportation by British snbjects into Siam of any spirits which, on examination, shall be proTed to be deleterions to the public health; and they may give notice to the importers, consignées, or holders thereof to export the same within three months from the date of such notice, and if this is not done the Siamese Gk>vemment may seize the said spirits and may destroy them, proyided always that in ail such cases the Siamese Government shall be bonnd to refund any duty which may hâve been already paid thereon.

The testing of spirits imported by British subjects, and which may be alleged to be deleterions, shall be carried ont in the manner provided by Article II.

The Siamese Government engage to take ail necessary measures to prohibit and prevent the sale of spirits mannfactured in Siam which may be deleterions to the public health.

Art. IV. Any British subject who desires to retail spiritnous liquors, béer, or wines in Siam most take out a spécial licence for that purpose

240 Grande - Brelagne ,

from ihe Siamese GoYernment , which shall not be refnsed without jnst and reasonable cause.

This licence maj be graoted upon conditions to be agreed upon from time to time between the two Governments.

Art. Y. British subjects shall at ail times enjoj the same rights and privilèges in regard to the importation and sale of spirits, béer, winesy and spiritaous liqnors in Siam as the subjects of the most favonred nation; and spirits, béer, wines, and spiritaous liqnors coming from any part of Her Britannic Mejestj's dominions shall enjoy the same privilèges in ail respects as similar articles coming from any other coontry the most favonred in this respect.

It is therefore clearly nnderstood that British subjects are not bonnd to conform to the provisions of the présent Agreement to any greater extent than the subjects of other nations are so bound.

Art. YI. Subject to the provisions of Article Y, the présent Agreement shall come into opération on a date to be fixed by mutual consent between the two Governments, and shall remain in force until the expiration of six months* notice given by either party to détermine the same.

The existing Treaty engagements between Great Britain and Siam shall continue in full force uijtil the présent Agreement cornes into operation — and after that date, except in so far as they are modified hereby.

Should the présent Agreement be terminated the Treaty engagements between Great Britain and Siam shall revive, and remain as they existed previously to the signature hereof.

Art. VII. In this Agreement the words >British subject« shall indnde any naturalized or protected subject of Her Britannic Majesty; and ihe words >Her Majesty's Consul* shall include any Gonsular ofiScer of Her Britannic Majesty in Siam.

In witness whereof the Undersigned hâve signed the same in dnplicate, and hâve affixed thereto their seals.

Doue at London the sixth day of April, 1883, corresponding to the fourteenth day of the waning moon of the month Phagunamas, of the year Horse, Fourth Décade, 1244, of the Siamese Astronomical Bra.

OranvUle. Prisdang,

Anjonan , Grande - Bretagne. 24 1