Wheat
And whereas the Secretary of State has , by my direction , given the assurance to the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Great Britain at Washington that this action of the Government of Great Britain in granting remissions and altérations of duties in the British Colonies above mentioned, is accepted as a due reciprocity for the action of Congress as set forth in section 3 of said Act.
Now, therefore, be it known that I, Benjamin Harrison, Président of the United States of America, have caused the above stated modifications
Commerce.
of the tariff laws of the aforesaid British Colonies to be made public for the information of the citizens of the United States of America.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set m y hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington , this first day of February , one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two , and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and sixteenth. [Seal.]
Benj. Harrison.
By the Président:
Secretary of State.
Preceding Diplo matic Correspondence.
Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine.
Washington, December 24, 1891.
Sir : Referring to the notes which we have recently exchanged relative to the reciprocity section of the gênerai tariff law of the United States, so far as the same bears on the British West Indian colonies and the colony of British Guiana, I beg to state that I have given the subject the careful considération which in demands and have been assisted therein by the gentlemen designated by the several colonies to aid in the negotiation of arrangement. With the help of thèse gentlemen certain schedules have been drawn up of remissions and altérations of duties which I have reason to believe will prove satisfactory to your Government, and which are as follows:
As regards the following colonies, that is to say —
British Guiana;
Trinidad (which includes the islands of Tobago); Barbadoes ;
The Leeward Islands (consisting of the several islands of Antigua, Montserrat , Saint Christopher , Nevis, Dominica , with their respective dependencies, and the Virgin Islands);
The Windward Islands (consisting of St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada and their dependencies) , but exclusive of Grenada and its dependencies —
It is proposed that the remissions and altérations of duty shall be made which are contained in Annexe I*) to this note.
In the case of the colony of Jamaica it is proposed that remissions and altérations of duty shall be made which are contained in Annex II.**)
Should the arrangement herein proposed be accepted by the Government of the United States , it shall be understood and agreed that every article named in Annex I which is now on the free list of the tariff of
*) See table No.l in the proclamation.
*) See table No. 2 in the proclamation.
Etats-Unis d'Amérique, Grande-Bretagne.
any of the above-mentioned colonies, shall be continued on said free list during the existence of tho proposed arrangement.
I have received instructions from Her Majesty's Government to submit to you the proposition that, if the remissions and réductions before enumerated appear satisfactory to your Government, the Président should agrée to forbear up to the ist of February next to put in force, as again3t ail those colonies, except British Guiana, and to the case of that colony up to the 3 lst of March next, the powers conferred upon him by section 3 of said tariff law; with the understanding that it will be for the governments of the several colonies named to pass the necessary législation within the periods above mentioned , so that Her Majesty's Government may be in a position to announce to you before the expiration of the said periods respectively that the necessary steps have been taken to give the force of law to the changes in question.
If the above altérations in the tariffs of the colonies named are accepted by your Government as satisfactory , the Président may be assured that they will be carried ont with the utmost promptitude compatible with the circumstances in each colony, and that the fullest and fairest interprétation will be given to them.
It will be understood that the arrangement shall remain in force so long as it shall not be modified by the mutual agreement of the executive power of the two Governments or by the législative action of the Government of the United States or of the said colonies with the approval of the British Government.
I have, etc.,
Julian Pauncefote.
The Hon. James G. Blaine,
Etc., etc., etc.
Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Department of State, Washington, December 29, 1891.
Sir: I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 24th instant, in which you inform me that, in view of the reciprocity section (8) of the tariff law of the Congress of the United States, approved October 1, 1890, Her Majesty's Government has decided and authorized you to propose the remissions and altérations of duties set forth in your note in the British colonies of Trinidad , Barbados , the Leeward Islands, the Windward Islands (except Grenada) and Jamaica, to take effect not ater than February 1, 1892 , and in British Guiana to take effect not ater than March 31, 1892; which remissions and altérations of duties you express the belief will prove satisfactory to the Government of the United States.
I am directed by the Président to state to you that he accepts this action of Her Majesty's Government, in agreeing to grant remissions and altérations of duties in the British colonies above mentioned to the ar-
Commerce.
ticles enumerated in the schedules attacbed to your note and in the terms stated therein, as a due reciprocity for the action of the Congress of the United States, as set forth in section 3 of the tariff of October 1, 1890.
As soon as I shall be advised that the législation proposed bas been enacted in the several colonies, the Président will make public announcement of this commercial arrangement, which, it is understood, shall remain in force so long as it shall not be modified by the mutual agreement of the executive power of the two Governments or by the législative action of the Government of the United States or of said colonies with the approval of the British Government.
I have, etc.,
James G. Blaine.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, G. C. M. G., K. C. B.
Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine.
Légation of Great Britain,
Washington, January 30, 1892.
Sir: In pursuance of the arrangement between our respective Governments, recorded in my note of the 24th of December last and your reply thereto of the 29th of the same month, to regulate the trade régulations between the United States and the British West Indian colonies , I have now the honor to announce to you that the arrangement has been accepted by ail the above-named colonies, and that the necessary steps have been taken to give it the force of law in the colonies of Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad.
I regret to say that I have not received intelligence of the passing of the necessary laws by the législatures of the Leeward Islands and of the Windward Islands, but the governors of those colonies have been instructed to give me the earliest information by telegram of such measures having been completed.
The delay in those two cases has arisen from the number of separate législatures which had to be set in motion. I hope, however, to be able in a few days to announce to you that the new tariffs are also legally in force in both those colonies.
I have etc.,
Julian Pauncefote.
The Hon. James G. Blaine.
Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine.
Légation of Great Britain,
Washington, February 1, 1892.
Sir : With référence to my note of the 30th ultimo respecting the steps taken in the British West Indian colonies to carry out the récent arrangement to regulate their trade relations with the United States, I
Etats-Unis d'Amérique, Nicaragua.
have tbe honor to annouuce to you tbat since tbe date of tbat note I have received information from the government of the Leeward Islands and of the Windward Islands, respectively, that tbe necessary measures bave been passed to give the arrangement the force of law in those colonies from tbis day.
Tbis complètes the législation required to carry out the arrangement in ail the British colonies to which it applies, except Britisb Guiana, where, by its terms, it is not to corne into force until the lst of April.
I shall not fail to give you the earliest intimation of the passing of the necessary law in Britisb Guiana to give it effect in that colony from tbe date above mentioned.
I have, etc.,
Julian Pauncefote.
The Hon. James G. Blalne.
Etc., etc.-, etc.
