A.—2

8

Great Britain, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland, which have each a regularly-organized national service of this description, have given their adhesion to the proposals of the Belgian Government, and, assuming that these countries still adhere to their separate service, there can be no doubt that they would receive much assistance from the proposed International Bureau at Brussels. A sketch of complete organization will be submitted to the countries interested in the principle of the International Bureau as soon as the Belgian Government knows exactly what countries are prepared to entertain the project. The States which have so far accepted the principle are twenty-two in number, being England, Switzerland, Mexico, Spain, Russia, Roumania, Italy, the State of the Congo, Servia, the Republic of South Africa, Turkey, Sweden and Norway, Portugal, the Argentine Republic, Salvador, Venezuela, Denmark, Siam, Costa Rica, Hayti, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The Belgian Government, through the Belgian Legation in this country, has now invited the Governments of Her Majesty's colonies to consider the subject. 22nd April, 1887.

No. 10. (Circular.) Sic, — Downing Street, 4th June, 1887. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter from this department to the Foreign Office, with reference to a proposed treaty of commerce with Japan. I also enclose a copy of the article referred to in the accompanying letter. I have, &c, H. T. HOLLAND. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure 1. Sic, —■ Colonial Office, Downing Street, 3rd June, 1887. I am directed by Secretary Sir Henry Holland to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th April, with reference to the commercial treaty with Japan; and I am to request that you will state to the Marquis of Salisbury that, as the matter appears to press for an immediate reply, he is prepared to accept the wording of the 22nd article of the treaty of 1883 between Germany and Spain, omitting the word "colonial," but that, in his opinion, the United States representative might be urged to withdraw his objection, as there is some difficulty felt in making these engagements binding on the larger colonies without previously consulting them. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office. E. H. Meade.

Enclosure 2. Aeticle XXII. of Treaty between Germany and Spain, signed 12th July, 1883. As the colonial possessions of Spain are governed by special laws, the foregoing provisions of this treaty shall apply to them only so far as is compatible with these laws. German subjects shall there enjoy, in every respect, the same rights, privileges, exemptions, advantages, and immunities as are or shall hereafter be granted to the subjects of the most favoured nation. German products and wares shall in Spanish colonies be liable to no other taxes, imposts, or formalities than the products and goods of the most favoured nation. The products and goods of the colonial possessions of Spain shall on entering Germany enjoy the same treatment as the " colonial" products and goods of the most favoured nation.

No. 11. (Circular 2.) Sib, — Downing Street, 6th June, 1887. With reference to my predecessors' circular despatches of the 27th June, 1884, 14th September, 1885, 13th February, 1886, and 9th April, 1886, relative to the Submarine Telegraphs Convention, and with reference to the " additional article " in that Convention, I have the honour to point out that I am not yet informed whether your Government is prepared to accede to that Convention. I now transmit to you the accompanying copy of a correspondence with the Foreign Office, and of the declaration referred to in it; and I request that I may be informed, at your earliest convenience, whether your Government is prepared to accede to the Convention and declaration. I have to inform you that the Convention has not yet been brought into operation. An International Conference was assembled at Paris in December