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2 June, 1911.] Declaration of London. [it h Day. Mr. J. S. Risley, Legal Adviser, Colonial Office; Sir H. Llewellyn Smith, X.C.8., Permanent Secretary to the Board of Trade; Sir Walter Howell, X.C.8., Assistant Secretary, Marine Department, Board of Trade; Mr. G. J. Stanley, C.M.G., Assistant Secretary, Commercial and Statistical Department, Board of Trade; Sir Ellis Cunliffe, Solicitor to the Board of Trade; Mr. JEL. Fountain, Board of Trade; Sir Eyre Crowe, K.C.M.G., C.8., Foreign Office; Mr. C. J. B. Hurst, C.8., Assistant Legal Adviser, Foreign Office; Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Ottley, K.C.M.G., M.V.O , Secretary to the Committee of Imperial Defence; Mr. Atlee A. Hunt, C.M.G., Secretary to the Department of External Affairs, Commonwealth of Australia; Mr. J. R. Leisk, Secretary for Finance, Union of South Africa; and Private Secretaries to Members of the Conference.

Declaration of London. " That it is regretted that the Dominions were not consulted prior to the acceptance by the British Delegates of the terms of the Declaration of London ; that it is not desirable that Great Britain should adopt the inclusion in Article 24 of foodstuffs in view of the fact that so large a part of the trade of the Empire is in those articles ; that it is not desirable that Great Britain should adopt the provisions of Articles 48 to 54 permitting the destruction of neutral vessels." General BOTHA : The resolution proposed by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is one on which I express my opinion with great diffidence. At the same time I do not shrink from doing so to the best of my ability I beg to ask you for your indulgence if in the course of my remarks I refer to points and arguments which have been amply discussed before and during this Conference—my excuse is that such great interest is taken in this question also in South Africa that T should like to place my views on record fully so as to explain my position in regard to it. The first part of this resolution involves a question of the very greatest importance The question is how far, when the Imperial Government negotiates with foreign countries agreements or treaties which may affect particular parts of the Empire, it should consult the self-governing Dominions concerned before committing itself. I intended to discuss this question at greater length, but after what has been said here on behalf of His Majesty's Government that does not appear necessary, and I shall content myself by stating my profound conviction that it is in the highest interest of the Empire that the Imperial Government should not definitely bind itself by any promise or agreement with a foreign country which may affect a particular Dominion, without consulting the Dominion concerned. The debate in the House of Lords which took place on the subiect of the Declaration of London was very instructive in connection with this principle. I closely followed the—if I may be allowed to say so— very excellent debate in the House of Lords on this important matter and I believe that I am correct when I say that, with the exception of one noble lord, not a single member looked upon the question at issue from the point of view of the Dominions, and the noble lord who did refer to it from this standpoint only did so more or less casually. . I do not wish it to be inferred from what I have said that we in South Africa feel any grievance as to our treatment in this connection during the