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The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies and, by direction of the Secretary of State, transmits herewith copy of the undermentioned paper. Foreign Office, 19th August, 1911.

[Similar letter sent to Board of Trade.] Sir,— British Embassy, Tokio, 29th July, 1911. With reference to your circular despatch, marked " Commercial," of the Ist ultimo, I have the honour to transmit herewith copy of a despatch which I have received from His Majesty's Acting Consul-General at Seoul reporting upon the import duties levied in Korea on foodstuffs. Mr. Lay states that there are at present no regulations checking the importation of food products into Korea, nor are there at present any developments likely to help or prejudice the position of selfgoverning dominions and British colonies as exporters of such foodstuffs. I have, &c, Sir E. Grey, Bart, M.P., &c. Horace Eumbold.

Sic, — British Consulate-General, Seoul, 24th July, 1911. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your circular despatch, No. 12, of the 14th instant, in which you request me to report upon the subject of the importation into Korea of articles produced in Australia, with special reference to foodstuffs, and also as to any developments likely to help or to prejudice the position of self-governing dominions and British colonies as exporters of foodstuffs. The import duties on foodstuffs in Korea are low. On beans, peas, and pulse, fresh fish, flour and meal of all kinds, fresh fruit of all kinds, grain and corn of all kinds, fresh meat, vegetables, fresh, dried and salted soy, and on all articles enumerated in the import tariff, raw or unmanufactured, the rate is 5 per cent, ad valorem. In the case of dried and salted fish, dried, salted, and preserved fruits, dried and salted meat, vermicelli, table stores of all kinds, .salt preserved provisions, sugar (brown or white, all qualities), molasses and syrups, a duty of 7| per cent, is levied. All kinds of confectionery and sweetmeats and sugar-candy pay 10 per cent. Korea is mainly an agricultural country, and in addition to supplying most of the domestic requirements in foodstuffs has a considerable balance of rice, beans, barley, wheat and other cereals, and fish for exportation. Among foodstuffs the chief imports are wheat, flour, and sugar, which, according to the Customs returns, come, with the exception of a small proportion, from the United States and Japan respectively. The share which Australia and other British dominions and colonies hold in the import trade is very small, as will be seen in the following statistics for 1910 : — Australia : Yen 18,161 (£1,855), yen 14,459 (£1,475) representing lead. British America : Yen 8,667 (£884), yen 7,731 (£789) herrings. British India : Yen 23,688 (£2,417), yen 1,646 (£167) tea, yen 6,200 (£643) candles ; yen 3,100 (£316) ginned cotton ; yen 9,401 (£960) tin ; yen 2,200 (£225) nickel. Hong Kong : Yen 19,595 (£2,000), yen, 11,040 (£1,127) sugar. Straits Settlements : Yen 30,888 (£3,ls2)—fruit and nuts, yen 20,323 (£2,074) ; tin, yen 9,896 (£1,010). While the abolition of the import duty in Japan on Korean cereals has been strongly advocated by the Chambers of Commerce and newspapers in this country there is no movement in favour of relaxing the very moderate duties imposed upon foodstuffs imported. There are no regulations checking the importation of food products into Korea, nor are there at present any developments likely to help or prejudice the position of self-governing dominions and British colonies as exporters of such foodstuffs. Mr. J. M. Sinclair, commercial agent for the Government of the State of Victoria, Australia, whose addresses are Shanghai and Singapore, recently called upon me, and I furnished him with all available information regarding the importation of Australian products into Korea, and promised to answer fully any inquiries he might care to make to me. I have, &c, A. H. Lay. H. G. M. Rumbold, Esq., M.V.0., His Majesty's Charge D'Affaires, &c, Tokio. Sir,— Foreign Office, 2nd September, 1911. With reference to your letter of the 25th ultimo, 27507/1911, on the subject of the laws regulating the importation of meat into Denmark, I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to transmit to you herewith copy of the law of March, 1906, and of the regulations of 13th June, 1896. lam to inform you that the other two Danish laws mentioned in Sir C. Greene's despatch No. 41, Commercial, of the 6th of July last, were not sent Home by His Majesty's Minister at Copenhagen, but that he has been requested to furnish a translation of each law, which will be forwarded to you as soon as received. ,■.,.■• i I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Louis Mallet.

Sir,— Foreign Office, 2nd September, 1911. With reference to your letter of the 25th ultimo, 27507/1911, on the subject of the laws regulating the importation of meat into Denmark, I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to transmit to you herewith copy of the law of March, 1906, and of the regulations of 13th June, 1896. lam to inform you that the other two Danish laws mentioned in Sir C. Greene's despatch No. 41, Commercial, of the 6th of July last, were not sent Home by His Majesty's Minister at Copenhagen, but that he has been requested to furnish a translation of each law, which will be forwarded to you as soon as received. , . ■■'■'< I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Louis Mallet.

Name and Date. Subject. H.M. representative at Tokio, 29th July, 1911 Importation of food products into Korea.