Although the period during which you have been detained has been considerably prolonged, it does not appear from any representations yet made that the detention is not, under all the circumstances of this case, in accordance with French procedure. If a violation of the local law in this respect should be made to appear, you might bring this feature of your case to the attention of the American embassy at Paris. HUNTINGTON WILSON. I am, etc., File No. 3294/29. Consul-General Skinner to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN CONSULATE-GENERAL, Jacobs's imprisonment continues, although extradition authorized March 30. SKINNER. File No. 3294/29. The Secretary of State to Ambassador McCormick. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Mr. Root informs Mr. McCormick that the consul at Marseilles telegraphed that the imprisonment of Mr. Jacobs still continues, although the extradition was authorized March 30. Mr. Root instructs Mr. McCormick to ascertain if the continued detention is in accordance with the French law.) File No. 3294/32-33. No. 41.] Ambassador White to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, June 18, 1907. SIR: Referring to your cable of the 13th instant, a copy of which I inclose herewith, directing me to ascertain whether the continued. detention of Jacobs at Marseilles is in compliance with French law, I have the honor to state that, according to information obtained informally, the prolongation of Jacobs's imprisonment has been due to the difficulty of making suitable arrangements for his transfer to the Argentine Republic. Now, however, the matter is settled, and the prisoner will leave on the 20th instant. HENRY WHITE. I have, etc., File No. 3294/30. Consul-General Skinner to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] MARSEILLES, June 15, 1907. Jacobs leaving 20th; closing incident. SKINNER. AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND ITALY IN REGARD TO THE IMPORTATION OF ARMS AND AMMUNITION INTO ABYSSINIA. File No. 4286/-1. Ambassador McCormick to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, January 17, 1907. SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith two copies of a Yellow Book just issued by the French foreign office on the affairs of Ethiopia. I have, etc., ROBERT S. MCCORMICK. [Inclosure 1.-Translation.] Agreement between the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, respecting the importation of arms and ammunition into Abyssinia. France, Great Britain, and Italy having a common interest in the prevention of all disturbances in their respective territories in Ethiopia and on the Red Sea littoral, the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean, have agreed as follows: 1. The contracting Governments, having regard to the provisions of Articles VIII to XIII of the general act of Brussels of the 2d July, 1890, bind themselves to exercise a rigorous supervision over the importation of arms and ammunition: The French Government at Jibuti and Obok, in the territories of French Somaliland. The British Government in British Somaliland and the ports and territories of Zeila, Berbera, Aden, and Perim; and The Italian Government in Erythræa, Italian Somaliland, and more especially in the ports of Massawah and Assab. 2. Transmit permits for arms and ammunition destined for the Ethiopian government, recognized Ethiopian chiefs, and private persons in Ethiopia, will only be granted on a request to that effect formulated by the said government, indicating by name the persons authorized, the nature and quantity of arms and ammunition, and certifying that the said arms and ammunition are not intended for sale. 3. The three Governments engage to make joint representations to the Negus with a view to the prohibition, in accordance with the provisions of the general act of Brussels, of the traffic in arms and ammunition in Abyssinian territory. 4. As regards the supervision of dhows trading for arms from Jibuti, Aden, Perim, Zeila, Massawah, Assab, and other ports of those regions to points outside the zone of protection defined by the act of Brussels, measures will be taken to prevent them from smuggling. 5. While expressly maintaining the principles of French legislation in regard to the right of visit, and it being agreed that the British and Italian Governments maintain their principles in regard to this question, the French Govern ment agrees that the measures of control exercised by the local authorities in British and Italian territorial waters over small British and Italian native merchant craft (dhows) should be also applicable in Italian and British territorial waters to dhows flying the French flag. The British and Italian Governments also agree that the measures of control exercised by the local authorities in French territorial waters over small French native merchant craft (dhows) shall also be applicable to dhows flying the British or Italian flags. These measures shall be enforced without necessitating a recourse to the formalities laid down by the consular conventions in force between the three Governments. 6. In order to facilitate the supervision of native craft, and in order to prevent any wrongful use of the flag, the three Governments engage to communicate to each other every year a list of the dhows authorized to fly their respective flags. 7. The three Governments will further see that the dhow owners authorized to fly the French, British, or Italian flag shall show such plain marks on their craft as will permit of easy recognition at a distance. 8. The British, French, and Italian Governments agree to instruct their respective local authorities to concert amongst themselves as to the best means of carrying out the measures to be taken as the result of this agreement. 9. The present agreement shall hold good for a period of twelve years from the date of signature, and shall then remain in force for periods of three years, unless it is denounced six months before. Convey to President of the Republic the heartfelt sympathy of the President and sorrow of the American people for the terrible calamity suffered by the French nation in the disaster of the Jena and the death of so many brave Frenchmen. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your cable of the 13th instant, directing that the sympathy of the President and the sorrow of the American people be conveyed to the President of the French Republic on the occasion of the loss of the battle ship Jena and the death of so many brave sailors, which instruction was at once complied with. I inclose herewith copies of your cable, of my note to M. Pichon, and of his reply. HENRY VIGNAUD. I have, etc., [Inclosure 1.] Chargé Vignaud to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. AMERICAN EMBASSY, The Secretary of State of my Government directs me to convey to the President of the Republic the expression of heartfelt sympathy of the President and the American nation for the terrible catastrophe which has just befallen the French nation in its navy. The misfortune which has caused the loss of one of the finest vessels of the French fleet and the death of so many brave sailors, has also deeply moved the members of this embassy, and in praying your excellency to make known the sentiments which have animated Mr. Roosevelt and the members of the Government of the United States, I would feel obliged if you would also be the interpreter of those of my colleagues and the one who has the honor to renew to your excellency the assurances of his high esteem. HENRY VIGNAUD. [Inclosure 2.-Translation.] The Minister of Foreign Affairs to Chargé Vignaud. PARIS, March 13, 1907. MR. CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES: I did not fail to communicate to the President of the Republic the letter by which you were kind enough to ask me to convey to him the expression of the deep sympathy of his excellency the President of the Republic of the United States and of the American nation on the occasion of the catastrophe which has just befallen France in its navy. Mr. President was deeply moved by the sentiments of which you were kind enough to be the interpreter on this sad occasion and which will be deeply felt by the whole of France, and he has charged me to have recourse to your usual kindness to convey to his excellency Mr. Roosevelt his most sincere thanks. I want to tell you also how sensible the Government of the Republic was to the condolence you addressed to it as much in the name of the Government of the United States as in your own name and that of your collaborators. Accept, etc., S. PICHON. ATTEMPT AGAINST THE LIFE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC. File No. 7625. President Koosevelt to President Failleres. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, July 15, 1907. Accept my cordial congratulations on fortunate escape from injury. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. CONVENTION BETWEEN FRANCE AND GREAT BRITAIN FOR THE PREVENTION OF FRAUD IN SUCCESSION DUTIES. File 10794. No. 161.] Ambassador White to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, December 20, 1907. SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith the copy of a convention having for its object the prevention of frauds, in respect of succession duties upon the revenues of France and Great Britain, which has just been concluded between those countries. It is of a somewhat novel character, not only by reason of its object, but also in that it provides for direct correspondence in the transmission of information by each government to the other, between the general direction of registration in Paris and the board of inland revenue in London, instead of through the usual diplomatic channels. The convention though brief, and at first sight not very far reaching in its effects, has excited a good deal of adverse comment in this country owing to a feeling that, while it only affects for the present the succession duty upon personal property left by French citizens in Great Britain at their death, the information to be supplied in this connection by the British board of inland revenue will be very useful to the French minister of finance in the detection of frauds upon the income tax, should the latter come into existence, as the Government hopes shortly to persuade Parliament to vote that it shall. Hitherto it appears to have been not uncommon for those charged with the settlement of estates left by British subjects and French citizens partly in France and partly in Great Britain to pay a tax upon such portions thereof only as happened to be in the country to which the deceased owed allegiance, the remainder in the other country escaping the payment of succession duty altogether. In view of the fact that the succession duties in direct line are more than twice as large in Great Britain as they are in France, and of the further fact that an income tax exists already in the former country, the advantages of the convention would seem for the present to be greater for England than for France. It has been intimated, however, that this convention is merely a forerunner of others of a similar nature between France and the various civilized powers of the world, with a view to the repression of fraud in fiscal matters which, in that event, would certainly become more difficult to perpetrate. I have, etc., HENRY WHITE. [Inclosure. Translation.] The Journal Officiel publishes to-day the text of the arrangement concluded at London, "with a view to prevent, as much as possible, frauds in the cases of succession duties." This is the document : The Government of the French Republic and the Government of His Britannic Majesty, being desirous to prevent, as much as possible, fraud in the cases of succession duties, have authorized the undersigned to conclude the following arrangement: ARTICLE 1. The British Government pledges itself to furnish, for all deceased persons whose domicile is in France, an extract of the affidavit containing the names, Christian (or first), domicile, date and place of death of the de cujus, the information regarding his successors, and the amount of the inheritance in personal property. However, the extract shall be furnished only in cases where the total of this personal reaches a minimum of £100 sterling. ART. 2. The French Government pledges itself to furnish for all deceased persons whose domicile is in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland an extract of the declaration of mutation by death containing the information enumerated in article 1. However, the extract shall only be furnished in cases where the total of the personal property declared reaches a minimum of 2,520 francs. 85111-FR 1907- -28 |