The trade in question is already prohibited to British subjects throughout the western Pacific, and is strictly regulated in the German Possessions in that region. It has been prohibited under severe penalties in the French colony of New Caledonia, and is strictly regulated in the Navigator's Islands by the provisions of the final act of the Samoan Conference, to which Great Britain, Germany, and the United States are parties. Nevertheless, Her Majesty's Government continue to receive frequent representations as to the prevalence of this demoralizing traffic; and it is evident that some more general action is required to put a stop to it entirely. Encouraged by the favorable reception given to their former proposal, Her Majesty's Government have now prepared for the consideration of the Powers interested the draft of an International Declaration prohibiting the supply of the aforesaid articles to natives of the Pacific islands, and providing suitable penalties for any infringement of its provisions. In accordance with instructions which I have received from the Marquis of Salisbury, I have the honor to inclose five copies of this Declaration, and at the same time to state that Her Majesty's Government hope that it will be given a favorable consideration by the United States Government. I have, etc., MICHAEL H. HERBERT. Draft international declaration for the protection of natives in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. A declaration respecting arms, ammunition, explosive substances, and intoxicating liquor, and prohibiting the supply of these articles to natives of the Pacific islands. 1. In this declaration the following words and expressions shall have the meanings here assigned to them, that is to say: "Subject of the contracting powers" includes a citizen of the French Republic or of the Republic of the United States of America. "Pacific islands" means and includes any islands lying within the twentieth parallel of north latitude and the fortieth parallel of south latitude and the onehundred and twentieth meridian of longitude west and the one-hundred and twentieth meridian of longitude east of Greenwich and not being in the possession or under the protection of any civilized power. "Native" means any person who is or appears to be a native, not of European or American descent, of some island or place within the limits of this declaration. "Arms" means every kind of firearm and any part or parts of firearms. "Ammunition" means every kind of ammunition for firearms and any material for the preparation thereof. "Explosive substances" means gunpowder, nitroglycerin, dynamite, gun cotton, blasting powder, and every other substance used or manufactured with a view to produce a practical effect by explosion. "Intoxicating liquor" includes all spirituous compounds and all fermented liquors. and any mixtuze part whereof is spirituous or which contains fermented liquors, and any mixture or preparation containing any drug capable of producing intoxication. "Offense" means offense against this declaration. 2. Any subject of the contracting powers who shall give, sell, or otherwise supply, or shall aid or abet the giving, selling, or otherwise supplying to any native any arms, ammunition, explosive substance, or intoxicating liquor [Qy. except under special license from one of the contracting powers] shall be guilty of an offense against this, declaration. 3. An offense against this declaration shall be punishable with imprisonment not exceeding three months, with or without hard labor, or a fine not exceeding £10, or both. In addition to such punishment all articles of a similar nature to those in respect of which an offense has been committed found in the possession of the offender, inay be declared forfeited to the contracting power to whose nation the offender belongs. 4. A person charged with an offense may be apprehended by any commissioned officer of a ship of war of any of the contracting powers, and may be brought for trial before any of the persons hereinafter mentioned. 5. Every person so charged, if difficulty or delay is likely to arise in delivering him over for trial by the authorities of his own country in the Pacific islands, may be tried summarily, either before a magistrate or other judicial officer of any of the contracting powers having jurisdiction to try crimes or offenses in a summary manner, or before the commander of a ship of war of any of the contracting powers. Any such commander may, if he think fit, associate with himself as assessors any one or more fit persons, being commissioned officers of a ship of war of one of the contracting powers, or other reputable persons, not being natives, who are subjects or citizens of one of the contracting powers, and, either with or without assessors, may hear and determine the case, and if satisfied of the guilt of the person charged, may sentence him to the punishment herein before prescribed. 6. Sentences of imprisonment shall be carried into effect in a Government prison in Fiji or New Caledonia, or in any other place in the Pacific Ocean or in America or Australasia in which a government prison is maintamed by one of the contracting powers. 7. All fines, forfeitures, and pecuniary penalties received in respect of this declaration shall be paid over by the person receiving the same to [Qy. H. B. M. high commissioner for the western Pacific] for the benefit of the contracting power from whose subject or citizen the same was received. 8. Each contracting power shall defray the cost of the imprisonment of any of its subjects or citizens, which cost shall be calculated upon the actual cost of maintaining the prisoner with an addition of [twenty] per cent as a contribution to the salaries and other expenses of the prison. A certificate under the hand of the governor of the colony, or other chief authority of the place where the prison is situated, shall be conclusive as to the amount to be paid. An offender shall not be taken to any British colony in Australasia for imprisonment unless the government thereof shall have consented to receive such offenders. 9. It shall not be an offense against this declaration to supply without recompense or remuneration intoxicating liquor to any native upon any urgent necessity and solely for medicinal purposes, but if the person giving such liquor shall be charged with an offense against this declaration it shall rest upon the accused to prove that such urgent necessity existed, and that the liquor was given for medicinal puposes. 10. This declaration shall cease to apply to any of the Pacific islands which may hereafter become part of the dominions or come under the protection of any civilized power; nor shall it apply to the Navigator's or Friendly islands, in both of which groups a government exists which has been recognized as such by more than one of the contracting powers in the negotiation of formal treaties; nor shall it be held to affect any powers conferred upon its own officers by any instrument issued by any of the contracting powers. 11. The contracting powers will severally take measures to procure such legislation as may be necessary to give full effect to this declaration. 12. The present declaration shall be put into force three months after the deposit of the ratifications, and shall remain in force for an indefinite period until the termination of a year from the day upon which it may have been denounced. Such denunciation shall only be effective as regards the country making it, the declaration remaining in full force and effect as regards the other contracting parties. 13. The present declaration shall be ratified, and the ratifications deposited at London as soon as possible. In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms. Mr. Herbert to Mr. Fosier. BRITISH LEGATION, SIR: At the conference which was held in Washington in the month of February last between the Canadian delegates and Mr. Blaine and yourself, it was agreed, as you are aware, that the question of reciprocity in wrecking and towing in the waters conterminous to Canada and the United States should be dealt with by legislation on the part of the FR 92-19 Dominion and by instructions from the Treasury Department of the United States to give the act of Congress on this subject such a liberal construction as to include permission for all towing necessary and incidental to wrecking and salvage and the relaxation of customs laws necessary to make the reciprocal arrangement effective. In accordance with this agreement, an act has been passed by the Parliament of Canada during its present session, and I have now the honor to inclose a certified copy of it for the information of your Government. I have, etc., MICHAEL H. HERBERT. By his excellency the right honorable Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley, Baron Stanley of Prestou, in the county of Lancaster in the peerage of the United Kingdom, Knight Grand Cross of the most honorable Order of the Bath, Governor-General of Canada. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting: These are to certify that Edouard Joseph Langevin, esquire, whose name is subscribed to the annexed document, is the clerk of the parliaments of the Dominion of Canada, and that full faith and credence are due, and ought to be given, to such signature and act in all places. Given under my hand and office seal at Ottawa, this eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand, eight hundred and ninety-two, and of Her Majesty's reign, the fifty-fifth. By command. L. A. CATÉLLIER, STANLEY OF PRESTON. Under Secretary of State. OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE PARLIAMENTS. I, Edouard Joseph Langévin, clerk of the Parliaments, custodian of the original acts of the legislatures of the late Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, of the late Province of Canada, and of the Parliament of Canada, certify the subjoined to be a true copy of the original act passed by the Parliament of Canada in the session thereof, held in the fifty-fifth year of Her Majesty's reign, and assented to in Her Majesty's name by the deputy of the Governor-General, on the tenth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, remaining of record in my office. Given under my hand and seal at the city of Ottawa, Canada, on the eighteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two. [SEAL.] EDOCARD J. LANGÉVIN, AN ACT respecting aid by United States wreckers in Canadian waters. Assented to Tuesday, 10th May, 1892. Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: 1. United States vessels and wrecking appliances may salve any property wrecked, and may render aid and assistance to any vessels wrecked, disabled, or in distress, in the waters of Canada contiguons to the United States. 2. Aid and assistance include all necessary towing incident thereto. 3. Nothing in the customs or coasting laws of Canada shall restrict the salving operations of such vessels or wrecking appliances. 4. This act shall come into force from and after a date to be named in a proclamation by the Governor-General, which proclamation may be issued when the Governor in council is advised that the privilege of salving any property wrecked and of aiding any vessels wrecked, disabled, or in distress, in United States waters contigu ous to Canada, will be extended to Canadian vessels and wrecking appliances to the extent to which such privilege is granted by this act to United States vessels and wrecking appliances. 5. This act shall cease to be in force from and after a date to be named in a proclamation to be issued by the Governor-General to the effect that the said reciprocal privilege has been withdrawn, revoked or rendered inoperative with respect to Canadian vessels or wrecking appliances in United States water contiguous to Canada. Mr. Adee to Mr. Herbert. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DEAR Mr. HERBERT: Your official note of yesterday has been received relative to reciprocal wrecking and salvage privileges in the waters conterminous to the United States and the Dominion of Canada. The act of Congress of May 24, 1890 (a copy of which I send you) provides that it "shall be construed to apply to the Welland Canal, the canal and improvements of the waters between Lake Erie and Lake Huron and to the waters of the St. Mary's river and canal." Will you kindly inform me whether the Government of the Dominion construes its act of May 10, 1892, to cover the canals and waters in question so far as they lie within its territory? If it does I see no reason why the necessary proclamations can not be issued at an early date. It would seem to be desirable to provide that the President's proclamation and that of the Governor-General of Canada should be issued simultaneously. The President is to be away for a few days, but I think it would be possible to issue our proclamation sometime the latter part of next week. Very sincerely, yours, ALVEY A. ADEE. [PUBLIC-No. 131.] AN ACT to amend an act entitled "An act to aid vessels wrecked or disabled in the waters contermaous to the United States and the Dominion of Canada," approved June nineteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight. Be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Longress assembled, That an act entitled "An act to aid vessels wrecked or disabled in the waters conterminous to the United States and the Dominion of Canada," approved June nineteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, be, and the same is hereby, amended so that the same will read as follows: "That Canadian vessels and wrecking appurtenance may render aid and assistance to Canadian or other vessels and property wrecked, disabled, or in distress in the waters of the United States contiguous to the Dominion of Canada: Provided, That this ac: shall not take effect until proclamation by the President of the United States that the privilege of aiding American or other vessels and property wrecked, disabled, or in distress in Canadian waters contiguous to the United States has been extended by the Government of the Dominion of Canada to American vessels and wrecking appliances of all descriptions. This act shall be construed to apply to the Welland Canal, the canal and improvement of the waters between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and to the waters of the St. Mary's River and canal: And provided further, That this act shall cease to be in force, from and after the date of the proclamation of the President of the United States to the effect that said reciprocal privilege has been withdrawn, revoked, or rendered inoperative by the said Government of the Dominion of Canada." Approved, May 24, 1890. Mr. Foster to Mr. Herbert. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 5th instant, relative to common wrecking and salvage privileges in the waters conterminous to the United States and the Dominion of Canada. You inclose a certified copy of an act of the Parliament of Canada, assented to May 10, 1892, which is intended to be reciprocal to the act of Congress of May 24, 1890. The latter act, a copy of which is herewith inclosed, provides that it "shall be construed to apply to the Welland Canal, the canal and improvements of the waters between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and the waters of St. Mary's River and canal." It is presumed that the Canadian act would be construed to have an equal application in so far as the canals and waters in question lie within the Dominion of Canada. I trust you will be able to give me assurance that the Canadian act will be so construed. The language of the act of Congress would prevent the issuance of a proclamation by the President before the Governor-General of Canada issues his proclamation, and I would suggest that the two might be is sued simultaneously at such early date as may be agreed upon. When the President's proclamation is issued putting the act of Congress into effect the Secretary of the Treasury will issue instructions that "the aid and assistance provided for in said act includes all necessary towing incident to said aid and assistance, and nothing in the coasting and custom laws restricts the salvage operations of such vessels and their appliances." This is the language of the memorandum which was submitted to the Canadian Commissioners at the conference of February 15, 1892, and is substantially the language of the second and third paragraphs of the Canadian act. I have, etc., JOHN W. FOSTER. Mr. Herbert to Mr. Foster. BRITISHI LEGATION, Newport, July 16, 1892. (Received July 18.) DEAR Mr. FOSTER: I have received a communication from Sir John Abbott, the prime minister of Canada, in which he informs me that he has learned with surprise and regret, on examination of Mr. Adee's memorandum on the subject of the Welland Canal tolls, which accompanied the President's message to Congress of the 1st instant, that an error occurred in the order in council which was issued in April last in regard to the said tolls. It was not the intention of the Canadian Government to continue to shippers from Lake Ontario the privilege which was accorded them during the season of 1891 of availing themselves of the rebate on passing through the St. Lawrence canals to Montreal. But if it had been de cided to do so United States citizens on the south side of Lake Ontario would have been allowed the same privilege. Sir John Abbott states that when the draft order in council was being considered, a lengthy discussion took place as to other points con |