the other Governments. It will entail agreement to all the charges and admission to all the advantages stipulated by the present Convention, and will produce its effects from the 1st September following the dispatch of the notification by the Belgian Government to the other Contracting States.

ARTICLE X.

The present Convention will come into force on the 1st September, 1903.

It will remain in force for five years from that date, and in the case of any of the High Contracting Parties not having notified twelve months before the expiration of the said period of five years its intention of ceasing to abide by it, it will continue to remain in force for a year, and so on from year to year.

In the event of one of the Contracting Parties denouncing the Convention, such denunciation will only have effect on the Party in question; the other Parties will retain, until the 31st October of the year in which the denunciation is made, the right of notifying their intention of withdrawing on the 1st September of the succeeding year. If one of these latter Powers desires to withdraw, the Belgian Government will summon a Conference at Brussels within three months to decide upon the course to be taken.

ARTICLE XI.

The provisions of the present Convention will apply to the oversea provinces, Colonies, and foreign Possessions of the High Contracting Parties. The British and Dutch Colonies and Possessions are excepted, save as regards the provisions forming the subject of Articles V and VIII.

The position of the British and Dutch Colonies and Possessions is, moreover, regulated by the Declarations inserted in the Final Protocol.

ARTICLE XII.

The fulfilment of the mutual engagements contained in the present Convention is subordinated as far as it is necessary to the completion of the formalities and requirements established by the Constitutional laws of each of the Contracting Parties.

The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be deposited at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Brussels on the 1st February, 1903, or earlier if possible.

It is agreed that the present Convention shall only become binding if it is ratified at least by those of the Contracting Powers who are not included in the exceptional provision of Article VI. Should one or several of these Powers not have deposited their ratifications by the date mentioned, the Belgian Government shall immediately take steps to obtain a decision on the part of the other Signatory Powers as to whether the present Convention shall come into force among themselves.

In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Con

vention.

Done at Brussels, in single copy, March 5, 1902.

(Signatures of the Plenipotentiaries follow.)

Final Protocol.

In proceeding to the signature of the Sugar Convention concluded this day between the Governments of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Spain, France, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have agreed as follows:

As regards Article III.

Considering that the object of the surtax is the efficacious protection of the market of each producing country, the High Contracting Parties reserve to themselves the right

each one as concerns itself, to propose an increase of the surtax, should considerable quantities of sugar from one of the Contracting States find their way into their territories. This increase would only apply to sugars coming from that State.

Such a proposal must be addressed to the Permanent Commission, which will decide, as quickly as possible, by a majority vote, whether there is good ground for the proposed measure; as to the period for which it shall be enforced; and as to the extent of the increase; the latter shall not exceed 1 fr. per 100 kilogrammes.

The assent of the Commission shall only be given when the invasion of the market in question is the consequence of an actual economic inferiority, and not the result of a factitious increase in price brought about by an agreement between producers.

As regards Article XI.

(A.) 1. The Government of Great Britain declares that no bounty, direct or indirect, shall be granted to sugars of the Crown Colonies during the duration of the Convention.

2. It also declares, as an exceptional measure, and reserving in principle entire liberty of action as regards the fiscal relations between the United Kingdom and its Colonies and Possessions, that during the duration of the Convention no preference will be granted in the United Kingdom to Colonial sugars as against sugars from any of the Contracting States.

3. It finally declares that the Convention shall, by its intermediary, be submitted to the self-governing Colonies and to the East Indies, so that they may have an opportunity of giving their adhesion to it.

It is understood that the Government of His Britannic Majesty has the power to adhere to the Convention on behalf of the Crown Colonies.

(B.) The Government of the Netherlands declares that during the duration of the Convention no bounty, direct or indirect, shall be granted to sugars from the Dutch Colonies, and that such sugars shall not be admitted into the Netherlands at a lower Tariff than that applied to sugars from any of the Contracting States.

The present Final Protocol, which will be ratified at the same time as the Convention concluded this day, will be regarded as forming an integral part of the Convention, and will have the same force, value, and duration.

In faith whereof the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have drawn up the present Protocol.

Done at Brussels, the 5th March, 1902.

(Signatures of the Plenipotentiaries follow.)

MISCELLANEOUS. No. 4 (1902).

[AMENDED COPY.]

SUGAR CONFERENCE AT BRUSSELS.

DESPATCH

FROM THE

BRITISH DELEGATES

It is requested that this Paper may be substituted for that distributed on March 11, 1902.

SIGNED ON

MARCH 5,
5, 1902.

Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty.
March 1902.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE,

BY HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE,

FRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY.

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