etc.) in regard to the amplification and prolongation of the reciprocity treaty between the United States and Cuba, I have the honor to report that in a conversation had with him this morning Señor Sanguily, the Cuban Secretary of State, brought up this subject and asked me if I could obtain from you, by telegraph, an expression of your views as to the possibility of prolonging this treaty definitely for a period of five years, incidentally with greater and more stable advantages for Cuban sugar in return for increased preferential treatment of American products imported into this country. Cuba recognizes the necessity to retain the American market for her sugar, and would be ready to make almost any concession to attain this end. While requesting a reply by telegraph at the earliest practicable date in order to comply with the wish of Sr. Sanguily, I have, etc., File No. 611.3731/38. JOHN B. JACKSON. The Acting Secretary of State to the American Minister. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] WASHINGTON, October 25, 1911. In answer to the above dispatch 1134 of October 18 Mr. Adee instructs Mr. Jackson to inform the Secretary of State that when the President returns to Washington the question involving the reciprocity treaty will be brought to his attention, and his and the Department's views will be communicated as soon as may be. File No. 611.3731/40. No. 1150.] The American Minister to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: Referring to my dispatch No. 1134 of the 18th instant, I have the honor to transmit a copy and translation of a note received this morning from the Cuban Secretary of State. I have, etc., [Inclosure-Translation.] JOHN B. JACKSON. The Cuban Secretary of State to the American Minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Habana, October 25, 1911. Mr. MINISTER: In continuation of the conversation that I had the honor to have with your excellency a few days ago, I beg that you will inquire of your Government if it considers it convenient and immediately feasible to agree with that of Cuba upon the extension for another five years of the treaty of commercial reciprocity that is still in force, though automatically; and if it would be willing to enter into negotiations with a view to the modfication of the treaty in the sense of providing for greater advantages for some American products and for our sugars and tobacco. I avail, etc., MANUEL SANGUILY. File No. 611.3731/41. The American Minister to the Secretary of State. No. 1155.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, October 27, 1911. SIR: Referring to the Department's telegram of October 25, I have the honor to report that I informed the Cuban Secretary of State this morning that— Upon the return to Washington of President Taft, his attention will be called to the subject of the reciprocity treaty between the United States and Cuba, and as soon thereafter as practicable the views of the American Government will be communicated to the Cuban Department of State. In conversation I mentioned to Sr. Sanguily that you preferred that such negotiations in regard to this matter as may eventually take place should be conducted at Washington. To this the secretary made no objection. I have, etc., File No. 611.3731/39. JOHN B. JACKSON. The Secretary of State to the American Chargé d'Affaires. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 2, 1911. SIR: The Department has received an informal memorandum from the Cuban minister in Washington, as follows: The Cuban Government desires to know if President Taft would be inclined to agree with President Gómez on a modification of the present treaty of reciprocity between Cuba and the United States, extending it for a fixed term of five years, but reproducing all its present stipulations; the foregoing to be a preliminary toward the negotiation of another treaty on reciprocal commercial arrangements in which greater advantages be given by Cuba to American products, in compensation for similar concessions to be granted by the United States to Cuban sugar and tobacco, on obtaining the favorable disposition of Congress and public opinion in both countries. The President is not unmindful of the value of the commercial relations which have been developed during the life of this convention and of its great utility in affording Cuba a market for the island's leading products on better terms than are received by competitors in Europe and elsewhere. He believes that it has also been a useful means of promoting the stability of the Cuban Government and that its advantages are appreciated by the Cuban people. At the same time he is compelled to take note of the frequent complaints of commercial interests of the United States that the advantages given them in the Cuban market are not commensurate with those afforded Cuban products in the markets of the United States. Experience has shown that on many commodities from this country the duties are either too excessive or the preference is not great enough to insure the broader market which should exist in Cuba for American products. It would also seem that some duties might be decreased with advantage to the Cuban consumers and without loss of revenue to the Cuban treasury. This Government does not regard it as practicable to ask the Senate to approve of the renewal of the treaty in its present form for a period of five years and then before the expiration of that period undertake to modify its terms by negotiating a new treaty which in turn would have to be submitted to the Senate for approval and to the House of Representatives to originate and pass an enabling act to put it into effect if approved by the Senate which would have to concur in the enabling act. The treaty being in effect it would seem that nogotiations for a convention which might replace it could be carried on without disturbance of the mutual commerce that obtains under it. You are instructed to inform the Cuban Government that the President is desirous of maintaining and promoting in every possible way the prosperity of Cuba and of cementing the cordial relations that now exist. He is willing to comply with the request of the Cuban Government in so far as relates to the negotiations of a new convention which will take into account the conditions that have developed since the original treaty was ratified. The President would prefer that the negotiations shall be conducted through the Department of State in Washington. I am, etc., P. C. KNOX. The American Chargé d'Affaires to the Secretary of State. File No. 611.3731/43. No. 1190.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, November 13, 1911. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on the 11th instant of the Department's unnumbered instruction of the 2d instant on the subject of the possible modification of the Cuban reciprocity treaty, and to transmit herewith copy of the note which I have to-day handed to the Cuban Secretary of State in compliance therewith. Mr. Sanguily said that he would take the matter up with President Gómez without loss of time and that he would communicate with me further in the course of a few days. I have, etc., HUGH S. GIBSON, [Inclosure.] File No. 611.3731/43. The American Chargé d'Affaires to the Cuban Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, November 13, 1911. YOUR EXCELLENCY: Referring to your excellency's courteous note of the 25th ultimo, inquiring whether my Government considered it convenient and immediately feasible to agree upon the extension for another five years of the treaty of commercial reciprocity, with a view to the modification of the treaty in the sense of providing for greater advantages for some American products and for Cuban sugars and tobacco, I have the honor to inform your excellency that I am now in receipt of instructions from my Government on this subject. The President is not unmindful of the value of the commercial relations [etc., quoting verbatim (with appropriate changes: from "this Government" to "my Government"; from "the Cuban Government" to "your excellency's Government"; from "this country" to "the United States "; and from "you are instructed" to "I am instructed,") to the end of the Department's unnumbered instructions of Nov. 2]. I avail, etc., HUGH S. GIBSON. File No. 611.3731/43. The Secretary of State to the American Chargé d'Affaires. No. 417.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 9, 1911. SIR: Referring to the Department's telegram of December 5, 1911,1 and instructions of November 2, in regard to the Cuban Government's expression of views concerning the reply of the Department to its request for a renewal and subsequent modification of the reciprocity treaty, it is desirable that the Department be informed without further delay of the views of the Cuban Government. The Department's instruction of November 2, 1911, was in response to the urgent representations of the Cuban Government, and it is unable to understand the delay in receiving a further reply from that Government. You are therefore instructed, in case a reply has not been made when this dispatch is received, to inquire formally and discreetly as to when an answer may be expected. I am, etc., P. C. KNOX. File No. 611.3731/47. No. 6.] The American Minister to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, December 19, 1911. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department's instruction No. 417 of the 9th instant, directing the legation to inquire informally and discreetly as to when it may expect to be made acquainted with the views of the Cuban Government in regard to the contemplated negotiations for the modification of the present reciprocity treaty. In obedience to this instruction, Mr. Gibson yesterday made appropriate inquiries at the department of state, and was informed that the President and the secretary of state were now engaged in consultations with the various commercial interests concerned and with members of the appropriate committee of the Senate. It was added that the matter would be given more concentrated attention during the recess of Congress, which begins to-day, and that it was hoped that the Cuban Government would be ready to enter upon definite negotiations in January. I have, etc. A. M. BEAUPRÉ. SUGAR: PROPOSAL TO ADHERE TO BRUSSELS CONVENTION. [Extracts from the International Convention 2 Relative to Bounties on Sugar, Signed at Brussels March 5, 1902, by Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.] ARTICLE III. The high contracting parties bind themselves to limit the surtax (difference between the rate of duty or taxation on foreign 1 Not printed. 2 See Foreign Relations 1902, pp. 80-82; French text in "British and Foreign State Papers 1901-1902, Vol. XCV, pp. 8-9." Not ratified by Spain nor Sweden; adhered to by Russia in 1907. sugars and that on domestic sugars) to a maximum of 6 francs per 100 kilograms for refined sugar and on sugars that may be classed as refined, and to 5.50 francs for other sugars ARTICLE V. The high contracting parties engage reciprocally to admit at the lowest of their import rates, sugars imported from and produced in the contracting States or such of their colonies or possessions as do not grant bounties [Article VIII of Commercial Convention between the United States and Cuba (reciprocity treaty). Concluded December 11, 1902; proclaimed December 17, 1908,]1 Article VIII. The rates of duty herein granted by the United States to the Republic of Cuba are and shall continue during the term of this convention preferential in respect to all like imports from other countries, and in return for said preferential rates of duty granted to the Republic of Cuba by the United States it is agreed that the concession herein granted on the part of the said Republic of Cuba to the products of the United States shall likewise be, and shall continue, during the term of this convention, preferential in respect to all like imports from other countries: Provided, That while this convention is in force, no sugar imported from the Republic of Cuba, and being the product of the soil or industry of the Republic of Cuba, shall be admitted into the United States at a reduction of duty greater than 20 per centum of the rates of duty thereon as provided by the tariff act of the United States approved July 24, 1897, and no sugar, the product of any other foreign country, shall be admitted by treaty or convention into the United States while this convention is in force at a lower rate of duty than that provided by the tariff act of the United States approved July 24, 1897. File No. 611.3731/9. No. 550.] The American Minister to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, January 6, 1911. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy and translation of a note just received from the Cuban Department of State. I have, etc., [Inclosure, translation.] JOHN B. JACKSON. The Cuban Secretary of State to the American Minister. HABANA, January 2, 1911. Mr. MINISTER: In order to complete a memorandum which is being prepared by this Department in respect to the propriety of Cuba's adhering to the convention in regard to the control of sugar, signed at Brussels on May 5, 1903," it would like to know your excellency's authoritative opinion as to whether the reduction of [the rates established in] sections 293 and 294 of the Cuban tariff (which refer to the importation of crude and refined sugars), in order to place 1 See Foreign Relations 1903, p. 375; Malloy's Treaties, 353; Treaties in Force, 1904, p. 221. Should be March 5, 1902. |