The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-04-11
TREATY NEGOTIATIONS.

Tho Proposed Basis of n Reciprocity Treaty
with the British West Undesirable
Meeting with Some Favor. Lord Gram
vile Thinks 1t Lacks tho Essential Ele.
ments of Stability.
LONDON, April S.-The Foreign Office
has published the correspondence re-
specting the negotiations for treaty be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain in regard to reciprocity of trade
with the British West Indies.
On October 25, 1881, Lord Granville,
British Minister of Foreign Affairs,
directed Minister West to propose to the
American Secretary of State, the follow.
ing basis for treaty; The British West
Indies colonies to abolish their
duties of the following articles
coming from the United States: Bread
biscuits, butter, cheese, corn, meats Of
all kinds, -four, lard, lumber, kerosene,
cat meal and oil cake; and some of the
colonies to also abolish the duties on
hams, meats, shocks and slaves; the
United States in return, therefor, to re-
duce the duty on sugar coming from these
colonies at least fifty per cent.
On November Goth, Minister West in
formed Lord Granville that the United
| States desired a wider basis for the treaty,
and that they also stipulated that the ad-
vantages proposed to be conferred upon
the United States should not also be con-
coded gratis to third parties under the
most favored nation clause of treaties.
On December 4th Minister West for
warded to Lord Granville draft of
counter treaty proposed by Mr.. Freling-
huysen. This is an elaborate document,
containing schedules of $50 articles upon
whicha abolition of colonial duties was
desired, in return for which concessions
the United States would abolish the duty
on all sugars below No. l6 Dutch stand
ard. The exclusion of third parties from
the benefit of the colonial concessions is
also insisted upon in this draft as an in-
dispensable element in any further nego.
tiations. Included in the correspondence
at this point is an estimate by Sir John
Lubbock, M. p, for London University,
in which he states that the adoption of
Secretary Frellnghuysen's proposed
treaty would reduce the revenues
of the affected colonies by only
fl80,000 annually, while the yearly
loss to the United States would be e.,
100000. Sir John strongly urged the &C
ceptance OF the Frelinghuysen draft, and
this recommendation was concurred in
by Minister West.
On February 18th, however, Lord
Granville directed Mr.. West to inform
the American Secretary of State that it
would be impossible to accept the pro-
posals made by the United States. To
do so would be to admit a principle
which would revolutonize the conyen-
tonal stipuations as to commerce
among all nations. 1t would render the
Favored nation clause" fruitful cause
of dispute, and would, in fact, be plain
infringement of International law. Lord
Granville infinitely criticised the points
raised by Mr.. Frelinghuysen's PROPOSE
ton, and in conclusion, expressed his re-
greet at being compelled to reject the
draft, and his hopelulness that an agree.
ment satisfactory and beneficial to both
nations will be reached sooner or later
A copy of this dispatch was forwarded by
Lord Granville to the Colonial Office with
the additional comment that the conces
sions offered by the United States were
of less real than apparent value, and thai
the proposals lack the essential elements
of stable agreement.