Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-03
NEW TREATY WITH JAMAICA
Satisfactory Conclusion of Reciprocity
Negotiations.
Details of the Convention viii BE
mission to Leave at Once.

reciprocity treaty with Jamaica was
concluded at the State Department Satur-
day at a conference between Commissioner
kasson. in behalf of the United States. and
Mr.. Tower, the British charge d'affaires.
in behalf of the British West Indian colony
and the home government. This is the last
of the series of treaties which has been
under negotiation for some time those al
ready concluded being for British Guiana,
Bermuda and the Barbados. The Jamai-
can treaty is now to be forwarded to King
ston. for the approval of the colonial au-
thorities, and when this is given the for
NAL signing of the instrument will occur.
Until then it will have the same status as
the Guiana and Bermuda treaties. which
have been concluded in all their details and
the final draft made. but are awaiting the
approval of the several colonial govern
mentS. In the case of the Barbados Mr..
Tower was given unrestricted authority by
the colony. and he not only concluded the
treaty, but signed it.
Details to BE Kept Secret.
With the completion of the treaty. the
jamaican tariff commission. which has been
here for fortnight, will return home. 1t
left Saturday. going first to Ottawa to
confer with the Canadian authorities as
to alternative reciprocity with the Cana
dams in case there should be any hitch in
the treaty negotiated with this government.
AL .>drties concerned in the negotiations
tere have been placed under the strictest
reserve, as it is said that the premature
discussion of the details of the convention
just concluded before its ratification might
prove prejudicial to both countries. The
State Department observes its usual reti-
cence when a treaty is concerned, as the
document is withheld from the public until
given to the Senate for ratification.
1t is known, however, that the convention
concluded Saturday is under section 1 of
the Dingley tariff law, providing for reci-
prOcity treaties, and is not mere ar
rangement," as provided for by section
of the act.
Concessions to Jamaica.
The concessions given to Jamaica differ
materially from those allowed the other
British West Indian colonies. mainly be-
cause of the recent tariff law enacted by
Jamaica, which had special application to
the United States.
The maximum concession permitted by
the law is 20 per cent on the regular duties,
but it is not stated whether the reductions
given to Jamaica amount to the full ~ per
cent In some of the other British West
Indian treaties Il per cent is understood to
have been the basis of reduction.
The latest returns show that Jamaica
shipped to the United States last year goods
valued at S. 499Ol4 and received from the
United States 81 ,3S9, 5S.I.
This was before the enactment of the
Jamaican tariff law, which is understood to
have been specially directed toward the
American trade. The trade with the United
States, both imports and exports, has been
about equal to the combined trade with all
other countries, including Great Britain and
the other British colonies. Among the
chief products of Jamaica shipped to the
United States are coffee, bananas, oranges,
sugar and logwood. Among the chief arti-
cles received from the United States are
shoes, coal, corn, cotton flour, hardware,
lumber, rice. soap and all kinds of food
stuffs, machinery and tools.
How far these articles figure in the new
treaty is not stated, but as they form the
bulk of trade 1T is assumed that they are
among the articles which have received
chief consideration.