The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-26
John Bull Confesses That Proclamation Purporting to Exclude American Oil Con- panies From Burma Is AbSo- IuteIy Without Foundation
CONVERSION" ACCEPTED BY STATE DEPARTMENT
Under Alleged Agreement a
 Blanket Concession in h. dia Was Granted to British
 Oil Company Protecting It From All Outside Concerns

WASHlNGIONr MATCH O. ho state department has accepted the assurance of the British government that a proclamation alleged to have been signed in 1884 by Queen Vic toria and an agreement purporting to have been made by Great Britain a year later in relation to oil rights in Burma are spurious. The two documents, in report submitted three years ago to the Senate by the state department, were declared to have expressly excluded American oil companies from doing business in Burma.
 ! Secretary Hughes, in proclamation to Secretary Work of the interior department, Secretary Hoover of the commerce department, and the fed- eral trade commission, made public today, said that the British govern ment has stated that these docu- ments are spurious and this state- ment has been accepted by the state department.
 Americans Excluded.
 In making a report to the Senate in March, 1920, in response to reso- lution requesting information with regard to restrictions imposed on American citizens in prospecting. ac- quiring and developing petroleum
  made this statement with respect to India:
 American oil companies are ex- pressly excluded from doing business in Burma by proclamation signed by Queen Victoria and Lord Salisbury, secretary of state for India, on Sep tember A, 1884, and a blanket con cession of 99 years was given the Burma Oil company, Ltd, on August 23, 1885, protecting this company from all foreign competition"
 Asserting that the two documents had been cited in report of the bureau of mines to the Secretary of the Interior in May, 1919. MT. Hughes declared that Tit Is hardly necessary to say that when used in the manner above stated they were believed to be genuine.
 Statements Correct.
 The Secretary of State expressed the belief that other statements made in the departments report to the Senate with reference to restric- tions on petroleum development in India were substantially correct" They were as follows:
 'In India no prospecting license or lease can be granted otherwise than according to the rules summar- ized below, except with the previous
  India in council, or with that of the governor general under authority delegated to him by the secretary of state for India in council. A certifi- cate of approval, or prospecting license, or a mining lease shall be granted only to a British subject, or to British controlled cofnpany. It would seem that the regulations pre- clude the sale of concessions or leases to foreigners, although this is not specifically stated. Leases and concessions are granted only on gov- ernment land. Private land may be exploited, but only with the consent of the owner and in accordance with the restrictions above mentioned Consular report from Bombay. Mo- vember 26, 1s19)."
 Granted Only to British.
 Mir. Hughes said that in a memo randum on the petroleum situa ton published by the British government and submitted to the American gov- ernment on July 27. 1921, 1t was stated with respect to India that prospecting or mining leases have been, in practice, granted only to British subjects or to companies con- trolled by British subjects On Au- gust 30, last, he added, the state de- partment was informed by the Brit ish foreign office that there was no foundation for the report that Great Britain intended to remove such re- strictions as existed in India upon foreign participation in the develop ment of petroleum resources In that region.
 The British government said MT. Hughes, has informed the state de- partment that regulations govern ing the exploitation of oil in India and Burma are being collected for communication to this government. as has been requested"