A.—3

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Most-fa voured-Nation Treatment. The Treaty of Commerce concluded on the 23rd January, 18G0, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and France, as also the Supplementary Conventions of the 12th October and 16th November of the same year, are again put in force in all their stipulations and in their fulltenour, and shall continue to have effect as before the Act of Denunciation of the 15th March, 1872. The High Contracting Parties guarantee to each other reciprocally, as well in the United Kingdom as in France and Algeria, the treatment in all respects of the most favoured nation. (Article I.) Favours, Immunities, and Privileges, on Reduction of Tariff, Imports. —lt is therefore understood that, in conformity with the stipulations of Article XIX. of the Treaty of Commerce, concluded on the 23rd January, 1860, and of Article V. of the Supplementary Convention of the 16th November of the same year, each of the High Contracting Parties engages to give the other, immediately and unconditionally, the benefit of every favour or immunity, every privilege or reduction of tariff, in regard to the importation of merchandise, whether mentioned or not in the Treaties and Conventions of 1860 which have been or may be conceded by one of the High Contracting Parties to any foreign nation whatsoever, whether within or beyond Europe. (Article I.) Transit, Wareliousinq, Exportation, He-exportation, Local Hues, Brokerage, Customs Formalities, Samples, Designs for Manufactures, Commerce, and Industry. —lt is likewise understood that, in all that relates to transit, warehousing, exportation, re-exportation, local dues, brokerage, Customs formalities, samples, designs for manufactures, and likewise in all matters relating to the exercise of commerce and industry, British subjects in France or in Algeria, and French in the United Kingdom, shall enjoy the treatment of the most favoured nation. (Article I.) If applicable to British Colonies. Not applicable to British Colonies. Januaey 24, 1874. Commerce. —The present Convention shall have the same duration as the treaty concluded between the High Contracting Parties on the 23rd July last, of which it is the complement. (Article VIII.) Most-favoured-Nation Treatment. Excise Tax or Inland Duties. —lf one of the High Contracting Parties shall impose an excise tax— that is to say, an inland duty —upon any article of home production or manufacture, an equivalent compensatory duty may be imposed on articles of the same description on their importation from the territories of the other power, provided that the said equivalent duty is levied on the like articles on their importation from all other foreign countries. In the event of the reduction or suppression of excise taxes —that is to say, inland duties—a corresponding reduction or suppression shall at the same time be made in the equivalent compensatory import duty on manufactures of British or French origin, as the case may be. (Article I.) It is agreed between the High Contracting Parties that, as regards the matters mentioned in Article 111. of the Treaty of the 23rd July, 1873, the provisions contained in the Treaty and Conventions of .1860, and in the Treaty of the 23rd July, 1873, shall remain in force, except as far as these provision* are expressly changed by the present Supplementary Convention. (Article VII.) GERMANY (ZOLLVEREIN), see also PRUSSIA.—Mat 30, 18G5. Commerce. —The present treaty shall come into force on the Ist July, 1865, and shall remain in force until the 30th June, 1877. In case neither of the Contracting Parties shall, twelve months before the last-meutioned day, have given notice to the other of the intention to terminate the operation of the treaty, then the same shall continue in force until the expiration of one year from the day upon which either of the Contracting Parties shall have given notice to the other to terminate the same. (Article VIII.) Most-favoured-Nation Treatment. Subjects: Commerce, Taxes. —The subjects of Her Britannic Majesty who dwell either temporarily or permanently in the States of the Zollverein, and the subjects of the States of the Zollverein who dwell either temporarily or permanently in the dominions or possessions of Her Britannic Majesty, shall enjoy therein, in respect to the exercise of commerce and trades, the same rights as, and be subjected to no higher or other taxes than, the subjects of any third country the most favoured in those respects. (Article I.) Import Duties: Produce and Manufactures. —The produce and manufactures of the dominions and possessions of FTpr Britannic Majesty which may be imported into the Zollverein, and the produce and manufactures uf the States of the Zollverein which' may be imported into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, whether intended for consumption, warehousing, re-exportation, or transit, shall thurein be treated in the same manner as, and in particular shall be subject to no higher or other duties than, the produce and manufactures of any third country the most favoured in those respects. (Article II.) Export Duties. —No other or higher duties shall be levied in the Zollverein on the exportation of any goods to the dominions and possessions of Her Britannic Majesty, nor in the dominions and possessions of Her Britannic Majesty on the exportation of any goods to the Zollverein, than are or may be levied on the exportation of the like goods to any third country the most favoured in that respect. (Article III.) Favours, Privileges, and Reductions in Tariff.- —Any favour, privilege, or reduction in the tariff of duties of importation or exportation, which either of the Contracting Parties may concede to any third Power, shall be extended immediately and unconditionally to the other. (Article V.) Proliihitions. —No prohibition of importation or exportation shall be established by either of them against the other which shall not at the same time be applicable to all other nations. (Article V.)