APPENDIX  A.

13

APPENDIX  A.

Copy  of  Notice  sent  to  Mayors  of  Boroughs,  Chambers  of
Commerce,  and  Free  Libraries,  and  to  the  Indian  and
Colonial  Governments,  for  distribution.  (See  p.  4.)
“  The  New  Commercial  Intelligence  Branch  of  the  Board  of  Trade.
“  The  Intelligence  Branch  of  the  Commercial  Department  of  the  Board
“  of  Trade  has  been  established  with  a  view  to  meet  the  constantly
“  increasing  demand  for  prompt  and  accurate  information  on  commercial
“  matters,  so  far  as  it  can  be  met  by  Government  action.  In  deciding
“  to  establish  this  new  branch,  the  Board  of  Trade  have  been  largely
“  influenced  by  the  recommendations  contained  in  the  Report  of  a
“  Departmental  Committee  composed  not  only  of  representatives  of  the
“  various  Government  Departments  concerned,  but  also  of  prominent
“  representatives  of  commercial  interests,  which  was  appointed  by  Mr.
“  Ritchie,  the  President  of  the  Board,  in  July,  1897.  The  Committee
“  referred  to  was  requested  to  consider  and  advise  (1)  as  to  the  best  means
“  of  collecting  and  of  disseminating  among  those  interested  prompt  and
“  accurate  information  upon  commercial  subjects,  and  (2)  as  to  the  collection
“  of  samples,  especially  of  goods  of  foreign  manufacture  competing  with
“  British  productions,  and  the  exhibition  of  such  samples  to  manufacturers
44  and  traders  in  this  country.  As  a  result  of  their  deliberations  the
“  Committee  recommended  under  head  (1)  the  establishment  of  a  new
“  office,  under  the  Board  of  Trade,  on  lines  which  the  Board  have  followed
“  generally  in  the  creation  of  the  Intelligence  Branch,  and  this  Branch
“  is  consequently  intended  to  become  a  centre  at  which  information  on
“  all  subjects  of  commercial  interest  shall  be  collected  and  focussed  in  a
“  form  convenient  for  reference.  In  addition,  it  will  be  the  duty  of  the
“  Branch,  as  far  as  circumstances  permit,  to  afford  information  in  reply
“  to  all  inquiries  on  commercial  matters  which  may  be  addressed  to  it,
“  whether  written  or  verbal.
“The  new  office  which  is  temporarily  housed  at  No.  50,  Parliament
“  Street,  London,  S.W.,  was  opened  on  the  23rd  October,  1899  ;  its  principal
“  officer  (under  the  Comptroller-General  of  the  Commercial,  Statistical,  and
Labour  Departments  of  the  Board  of  Trade)  being  Mr.  T.  Worthington,
“  who  recently  acted  as  Special  Commissioner  to  the  Board  in  an  inquiry
“  into  the  condition  and  prospects  of  British  trade  in  certain  South  American
“  countries.  The  ‘  Intelligence  Branch  ’  will  endeavour,  on  application  being
“  made  to  it,  to  supply  information  with  regard  to  the  following  subjects,
“  viz.  :—Commercial  Statistics;  Matters  relating  to  Foreign  and  Colonial
“  Tariffs;  Excise  and  4  Consumption’  duties;  Port,  Harbour,  and  Tonnage  dues,
44  and  other  charges  on  Shipping  ;  Customs  Regulations  ;  Consular  Fees  ;  Forms
“  of  Certificates  of  Origin  ;  Regulations  concerning  Commercial  Travellers  ;
“  Trading  Licences;  Foreign  and  Colonial  Contracts  open  to  Tender;  Foreign
44  and  Colonial  Bounties  ;  Lists  of  Firms  engaged  in  particular  lines  of  business
44  in  different  localities  ;  fyc.,  §c.  An  Inquiry  Room,  at  which  copies  of
44  official  publications,  directories,  and  other  works  of  reference  may  be  con-“
  suited,  is  reserved  at  the  offices  of  the  Branch  for  the  convenience  of
44  personal  applicants.
44  The  4  Board  of  Trade  Journal  ’  will  be  the  principal  medium  through
“  which  intelligence  collected  by  the  Branch  and  intended  for  general  infor-44
  mation  will  be  conveyed  to  the  public.  The  journal,  which  has  up  to  the
14  present  been  issued  monthly  at  the  price  of  0d.  is  now  issued  weekly  at  the
44  price  of  1  d.
44  It  is  intended  shortly  to  give  effect  to  the  recommendations  of  the
44  Committee  referred  to  above  in  respect  of  the  collection  and  exhibition  of
44  samples,  and  the  arrangements  necessary  to  enable  this  to  be  done  are  now
44  under  the  consideration  of  the  Board  of  Trade.”