COMMERCIAL  INTELLIGENCE  COMMITTEE  :

36

II.
Cory  of  Memorial  from  Association  of  Chambers  of  Commerce  on  the  subject
of  the  Proposed  New  German  Customs  Tariff.”

To  the  Most  Honourable  the  Marquess  of  Lansdowne,  K.G.,  His  Majesty’s
Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs.
The  Memorial  of  the  Association  of  Chambers  of  Commerce  of  the  United  Kingdom
SlIEWETH,
That  the  following  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  at  the  Autumnal  Meeting
of  this  Association  held  at  Nottingham  on  the  3rd  and  4th  September  1901  :—
“  That  this  Association  views  with  alarm  the  proposed  increase  of  the  German
tariff  and  strongly  protests  against  the  same,  believing  that  it  will  be  injurious  to
the  trade  of  both  countries.”
That  your  Memoralists  are  an  Association  of  Chambers  of  Commerce  of  the  United
Kingdom,  representing  all  branches  of  the  great  industries  of  the  country,  not  only
those  which  are  interested  in  the  export  of  British  goods  to  foreign  countries,  but  also
those  which  are  for  the  most  part  engaged  in  internal  commerce.
That  your  Memorialists  view  with  disappointment  and  regret  the  proposal  of  the
German  Government  to  increase  the  duties  levied  on  certain  goods  entering  Germany.
That  in  reference  to  many  of  the  articles  proposed  to  be  subjected  to  higher  duties,
German  manufacturers  are  makers  as  skilled  as  any  to  be  found  in  this  country,  while
in  respect  to  others  they  possess  advantages  which  would  justify  not  only T  the
non-advance,  but  the  reduction  or  abolition  of  existing  duties.
That  separate  representations  by  different  Chambers  or  groups  of  Chambers  of
Commerce  included  in  this  Association  will  be  submitted  in  the  proper  quarter,  and  to
these  reference  is  hereby  made  for  full  details.
That  this  Association  is  cognizant  of  a  growing  impatience  throughout  commercial
circles  in  Great  Britain  of  the  heavy  duties  levied  by  foreign  countries  on  British  goods  ;
that  representations  have  even  reached  it  proposing  retaliatory  duties  in  the  event  of
the  new  increased  rates  being  levied  by  Germany;  and  that  this  Association  therefore
hopes  the  representations  of  His  Majesty’s  Government  will  be  such  as  to  induce  the
German  Government  rather  to  reduce  than  to  increase  the  present  tariff,  and  thus
thereby  avoid  all  risk  of  a  tariff  war  between  the  two  countries.
Finally,  your  Memorialists  are  profoundly  convinced  that  any  rise  in  the  duties  now
levied  by  Germany  would  have  effects  most  prejudicial  to  the  extent  and  profitableness
of  the  great  commerce  now  passing  between  them.
Given  under  the  Common  Seal  of  this  Association  the  24th  day  of
September  1901.
{Signed)  Aveburï,  President.
Edward  W.  Fithian.  Secretary.

1,  Great  College  Street,
Westminster,  S.W.