Xx] NATUSR OF THE TREATY. 455

Prohibition, All depended on the results of the thirteenth
“ticle, Article thirteen ran to the effect that the ad valorem Ar. 56.
Intiey established within the limits fixed by the preceding
irticles should be converted into specific duties by a
Supplementary Convention.?

1880.

i pc may be convenient here to reproduce the description of the terms of
the Treaty, from Mr. Gladstone’s speech explaining it to the House of Com-Tong
 ;—ss Firat,” he said, “I will take the engagements of France. France
*Dgagen to reduce the duty on English coal and coke, from the 1st of July,
1860 ; on bar and pig iron and steel, from the 1st of October, 1860 ; on tools
nd machinery, from the lst of December, 1860; and on yarns and goods
2 flax and hemp, including, I believe, jute—this last an article compara-‘¥ely
 new in commerce, but one in which a great and very just interest is
Slt in yome great trading distriots,—from the lst of June, 1861. That is
‘he firgt important engagement into which France enters. Her second and
Rteater engagement is postponed to the 1st of October, 1861. I think it is
Probably in the knowledge of the Committee that this postponement is
*tipulated under a pledge given by the Government of France to the classes
Who there, as here, have supposed themselves to be interested in the mainnance
 of prohibition. On the lst of October, then, in the year 1861,
Trance engages to reduce the duties and to take away the prohibitions on
Al the articles of British production mentioned in & certain list, in such a
Manver that no duty upon any one of those articles shall thereafter exceed
thirty per cent. ad valorem. I do not spesk of articles of food, which do
“06 materially enter into the treaty; but the list to which I refer, includes
ll the staples of British manufacture, whether of yarns, flax, hemp, hair,
Wool, silk, or ootton,—all manufactures of skins, leather, bark, wood ; iron,
3d all other metals; glass, stoneware, earthenware, or porcelain. I will not
30 through the whole list ; it is indeed needless, for I am not aware of any
3reat or material article that is omitted. France also engages to commute
"hose ad valorem dnties into rated duties by a separate convention, to be
Tamed for the purpose of giving effect to the terms I have described. Bub
f there should be & disagreement; ag to the terms on which they should be
‘ated under the convention, then the masimum chargeable on every class
a thirty per cent. ad valorem will be levied at the proper period, not in
*he form of a rated duty, but upon the value; and the value will be deterined
 by the process now in use in the English customs.
. “I come next, sir, to the English covenants. England engages, with a
limitoq power of exception, which we propose to exercise only with regard
' two or three articles, to abolish immediately and totally all duties upon
All manufactured goods. There will be a sweep, summary, entire, and
*buolute, of what are known as manufsotured goods from the face of the
Sritish tariff, Farther, England engages to reduce the duty on brandy,
from 15s, the gallon to the level of the colonial duty, viz. 8s. 2d. per gallon,
She engages to reduce immediately the duty on foreign wine. In the treaty
% ia of courses Fronch wine which is specified: bat it is perfectly undeae