to be accompanied by the documents put down in the advertisement for bids. Bids must be in the office noted above not later than The concession will be awarded in Rome on Febru October 31. ary 1, 1904. A copy of the law, rules, and form governing the proposals-also a copy of provisional plan for the construction of the aqueduct—are on file in the Bureau of Statistics, Department of Commerce and Labor, where they may be seen by interested parties. EXTENSION OF BRITISH COLONIAL PREFERENTIAL TARIFFS. (Prepared in the Bureau of Statistics, Department of Commerce and Labor.) The Canadian plan of preferential tariffs in favor of Great Britain and the British colonies is now being adopted in the British colonies of South Africa. The Canadian parliament in 1897 passed an act giving to the merchandise imported from the United Kingdom and certain British colonies a reduction of 25 per cent in the rates of duty, one-half of that reduction to go immediately into effect and the other half to go into effect on July 1, 1898. In 1900 this law was so amended as to make the total reduction of tariff on goods from the United Kingdom and certain British colonies 33 per cent, and this law now governs in the importation of goods into Canada. Under the law the importation of merchandise from the United Kingdom increased from $32,979,742 in the fiscal year 1895-96 to $56,000,000 in the fiscal year 1902-3. This general principle is now to be applied in the British colonies in South Africa. A conference of representatives of the various colonies and territories of South Africa was held at Bloemfontein, in South Africa, in March last and a form of tariff recommended which gives to merchandise from the United Kingdom and the British colonies lower rates of duty than those imposed upon like articles from other countries. This plan was recommended to the various colonies, and their legislative bodies have, one by one, assented to it, until it has now been adopted and put into operation in Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, Orange River Colony, Rhodesia, Basutoland, and Bechuanaland, or, in other words, all British territory in South Africa. The act creates a new general tariff for the South African customs union, but, after naming the rates of duty on the various articles and classes, adds the following statement: ARTICLE III-PREFERENTIAL ARTICLE. A rebate of customs duties shall be granted on any goods or articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United Kingdom imported therefrom into the union for consumption therein to the extent following. (a) In the case of goods and articles liable to customs duty under Class I, II, or V, a rebate of 25 per cent of any duty chargeable thereon at an ad valorem rate but of no other duty; and (b) In the case of goods and articles liable under Class III to duty at an ad valorem rate of 21⁄2 per cent, a rebate of the whole of such duty: Provided, That the manufactured goods and articles in respect of which such rebate as aforesaid shall be granted shall be bona fide the manufactures of the United Kingdom, and that in the event of any question arising as to whether any goods or articles are entitled to any such rebate as aforesaid, the decision of the minister or other executive officer in whom the control of the customs department immediately concerned is vested shall be final. ARTICLE IV. A rebate similar to that for which provision is made in the last preceding article shall be granted in like manner and under like provisions to goods and articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of any British colony, protectorate, or possession granting equivalent reciprocal privileges to the colonies and territories belonging to the union, provided that no such rebate shall be granted in the case of any particular colony, protectorate, or possession until on and after a date to be mutually agreed upon and publicly notified by the parties to this convention. Classes I, II, and V, upon which the above rebate of 25 per cent of the duty is authorized on articles coming from the United Kingdom and the colonies, include practically all classes of food stuffs, tobacco, spirits, and certain manufactures; Class III, upon which the entire ad valorem rate of 22 per cent is removed, includes all other manufactures except those included in the free list. The entire tariff and the article stating the preferential rates given on the various classes herewith follow. It will be seen by an examination of the above statement of the preferential rates that the reduction of duty in favor of the United Kingdom and the colonies extends to practically all the imported articles upon which any duty is collected. In a large proportion, this reduction on articles from the United Kingdom and the colonies is 25 per cent of the tariff rate, while in a smaller proportion the entire duty of 21⁄2 per cent ad valorem is removed in favor of goods from the United Kingdom and its colonies, but in both cases the regular duties are retained as to other countries. This new tariff, with its reduction in rates of duty on merchandise from Great Britain and the colonies, has been already put into operation, and instructions with reference to the application of the law are being given by the British authorities of the Colonial Office in London and in the colonies. The plans adopted by which exporters in England and in the colonies obtain the benefit of the reduced rates are similar to those applied with reference to the reduction given by Canada on goods from the United Kingdom and the colonies, as is shown by the statements from the British South African Export Gazette, printed herewith. The table which immediately follows shows exports from the No 278-03-4 United Kingdom and United States, respectively, to the territory affected by the above-named reduction of rates in each year from 1893 to 1903. Owing to the fact that all exports from the United States to British territory in Africa were, prior to 1903, grouped under the single designation of "British Africa," it is not practicable to show in precise terms the exports to British South Africa, but the fact that about 90 per cent of the exports to British Africa now go to the territory designated as British South Africa renders the figures approximately accurate-at least sufficiently so to indicate the rate of growth of shipments from the United States to the territory in question and to enable a comparison of the relative magnitude and growth of the exports to that section from the United Kingdom and United States, respectively: Exports from the United Kingdom and the United States to British South Africa, 1893 * Includes exports to all of British Africa, of which about 90 per cent is to British South Africa. FORM OF CERTIFICATE REQUIRED FOR BRITISH GOODS SHIPPED TO SOUTH AFRICA. [From South African Gazette of August 7, 1903.] We are officially informed by the London Chamber of Commerce that the appended letter has been received from the Colonial Office in reply to a communication from the South African trade section relative to declarations as to origin for goods shipped to South Africa: "SIR: I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of your letter respecting the declarations as to origin for goods shipped to South Africa. "2. In reply, I am to inform you that Mr. Chamberlain understands that British firms wishing to take advantage of the rebate of customs duties [on British goods] imported into South Africa, should, in order to satisfy the proper customs officers in South Africa that their goods are of British origin, observe the procedure adopted in Canada, and that certificates of origin similar to those required by the Canadian government will be accepted by the customs authorities of the South African union. "3. I am to inclose a copy of the draft regulations framed under the provisions of the customs union bill which have been published in Natal. 4. Mr. Chamberlain has no definite information as to the first question raised in your letter, viz, Whether it is necessary to supply, in addition to the merchant's declaration, the original signed invoices of manufacturers. An inquiry on the point is, however, being addressed to the high commissioner for South Africa by telegraph. "5. In reply to the second question raised in your letter, I am to inform you that it is impossible to state definitely when the conventional tariff will come into force, as it has not yet been ratified by the legislatures of all the parties to the convention. "I am, sir, your obedient servant, "R. L. ANTROBUS." We are also officially informed by the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce that, having conferred with the secretary of the Transvaal customs department and the acting collector of customs as to the form in which the declaration is to be made of the origin of goods intended for the Transvaal under the new British preferential tariff, which came into force on the 20th ultimo, the department have notified that they will accept either I. A statement on the invoices, or otherwise, signed by the supplier and certifying the goods to be the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United Kingdom; or 2. A certificate as to origin of goods signed by the manufacturer. 3. Failing these the customs department will require such other evidence as they may deem necessary. With regard to these certificates, they may be made on a separate form, but in that case particulars as to marks, numbers, and value must be given so as to identify goods entered on the invoices. In connection with the words "the manufacture of Great Britain," goods will be accepted as coming within that category if the bulk of the processes of the manufacture is certified to be British. In reference to goods which are now on the water, or which have been dispatched before instructions can be received by exporters, we understand the customs department will exercise a reasonable discretion. PREFERNTIAL TARIFF INVOICES FOR RHODESIA. The Rhodesian administration having signed the customs union convention, merchants are hereby informed that invoices for Rhodesia on which the preferential allowance on British goods is claimed must be made out on a form similar to that demanded by the Canadian government for preferential goods. The text of this form is to the following effect: Form of certificate prescribed to be stamped, printed, or written on invoices. I, (name of person signing certificate), hereby certify that I am (insert the words partner, manager, chief clerk, or principal official, giving rank, as the case may be), of (name of exporter, with address), the exporter(s) of the articles included in this invoice, and that I am duly authorized to make and sign this certificate on behalf of the said exporter(s) – I have the means of knowing and I do hereby certify that this invoice from the said (name of exporter) to (name of party to whom articles invoiced), amounting to (insert in words at length the value of the invoice), is true and correct; that all the articles included in the said invoices are bona fide the produce or manufacture of one or more of the following countries, viz: (names of countries where articles have been produced or manufactured, being countries entitled in South Africa to the benefits of British preferential tariff), and that a substantial portion of the labor of one or more of such countries has entered into the production of every manufactured article included in the said invoice to the extent in each article of not less than one-fourth of the value of every such article in its present condition ready for export to Dated at this day of 190. (Signed) SOUTH AFRICAN CUSTOMS UNION TARIFF, 1903. Pound (a) Cattle for slaughter..... (b) Sheep for slaughter........ (NOTE.-Vide Article XIII of convention.) 4. Beads, known as "Kaffir beads". 5. Blasting compounds, including all kinds of explosives......do suitable and intended for blasting and not suitable for use in firearms, and collodion cotton not intended for manufacturing purposes. (NOTE.-Vide Article XVII of convention.) 6. Butter, butterine, margarin, ghee, and other substitutes do for butter. 7. Chicory and substitutes for coffee or chicory........ 8. Coffee: (a) Raw ..do ........do ........do ........do O ........do ........... 100 pounds....... O IO .24 (b) Roasted, ground, or mixed.......... 9. Cocoa and chocolate, unsweetened..... 10. Cocoa and milk, chocolate and milk, coffee and milk.... 11. Condensed, desiccated, or preserved milk or cream...... 12. Coals........... 13. Coke and patent fuel......... 14. Confectionery, including sweetened cocoa or chocolate, honey, jams, jellies, preserves, sweetmeats, candied or preserved ginger or chowchow; and all other kinds compounded, made, or preserved with sugar, but not including purely medicinal preparations properly classed as apothecary ware. 15. Corn and grain, viz, barley, maize, millet, oats, rye, (a) In the grain, or (b) crushed, flaked, ground, (c) Flour, wheaten, or wheaten meal, including pol- ........do 16. Dates........ (NOTE.-Vide Free List and Article XV of convention.) Pound 17. Fish, cured, dried, pickled, preserved, pressed, or smoked, do not being of South African taking. 18. Fodder, viz, chaff, hay, lucern, oat hay, and other fod der, not otherwise described, but not including bran. 19. Fruits, preserved, of all kinds, bottled, tinned, or other- Pound wise preserved, including pulp and candied peel. 20. Fruits, dried, of all kinds, including almonds and nuts...............o 21. Gunpowder and other explosives suitable for use in fire ....do .04 .12 4.86€ 3.65 |