Page:Bearing and Importance of Commercial Treaties in the Twentieth Century, 1906.djvu/9

 6th, 1882, for the regulation of the police of the Fisheries in the North Sea outside territorial waters. All these affect our relations with France.

There is also a convention between Great Britain and France relative to Joint-Stock Companies, signed at Paris April 30th, 1862, by which Great Britain and France, "having judged it expedient to come to an understanding in order to define, within their respective dominions and possessions, the position of commercial, industrial, and financial companies and associations constituted and authorised in conformity with the laws in force in either of the two countries, grant to all companies and other associations, commercial, industrial, or financial, constituted and authorised in conformity with the laws in force in either of the two countries, the power of exercising all their rights."

Again, there are international arrangements affecting the trade of both countries, such as the Convention of October 29th, 1888, neutralising the Suez Canal; the West African General Convention of February 26th, 1885, providing for free trade in the basin of the Congo; and numerous other petty agreements affecting our common trade interests in all parts of the world.

Our Customs relations with France are governed, I have said, by a law promulgated on February 27th, 1882, the day before the signing of the treaty of commerce and navigation I have referred to. By this law it was declared that from its date goods of English origin or manufacture would be liable on their entry into France to the same treatment as those of the most favoured nation, with the exception of colonial produce, which, it was declared, would remain subject to the general Customs tariff. Since then, under an agreement relating to trade between France and Canada, the most favoured nation treatment has been granted to the latter in