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BRITISH AND FOREIGN

State Papers.

SPEECH of the Queen, on the Closing of the British Parliament.- Westminster, August 5, 1891.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I AM glad to be able to release you from the labours of a protracted Session.

My relations with all other Powers continue to be those of peace and amity.

A Convention has been concluded with the King of Portugal, and has been ratified, defining the boundaries which separate the dominions and the spheres of influence of the two Crowns in Eastern Africa. 1 have also entered into an Agreement with the King of Italy, by which the line has been fixed which separates the Protectorate of Italy in the north-east of Africa from the British sphere of influence, and from the territory of Egypt.

I have made proposals to the President of the United States for submission to arbitration of the difference between us as to the seal fishery in Behring Sea. The negotiations are far advanced, but they are not yet concluded. A suspension of the seal fishery in those waters for the present year has intermediately been agreed to between the two Governments, in order to prevent an excessive destruction of the species which there is reason to apprehend.

The French Chambers have not yet approved of an Agreement between myself and the French Republic for reference to arbitration of certain differences with respect to Newfoundland which was signed during the present year.

The ratification of the Final Act of the Brussels Conference for the repression of the Slave Trade has also been postponed, and also the ratification of the North Sea Convention for the prevention of the sale of spirits at sea.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I thank you for the provision you have made for the charge of the public service. I am glad that you have been able to devote a [1890-91. LXXXIII.]

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considerable sum to the mitigation of the burden which the Law of Compulsory Education has imposed upon the poorer portion of my people.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The various measures which you have adopted in recent years for securing the observance of the law in Ireland, and improving the general condition of that country, have resulted in a marked abatement of agrarian offences, and a considerable advance in prosperity. The steps which have been taken to cope with the distress threatened by the serious failure of the potato crop in the poorest districts of the west of Ireland have proved effectual in averting the great calamity of famine. You have also passed a beneficent measure for dealing permanently with the congested districts of Ireland, which, it may be hoped, will, by fostering agriculture and stimulating the fishing industry, contribute largely to the prevention of similar dangers in the future.

The provisions for enabling occupying tenants to purchase their holdings, and the measure for facilitating the transfer of real property, in Ireland, will furnish the best guarantee for public security and order by increasing the class of small proprietors of land.

The Act which you have passed for imposing on the owners of laud a direct liability for the payment of tithe rent-charge will remove a frequent cause of conflict between the occupiers and the tithe-owners, and will also afford relief to the tithe-payers in those cases in which it is most urgently required.

In response to the growing demands of commerce and agriculture, you have completed an important part of the work of simplifying and adjusting railway rates, the results of which will doubtless justify the heavy labour which it has involved.

The measures which you have passed for improving the law with respect to factories and workshops, savings banks, and public health will, I am confident, conduce to the comfort and well-being of my people.

I trust that in a future Session you may be able to examine several questions of interest to which I have drawn your attention, but which the time at your disposal has not permitted you to approach.

I pray that, in the discharge of your various duties throughout my kingdom, you may be attended by the guidance and protection of Almighty God.

AGREEMENT between the Post Office of Great Britain and the Postal Administration of Uruguay, for the Exchange of Postal Parcels.-Signed at Monte Video, January 22, 1891; and at London, February 23, 1891.*

THE Post Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Postal Administration of Uruguay agree to effect a regular exchange of parcels uninsured and without collection of value on delivery between Great Britain and Uruguay on the basis of the following stipulations.

The conditions of the exchange of parcels both as regards parcels exchanged direct between Great Britain and Uruguay and as regards parcels in transit are determined by the following Regulations:

ART. I.-1. Parcels uninsured and without collection of value on delivery may be forwarded under the denomination of postal parcels, from the United Kingdom to Uruguay up to the weight of 11 pounds avoirdupois, and from Uruguay to the United Kingdom up to the weight of 5 kilog.

2. The two Administrations shall determine under what conditions as to packing, dimensions, &c., the parcels are allowed to circulate, and also, what classes of articles are prohibited.

II.1. Each of the contracting countries guarantees the transit of parcels over its territory to or from any country with which such Contracting Party has parcel post arrangements; and the Offices which take part in the conveyance are held responsible within the limits determined by Article VIII below.

2. In the absence of any arrangement to the contrary between the Offices concerned, the conveyance of postal parcels thus exchanged between countries not contiguous is effected in closed bags, boxes, or baskets.

III. The prepayment of the postage on postal parcels is compulsory.

IV. The postage upon parcels from the United Kingdom for Uruguay or vice versa is divided as follows:

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V.-1. Parcels originating in either of the contracting countries addressed to the other contracting country cannot be subjected to any postal charge other than those contemplated by the foregoing Article IV and Article VI following.

2. The two Postal Administrations shall fix, by common consent, the conditions under which there may be exchanged between their respective offices of exchange postal parcels originating in or addressed to foreign countries and sent in transit through one or the other country.

VI. The re-direction of postal parcels from one country to another, in consequence of the removal of the addressees, as well as the return of undelivered postal parcels, gives rise to a supplementary charge of the rates fixed by Article IV against the addressees or the senders, if need be, without prejudice to the claim for reimbursement of the Customs duties paid.

VII. It is forbidden to send by post parcels containing letters or notes having the character of correspondence, or articles the admission of which is not authorized by the Customs or other laws or regulations of the countries concerned.

VIII.-1. Except in cases beyond control, when a postal parcel has been lost or damaged, the sender, and, in default or at the request of the sender, the addressee, is entitled to an indemnity corresponding with the actual amount of the loss or damage; provided always that this indemnity may not exceed 25 fr. The sender of a lost parcel has the right also to a refunding of the postage.

2. The obligation of paying the indemnity rests with the Administration to which the dispatching Office is subordinate. That Administration has its remedy against the responsible Administration, that is to say, against the Administration on the territory or in the service of which the loss or the damage took place.

3. Until the contrary be proved, the responsibility rests with the Administration which, having received the parcel without making any observation, is unable to establish either the delivery to the addressee or the regular transfer to the following Administration, ast the case may be.

4. The payment of the indemnity by the dispatching Office shall take place as soon as possible, and at the latest within a year of the date of the application. The responsible Office is bound to refund. to the dispatching Office, without delay, the amount of the indemnity paid by the latter.

5. It is understood that the application for an indemnity is only entertained if made within a year of the posting of the parcel; after this term the applicant has no right to any indemnity.

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