Mr. Alexander to Mr. Uhl.
Athens, May 28, 1894. (Received June 11.)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 19, dated May 9, 1894.
In an interview five days ago with Mr. Tricoupi, the prime minister, he told me that he would carefully consider the question of international copyright with a view to definite action during the next session of the Chamber of Deputies in November.
Greece has now no international copyright agreement with any country. It is, of course, impossible that American authors alone can be protected here, and I hardly believe that the Greek Government will, for some years, pass a general international copyright law.
In my dispatch, No. 10, I wrote:
I am of the opinion that no action will be taken by this Government, but it is possible that some interest may be aroused before the next session of the Chamber of Deputies.
The chamber met in November, 1893, and Mr. Tricoupi again became prime minister. He had, during a former term of office, given Mr. Beale reason to think that a law by which foreign authors could find protection in Greece would be proposed, as stated in Mr. Beale’s dispatch, No. 30, to the Department of State under date of March 31, [Page 292] 1893. No such law was proposed, however, inasmuch as the chamber was occupied exclusively with the finances of the country up to the time of adjournment.
I shall use every effort to secure action when the chamber meets again next November.
I have, etc.,