File No. 5727/69.

The Acting Secretary of State to the British Ambassador .

No. 105.]

Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Lindsay’s note, No. 141, of the 27th ultimo, in which, with reference to previous correspondence, he states that he has received a telegram from His Majesty’s secretary of state for foreign affairs directing him to ascertain whether it is to be understood that paragraph F of the note annexed to the commercial agreement recently concluded between Germany and the United States, relative to certificates of value issued by German chambers of commerce, has reference exclusively to sections 10 and 11 of the customs administrative act; and if not, what other sections of the act are affected by the paragraph in question.

In reply I have the honor to say that paragraph F of the diplomatic note attached to our new commercial agreement with Germany, relative to certificates of value issued by German chambers of commerce, is not limited by sections 10 and 11 of the customs administrative act, but has general application under the law to the ascertainment of market value; and that there is hardly one section in that act in which the question of value is not involved directly or indirectly.

I have, etc.,

Alvey A. Adee.