26 The Journal of the Eoyal 
2. With a view to ensuring that the new Branch 
sliould be kept as far as possible in touch with all 
those interested in its efficiency, and in order to obtain 
advice of the widest possible scope upon questions of 
commercial interest, the President of the Board of 
Trade appointed a consultative or advisory Committae 
consisting of the members mentioned in the Minute of 
which a copy is enclosed. 
3. At the instance of this Committee I now enclose 
copies of a leaflet in which the origin of the new 
Commercial Intelligence Branch and its objects are set 
out in some detail ; and I would ask that the leaflet 
may be brought prominently under the notice of the 
Chambers of Commerce and all others • interest Ljd in 
trade in the Colony under your Government. 
4. It is hoped that beneflt may result from a proper 
use of this Intelligence Branch, not merely to the trade 
of the United Kingdom, but also to the trade of the 
Empire at large, and I invite the cordial assistance of 
the Colony under your Government in the endeavour 
of the advisory Committee to bring the branch 
thoroughly into touch with all representative bodies 
of British Commercial men. 
5. A great deal of valuable information is at tlie 
disposal of Chambers of Commerce both in this 
country and in the Colonies, but this information is 
intended primarily for their own members, whereas it 
is desired to place as far as possible within the reach 
of every individual al] available particulars which may 
be of use to him and through him to the connnunity 
at large. There is therefore room for the Government 
to supplement private effort in the collection and 
dissemination of commercial information. 
G. It is desirable at the outset to centralize and 
reduce to a system the information which already 
exists. Such information is collected in this country 
through the representatives of the self-governing 
Colonies, the various Chambers of Commerce and the 
