Report of Society's Meetings. 221 
I was received most cordially by Sir Julian Pauncefote, 
who showed at once a thorough mastery of the question, 
and explained the communication, which had already 
taken place between himself and the United States 
Government. It appeared that Sir Julian, under in- 
structions from Lord Salisbury, had submitted the tariffs 
of the West India Colonies to the United States Govern- 
ment, together with some remarks explaining that the 
tariffs were levied for revenue purposes only ; that the 
duties levied were the same, no matter from what coun- 
try the dutiable products were imported, and expressing 
the hope that the President would recognise their fairness, 
and be able to give an assurance that sugars from the 
West Indies would continue to be admitted free. In 
reply to this communication a lengthy rejoinder had 
been received from Mr Blaine, going into the question 
in great detail, complaining that though the tariffs were 
ostensibly the same for all they did in fact discriminate 
heavily against the United States. Numerous instances 
were quoted, derived almost entirely from the Jamaica 
tariff, but complaining that the tariffs of the other 
colonies all showed a similar state of things, merely 
varying in degree; that the President would not there- 
fore accept the tariffs as satisfactory, and would as- 
suredly have to take action after the 1st. January, unless 
some agreement was come to ; and adding an expression 
of readiness on the part of the United States Govern- 
ment to enter into negotiations with this object. This 
was the position of matters on my arrival at Washington. 
Sir Julian took an early opportunity to introduce me 
to Mr. Blaine, with whom I had some general con- 
versation on the McKinley Tariff. Mr. Blaine told me 
