Office of the Historian

File No. 5727/129.

The Chargé of Austria-Hungary to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]
Austro-Hungarian Embassy,
Bar Harbor, September 7, 1907.
No. 1787.]

Your Excellency: I my note No. 1632 of the 15th ultimo I had the honor to state to Your Excellency that I reserved the right to present any wishes which the Imperial and Royal Government might have regarding the assimilation of the Hungarian chambers of commerce to those of the German Empire in respect to the recognition of certificates as to values of goods as soon as I received instructions from Vienna on the subject.

These instructions have just reached me and are prefaced by the remark that the Royal Hungarian Government would be gratified to have the declarations of value issued by the Hungarian chambers of commerce and industry taken into consideration by the customhouses of the United States in determining values.

According to Article VI of the Hungarian law of 1868 the Hungarian chambers of commerce and industry are corporations with an official character, and therefore answer the conditions explained to me by Your Excellency orally on June 20 last.

Paragraph 2 of the law mentioned contains the provision that the Hungarian chambers of commerce and industry are under the jurisdiction of the minister of agriculture, industry, and commerce, receive and execute his orders directly, and present their suggestions to him.

Paragraph 3 letter F, relates to the right or duty of the Hungarian chambers of commerce and industry to issue certificates regarding local commercial customs and samples of goods submitted. This right or duty has an unquestionable bearing on the case under consideration.

Paragraph 14 states that the president and both vice-presidents of the chambers of commerce and industry shall be confirmed by the aforementioned minister.

As there is no work extant in English on the Hungarian chambers of commerce and industry, the royal Hungarian ministry of commerce has transmitted the inclosed Hungarian work by Dr. Ignácz Sugár, secretary of the chamber of commerce and industry at Miskolezi, on the last pages of which (pp. 124–129) the text of the article cited is copied. I also take the liberty of inclosing a German translation of the above-mentioned passages made in this embassy.

[Page 489]

On the strength of these references and pursuant to instructions, I have the honor to request Your Excellency to kindly inform me whether the Government is willing to recognize the standing of the Hungarian chambers of commerce and industry on an equal footing with those of the German Empire with respect to the issue of certificates as to the value of goods.

Availing myself, finally, of this occasion in order to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of Your Excellency’s esteemed note No. 274 of the 3d instant, I beg of you to accept the renewed assurance of my most distinguished consideration.

L. Ambrózy.
[Inclosure.]

Translation of an extract from Article VI of the law of 1868 relating to chambers of commerce and industry.

  • Section 1. The chambers of commerce and industry are organs designed alike for the furtherance of commercial and industrial interests.
  • Sec. 2. The chambers of commerce and industry are under the direction of the minister of agriculture, industry, and commerce, whose orders they shall receive and execute directly and to whom they shall report directly. However, they are at liberty, in the performance of their duties, to correspond directly with the municipalities of the country as well as with private corporations, and also among themselves.
  • Sec. 3. The duties of the chambers are as follows:
    (a)
    To formulate suggestions in the interest of commerce and industry as well as of the needs of the classes engaged in these branches, to submit these suggestions to the minister, to furnish the minister and the municipalities of the country the desired information or opinions on commercial and industrial matters, and to promote the improvement and development of commerce and industry generally in a direct manner.
    (b)
    To gather data relating to commercial and industrial statistics within their districts and to submit the same at the end of each year to the minister.
    (c)
    To send in a regular yearly report to the minister on the condition of commerce, traffic, and industry in their district, and on experiences, complaints, and wishes relating thereto.
    (d)
    To keep an accurate register of all trade-marks and samples reported to the chamber.
    (e)
    To examine technically those persons who apply to be licensed brokers, and to enter them in the category of such brokers in case they are found fitted therefor.
    (f)
    To issue certificates regarding local commercial customs (consuetudinary laws) and samples of goods presented.
    (g)
    To delegate members to the temporary sessions or committee meetings of the united chambers called by the minister for the purpose of securing authoritative opinions.
  • Sec. 14. The president and both vice-presidents shall be confirmed in their office by the minister. In case one of these places becomes vacant, owing to resignation or death, the chamber must immediately proceed to elect a successor.