E.J. Riordan (Department of Industry and Commerce) to Joseph P. Walshe enclosing a memorandum on the work of Irish Free StateCommercial Representatives

Secretary,

Department of External Affairs.

In response to your telephone message of yesterday, I enclose herewith for the information of the Minister for External Affairs brief notes upon the work of the Commercial Representatives at New York, Brussels and Paris. This work consists in the main of a large number of enquiries made at the instance of Government Departments and traders at home or in the countries to which they are appointed, and of enquiries arising out of the general instructions which they have received from this Department. It is impossible to describe adequately this work within the compass of very brief notes as asked for.

There is considerable evidence in this Department that the services of the Commercial Representatives are being availed of to an increasing extent, and are much appreciated by the business community in An Saorstát.

[enclosure]
COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATIVE AT NEW YORK (MR. LINDSAY CRAWFORD)

A considerable volume of important work on commercial matters has been dealt with through this office during the past 12 months.

A number of disputes between Irish exporters and American importers concerning accounts due by the latter to the former have been amicably settled through the instrumentality of the Commercial Representative. Disputes of this kind are of very frequent occurrence especially in the fish trade.

A considerable amount of organising work has also been conducted by Mr Crawford in connection with the establishment of an Irish Fish Exchange and with the development of an export trade in Irish bacon to the United States. Other products which have received special attention in this respect are oatmeal, woollens, hosiery, lace and poplin, etc.

Steps have been taken at the instance of Mr Crawford and upon information supplied by him, to prevent American firms from mis-describing and mis-branding foreign goods as 'Irish'. Instances of such mis-description have arisen in connection with the sale of lace, poplin, ginger ale, bacon and hams, and woollens. Particulars of offences in regard to the mis-branding of lace, poplins, and bacon and hams have been brought to the notice of the Federal Trade Commission at Washington, and in the case of poplin a favourable decision has been obtained. Decisions in the other two cases have not yet been given.

Mr Crawford has also furnished specific information regarding the names and commercial repute of no fewer than 330 firms in the United States likely to be interested in the purchase of the products of An Saorstát (see accompanying list).¹

A considerable amount of valuable information on the subject of tourist development, industrial assurance, trade marks, merchandise marks, exhibitions of various kinds, customs regulations and tariff changes has also been furnished through this office.

COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATIVE AT BRUSSELS
(COUNT GERALD O'KELLY de GALLAGH)

The Commercial Representative at Brussels has been instrumental in promoting a new direct steamer service between Dublin and Antwerp and in arranging for some trial shipments of cattle to Belgium. He also succeeded in inducing the Belgian government to make a special concession in favour of Irish cattle which permitted the importation of such cattle without quarantine restrictions. The official Order of the Belgian government in the matter applied specifically to Irish cattle only.

Count O'Kelly has also furnished important data regarding the sugar beet industry in Belgium and he was instrumental in providing facilities for officials and others from An Saorstát who visited Belgium for the purpose of making enquiries in regard to the sugar beet, linen, and other industries. He has also had to deal with disputes between Irish and Belgian firms which had been referred to him for adjustment. He has devoted special attention to the marketing in Belgium of fish and wool and has besides furnished the names of as many as 270 Belgian firms likely to be interested in the purchase of a large range of Free State products (see list attached.)²

COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATIVE AT PARIS
(Mr VAUGHAN DEMPSEY)

Through the efforts of the Commercial Representative in Paris an Irish Chamber of Commerce has been established in that city. It is hoped that this Chamber will be instrumental in promoting the development of trade between the two countries. Mr Dempsey has also furnished valuable information regarding the sugar beet industry in France and in regard to markets there for a large range of Saorstát products. In addition, he has furnished lists of buyers likely to be interested in the purchase of such products (see list attached).³ He has also furnished special reports upon exhibitions held in that country in which Irish manufacturers and exporters were, or might be, interested.