Mr. Heathcotewished to ask his right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade, a question relating to a subject of great interest to the agricultural and manufacturing community. His right hon. Friend was aware that there was a great exportation of English Wool to France. Last year it amounted to 5,000,000lbs. The state of the Trade, nevertheless, between France and this country had been in a most unsatisfactory condition, for while we took their wool at a merely nominal duty, the duty imposed on our wool in France was almost a prohibitory one. He was given to understand, however, that France had lately made a reduction in the duty, and he hoped that his right hon. Friend would confirm that statement.
§ Mr. Poulett Thomsonsaid, that in the autumn of last year he had stated that he had some hopes France would make a reduction in the duty, and he was now happy to be enabled to state that those hopes had been realized. In consequence of representations made by the Government of this country to France, the French Government had acceded to a reduction of the duty, and that reduction had since been confirmed by an ordinance.