MR. MAC IVERasked the President of the Board of Trade, If he will be good enough to furnish a brief statement showing whether it is or is not true that France is every year sending us increasing quantities of woollens, silks, cottons, linens, and other textile fabrics, gloves, clocks, jewellery, loaf sugar, wines, and other luxuries, while the exports from Great Britain and Ireland show no corresponding increase, except as regards raw materials, coals, and other articles, which afford comparatively little employment to our industrial population?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINAll the facts are contained in a Blue Book. At the same time, I have no objection to make an extract of the particular figures referred to by the hon. Member if he thinks it well that they should be published. I may tell him, however, in advance that that extract will show that the suggestions contained in his Question are inconsistent with the facts.
MR. MAC IVERinquired when the extract to which the right hon. Gentleman had referred would be printed?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINsaid, it was being prepared, and would be in the printer's hands in the course of a day or two.
MR. MAC IVERasked whether he was to understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that the general character of our trade was not in accordance with the statement in his Question?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINreplied in the affirmative.