§ The Duke of Richmondwished to ask his noble Friend a question as to the Duties now imposed on English Wool imported into France. He wished to know whether it was likely that the amount of that duty would speedily be reduced?
§ Lord Aucklandsaid, he must remind his noble Friend that the amount of the duty imposed by the French Government had already been reduced one-third.
§ The Duke of Richmondhoped that our Minister in France would press upon the Government the propriety of reducing these duties still further. The French wool imported here paid (as we understood the noble Duke) a duty of 1d. in the pound, whereas the English wool imported into France paid a duty of 20 per cent, of the value. The agriculturists of the country did not think that such a scale of duties was the reciprocity which they had been promised.
§ Lord Aucklandsaid, that his right hon. Friend at the head of the Board of Trade would, undoubtedly, give his utmost attention to this important subject, but his noble Friend ought to bear in mind that our own reductions of duty had been but gradual, and were not willingly acceded to. There had been some difficulty in reconciling some interests in this country to the change, and there would, no doubt, be the same difficulty in reconciling some interests in France, however the change might be for the benefit of the whole country.
§ Subject dropped.