§ Dr. Bowringwished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Vice President of the Board of Trade, whether any inquiry had been instituted by the Government, with reference to the propriety of continuing to levy duties upon British manufactures imported into the Isle of Man? He believed that the levying of those duties had excited much disatisfaction.
Mr.Gladstonesaid, that the Govern- 353 ment had seen no reason up to the present time of instituting any special inquiry into the subject to which the hon. Gentleman had referred. The duties in question were very moderate in amount and formed part of the revenue of the island. He was not prepared to say whether it would be always necessary to raise the same amount of revenue as at present but so long as that revenue was raised, he was not aware that it could be raised in a less objectionable mode than by the imposition of the duties on manufactured goods. He should also and, that he did not believe any complaint had been raised on the subject in the Isle of Man.
§ Dr. Bowringwould take an early opportunity of moving for returns connected with the subject, in order to call the attention of the House to it again.