§ DR. BOWRINGwished to put a question to the noble Secretary for Foreign Affairs, which was deeply interesting to our merchants trading to the Levant. The English had hitherto been in a condition in Turkey with respect to commercial advantages which contrasted very unfavourably with the condition of Russian traders thither, who had a less amount of export and import duties to pay than British merchants. As he had heard a Treaty had been signed between Russia and Turkey, the effect of which would be to place our merchants in that country on an equal footing with merchants from Russia, he wished to know whether there was any foundation for the report he had heard.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, it was quite true, that Russian subjects, trading to Turkey, did, in virtue of a Treaty between Russia and Turkey, enjoy advantages in respect of their trade with Turkey which were not equally possessed by British subjects, merchants to Turkey; and it was true also, that recently the Russian Government, acting, he must say, in a most liberal spirit, and acting on a policy which was not only generous, but wise, did consent to forego these advantages, and that the Turkish Government should place British subjects upon different terms from what they had been. The Treaty, however, had not been concluded, he believed; he had not had time to look among the Papers in the office that morning, and, speaking only from recollection, he was not, he believed, in a condition to lay on the Table any Papers relating to the subject; but he must say, that he was glad of this most substantial and convincing proof of the desire of the Russian Government to place its commerce on a footing 1023 that should be satisfactory to other parties, and honourable to the Government itself; and he had no doubt that the results would be at once advantageous to the merchants and creditable to that Government.