§ MR. NEWDEGATEcomplained of the non-existence of a compendious account of the tariffs of foreign countries. He wished to know from the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government were in possession of information derived from the Consuls or diplomatic agents of this country on service abroad, or had from other reliable sources, and would furnish to that House, information, in continuation of that afforded by a 1030 Return to an Address, which was ordered to be printed on the 31st of March, 1848, and further, in continuation and correction of a Return to an Address which was ordered to be printed on the 17th of July, 1850; which returns purported to show the alterations that had of late years been made in the terms upon which goods and merchandise were imported into, and exported from, foreign countries and the British possessions; and if the Government were not in possession of such information, whether they would renew the instructions given by the late Government for the collection of such information, or adopt any other means for procuring it, and whether they would furnish that information, when obtained, in an available form to the House?
§ MR. HENLEYsaid, that the question which had been put to him was one of considerable extent, and of no less importance. There had been collected in the Office of the Board of Trade a great mass of information relating to the tariffs of foreign countries, and the officers of that department were now engaged in putting it into an available form. These returns had been received from the United States, Prussia, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Sicily, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, and other countries; and they formed so considerable a bulk that he had thought it necessary to give directions to have some estimate made of the probable expense of publishing them. When the estimate had been made, it would be for the House to say whether it would be more advisable that those documents should remain in the offices of the Board of Trade for any one who pleased to examine them there; or whether they should be printed for the use of the public?
§ MR. NEWDEGATEinquired if the Board of Trade would furnish him with returns of foreign traffic in a similar form to two other returns which he had before obtained?
§ MR. HENLEYwas understood to say that there could be no difficulty in complying with the request of the hon. Gentleman.