MR. HEADLAMsaid, he begged to ask the hon. Gentleman the Vice-President of the Board of Trade whether any correspondence had taken place concerning the return, duty free, of articles sent to the Exhibition in the United States; and whether he could state what arrangements had been made with the French Government concerning the transmission and return of articles sent to the Exhibition at Paris? The House might be aware that it had been stipulated that all articles sent to the United States' Exhibition should be admitted duty free, and that the cost of their carriage to and from the Exhibition should be defrayed. One of the gentlemen who had sent some articles to that Exhibition wrote to request that they might be returned, and he was informed by his agent in the United States that the association by whom the Exhibition was conducted were unable to fulfil their engagements, the funds being entirely exhausted; that there was no possible chance of the association being able to return foreign articles to the exhibitors; and the agents further stated that they would have taken possession of the particular articles referred to, but that the articles being in bond the Government would not allow them to be withdrawn without payment of duty.
§ MR. BOUVERIEsaid, that the Board of Trade had never undertaken any responsibility with respect to the goods sent to the Exhibition at New York; they had nothing to do with the sending of those 294 goods; they had had no correspondence with respect to them; and they knew nothing whatever of the articles which had been sent to the United States, and which it appeared had not been returned. If, however, the hon. Gentleman referred to one of the columns of The Times of that morning, he would find some correspondence on the subject. He (Mr. Bouverie) would, however, state what the arrangement was with respect to the French Exhibition. The articles exhibited from this country might be divided into two classes—those connected generally with industry and manufactures, and those connected with the fine arts. With respect to articles connected with industry and manufactures, the arrangement was that they should be deposited at Irongate Wharf in the City at the expense of the exhibitors; the Government of this country then undertook their conveyance to the frontiers of France; and the French Government undertook to forward them from the frontiers to the Exhibition at Paris free of expense to the exhibitors. The French Government further undertook to return these articles to the frontier; the British Government would then convey them back to Irongate Wharf in London, and thence they would be removed by the exhibitors. With regard to articles connected with the flue arts, the British Government undertook to convey them from the houses of the exhibitors to the frontiers of France; the French Government would provide for their conveyance from the frontiers to the Exhibition; and they were to be returned in the same manner. All articles of the first class connected with industry and manufactures would be sent entirely at the risk of the exhibitors, but the Government undertook the risk with respect to articles connected with the fine arts, and had insured those articles for a sum of 140,000l. He believed the Paris Exhibition was to be opened on Tuesday, and he understood that this country was not at all likely to lose its high pre-eminence with respect to those articles for the manufacture of which it was celebrated throughout the world.