§ MR. HANKEYsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the provisions of the French Treaty applied to French Colonies in respect of duties upon British goods imported by those Colonies; and if goods shipped to Bourbon, Martinique, &c. from England, or from an English Colony will be admitted on the same terms as if shipped to France?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLsaid, the provisions of the French Treaty did not apply to the French Colonies, with the exception of Algeria; so that goods shipped from England would not be admitted to Martinique and the other French Colonies on the same terms as if they were shipped to France. He might at the same time observe that he hoped no long period would elapse before the provisions of the Treaty would be extended to the French Colonies. He might add, also, that the influence of the Government would be used in favour of that extension. He also wished to take the present opportunity to state that the repeal of the Duty upon the admission of rags into this country for the purpose of manufacturing paper had been under the consideration of the French Government, and that the Council of Ministers were prepared to recommend to the Legislative Body the removal of that prohibition.