§ MR. MACFIEasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether Her Majesty's Government have been invited to send a Representative to a Customs Conference which is to be held next month 312 at Berlin, having for its object to arrive at an improved system of classifying goods in tariffs, and the simplification of Custom House business; and, whether it is their intention to send a Representative to that Conference?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEsaid, in reply, that no invitation had been received by Her Majesty's Government to send a Representative to the Conference, and the Board of Trade had no information that such a Conference was about to be held. He had made inquiries at the Foreign Office, and as far as the Government knew, judging from the information received from Berlin, they had no reason to believe that any such Conference was proposed by the German Government.