§ MR. M'LAGANasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What steps the Government have taken and intend to take with the view of obtaining redress to those British Subjects who have suffered loss from the French Government raising the import duty on mineral oils from five per cent. ad valorem to eighty-eight per cent. ad valorem, in spite of the French Treaty?
§ VISCOUNT ENFIELDMineral oils were not mentioned in the Treaty with France of 1860, the trade having hardly come into existence. We claim that 704 25 per cent is the maximum import duty which can be placed by the French on all articles of British produce. The French maintain that this limit only applies to articles actually specified in the Treaty. The question of duties upon mineral oils has been the subject of much diplomatic Correspondence between the two Governments, and is not yet concluded.