§ MR. BAILLIE COCHRANEasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been called to the following extract from The Times of Saturday:—
M. de Lesseps has written a letter to the Liberté, dated Paris, June 28, in which he contradicts the Bourse rumours that the Porte, supported by England, had opposed the tariff of navigation dues which the Suez Canal Company will put in force on the 1st of July. He says—'The Sublime Porte has only transmitted to me the representations of the Italian Government, to which I replied, maintaining the right of the Company, which is incontestable.'And, whether the Under Secretary will explain to the House what is the actual position of the Suez Canal Company with regard to the new dues they propose to levy on all vessels passing through the Canal after this date?
§ VISCOUNT ENFIELDSir, a suggestion has been made by Her Majesty's Government, through Sir Henry Elliot, that the question of an increase of tonnage dues levied, by the Suez Canal Company should be postponed; but information reached the Foreign Office yesterday, to the effect that the agent of the company stated that the Council of Administration at Paris having decided that the new tariff should come into 429 operation on the 1st of July, he was unable to postpone the date, as recommended by Her Majesty's Government.