§ MR. BOWRINGasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, considering that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to issue a Royal Commission for the promotion of the International Exhibition to be held at Vienna in 1873, Her Majesty's Government will be prepared to propose to Parliament the grant of such a moderate sum of money (to be expended upon the responsibility of the Commissioners) as may be sufficient, with the assistance expected to be voluntarily rendered by British Manufacturers, 1270 to insure an adequate representation of the products of British industry at that exhibition? He wished to add that he had been informed that the French Government—and, indeed, almost every Government in Europe—had made grants for a similar purpose.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, my hon. Friend has the advantage of me, for I have no information as to the action of other Governments. There is a precedent which may be considered in point, that of the French Exhibition of 1867, when we did give no less a sum than £116,000. That was a very serious matter, and I hope my hon. Friend will excuse me if I say that the Government has not made up its mind on the subject, and I can, therefore, give no answer at present.