QUESTION. (Hansard, 24 June 1872)

§ MR. BAILLIE COCHRANE

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been called to the proposed increase of the Dues levied by the Suez Canal Company, contrary to the spirit of the concession under which that Company was established, and to the interest of British Shipowners; if he is aware that the French Government claims jurisdiction in all questions which may arise between those who use the Canal and the Suez Company; and, whether this claim is not entirely in opposition to the existing capitulations? When the firman was granted for the Suez Canal, the term fixed for ships passing through the Canal was 10f. per ton, and that was calculated upon the net tonnage. The Suez Canal Company had made a new arrangement, which was to come into operation on the 1st of July next, whereby the toll would be calculated on the gross tonnage, and the difference would be this—the receipts of the Suez Canal Company during the last year were £475,000, but the receipts for a year under the new arrangement would be £1,335,000, making a difference of about £900,000 against British shipowners, because he believed that out of 100 ships that passed through the Canal last month 79 carried the British flag. The House was aware that M. de Lesseps was the originator of the Suez Canal Company. That Company was a Turkish Company, although the capital of it was subscribed by French people. Up to this time all questions arising between the Company and British shipowners were tried in an Egyptian Court, but within the last week or a fortnight notice had been given that such questions will be tried in the French Consular Court. That was a most important point, on which he desired a statement by the noble Lord.