§ LORD JOHN MANNERSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether instructions have been given to Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris to secure for this Country, in the negotiations now pending between the Governments of France and England, the right of imposing a Duty on the export of coal?
§ VISCOUNT ENFIELDSir, no provision respecting the exportation of coal was included in the Treaty of Commerce signed with the French Government on the 5th of November last, nor is any such provision now in contemplation. I may remind the noble Lord that the British Government is precluded from imposing an export duty upon coal by the 5th Article of the Treaty with the Zollverein of May 30, 1865, which is as follows— 144
The contracting parties engage not to prohibit the exportation of coal, and to levy no duty upon such exportation.This Treaty continues in force until the 30th of June, 1877, and thenceforth unless terminated on twelve months' notice.