§ MR. JACOB BRIGHTasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign. Affairs, Whether the attention of the Government has been called to a statement in the "Diario de la Marina," the official organ of the Spanish Government in Cuba, to the effect that the Germans, at the special request of their Government, are exempted from the oppressive war taxes now levied in that island; whether there are not treaties with Spain which place British subjects in all respects on the footing of the most favoured nation; and, whether such 695 treaties might not be employed for the protection of British subjects?
§ Mr. BOURKE,in reply, said, he had not seen the statement alluded to, but it was true that negotiations were going on between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Spain. It was correctly stated, he believed, that, pending those negotiations, German subjects had been temporarily, but not permanently, excused from the payment of those taxes. He did not think it would be expedient to say more at the present moment than that representations on the subject had been made to the Government of Spain, and the matter was receiving the earnest consideration of Her Majesty's Government. He could assure the hon. Member that all rights and claims which British subjects had should be carefully looked into and maintained.