§ MR. SAMUDAasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If it is a fact that the Spanish Government is levying one-third more Tonnage Dues on Coal arriving in English ships than was levied prior to the 1st day of January 1876; and, if, as stated in reply to protests by the ship masters, that this is done in regard to a new Treaty of Commerce between England and Spain, to ask if any such Treaty exists to justify such demand for additional Tonnage Dues, and if any new Treaty absolves Spain from granting to this Country the most favoured Nation Clause, as it is reported that these additional Tonnage Dues have been demanded only from cargoes in British ships?
§ MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, with respect to the last part of the Question, that there was no new Treaty in existence on the subject. There was no claim on the part of Spain to treat England differently to any other country, though no doubt considerable complaint had been made by British shipowners and others with regard to the measure of the tonnage of coals and other commodities. This had arisen from the Spanish Government having adopted a new style of measurement, which they seemed to be at a loss to carry out in a proper manner, and the consequence was that some ships were measured under one erroneous application of the system, whilst others were measured according to the old Spanish system. These things applied not only to England, but to other Powers also; and the Foreign Office had complained to the Spanish Government, pointing out the great hardship inflicted upon British shipowners, and the same view had been adopted by other Governments. There 814 was every hope that these representations would have their effect upon the Spanish Government.