§ MR. J. G. HUBBARDasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether his attention has been directed to the alarm prevailing at Gibraltar touching the privileges of the port as a free port; and, whether he will state whether any and what changes are contemplated in the regulations affecting the trade of Gibraltar?
§ MR. J. LOWTHER,in reply, said, that they had received communications from Gibraltar, and also from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, expressing anxiety lest the trade of Gibraltar should be interfered with. Lord Carnarvon had received a deputation from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and had promised that he would afford them a further opportunity of making known their views before the matter was decided on. He might add that there was no intention of interfering with any privileges or facilities for legitimate trade; but the object was to adopt such reasonable regulations as would prevent Gibraltar from continuing to be—as he feared it had been for some years past — an organized depot for smuggling into Spain.