§ MR. RYLANDSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is the fact that, while the Colonial Office, with the consent of the Foreign Office, has still under its consideration an ordinance for aiding at Gibraltar the maintenance by Spain of its high protection tariff, the Spanish Government has been concluding a special Customs tariff, by which productions imported from Germany and Switzerland are charged at lower rates than those imported from England in 538 some cases to the extent of 100 per cent; whether this change in the tariff was first communicated to the Government on the 24th of July only, while the new rates came into operation on the 1st of August; whether the intention of con-eluding this arrangement with other countries was concealed from the British Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Spain; and, whether the Foreign Office will not at once obtain in England translations of the new tariff for the information of the commercial community rather than wait till a translation can come from Spain?
§ MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, there was no such Ordinance as that mentioned in the Question before the Colonial Office —[Mr. RYLANDS: Oh, oh!]—but there was, as the House was perfectly well aware, an Ordinance for the regulation of the collection of the customs at Gibraltar. The Spanish Government had lately promulgated two tariffs which came into force on the 1st of August, and the first of those tariffs was a general tariff; whilst the second was one which regulated the import of all articles from those countries with which Spain had special Treaties. There were two countries with which Spain had Treaties of that: kind—Germany and Switzerland. Those Treaties were made in 1868 and 1869, and under them those two countries would be entitled to have their goods imported into Spain at a lower rate than other countries placed under the general tariff. Sir John Walsham, our Chargé d'Affaires at Madrid, had been instructed to make a representation upon the subject to the Spanish Government, and to remonstrate against England being excluded from the advantages of the Most Favoured Nation Clause.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERasked whether there was any Favoured Nation Clause in any of our Treaties with Spain?
§ MR. BOURKE, speaking from memory, thought there was; but he would give a definite answer if the right hon. Gentleman would repeat the Question.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, if there was a Favoured Nation Clause it would certainly seem to prevent any goods imported into Spain from Germany or Switzerland being received upon a lower tariff than goods from England.
§ MR. BOURKEsaid, he had already stated that Sir John Walsham had been directed to remonstrate against Eng- 539 land being excluded from the Most Favoured Nation Clause.