§ MR. ANDERSONasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If it be not the fact that our mercantile treaties with Spain contain a Clause putting us on the same footing as the most favoured nation; if it has not been frequently represented to Her Majesty's Government that in Cuba, Spain has been for years systematically charging our merchants with an enormous war tax, amounting in some cases to many thousand pounds, from which by special order she exempts German merchants; and, if Her Majesty's Government are prepared to insist on Spain as a friendly power putting British merchants on the same footing as the Germans with whom they have to compete?
§ MR. BOURKEThe exceptional position of Germans in Cuba, as regards extraordinary taxation, arises from an additional Article to the Treaty of March 30, 1868, between Germany and Spain, which extended certain provisions of that Treaty to the Spanish Colonies. The Spanish Government have never admitted the validity of the claim founded by Germany on the additional Article, but pending discussion between the two Governments temporary exemption had been granted to the Germans. Her Majesty's Govern- 1971 ment are fully aware of the injustice which this arrangement necessarily inflicts on British subjects, as well as on all others except Germans; and they have used their best endeavours, in concert with the Government of France, to induce the Spanish Government to put an end to it. In answer to the representations of Great Britain and France, the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs admitted the hardship of the arrangements, which, his Excellency said, was complained of also by Spaniards, and he announced that extraordinary taxes would be abolished in Cuba, ordinary taxes being substituted, similar to those levied in Spain itself, and payable by persons of all nationalities alike. A representation has, however, lately been made by a British firm at Havannah that taxes are still levied from them and other foreigners from which Germans are exempt; and in consequence of this representation Her Majesty's Minister at Madrid will be instructed to make a strong representation to the Spanish Government and to inquire whether the proposed new arrangement has been finally decided upon, and, if so, when it will be put in force.
§ MR. CHILDERSMay I ask whether the Government is not aware that not only one firm but that several firms have been paying for some time these utterly illegal taxes?
§ MR. BOURKEOf course I am not in a position, without Notice, to answer that Question. All I can say at present, from the inquiries I made to-day, is that we have only notice of one firm having been asked to pay these taxes; but it is quite possible that other firms may have been asked to pay it.