§ MR. MACIVERasked the President of the Board of Trade, If his attention has been called to statements repeatedly appearing in the London press to the effect that "the trade of Foreign nations is as depressed as our own;" if the Government is in possession of any and what information tending to support such statements, or whether the figures of the Board of Trade Returns do not point to an entirely different conclusion; and, finally, to inquire if it is substantially accurate (as stated in the statistical abstract) that the value of British imports no w amounts to nearly £400,000,000 annually, whilst the exports (other than Foreign and Colonial produce re-exported) are only about £200,000,000?
§ MR. J. G. TALBOTSir, I hope I need hardly assure my hon. Friend that our attention is constantly directed to all statements of importance which are made in the Press and elsewhere in respect to matters affecting the commercial interests of the country. Without seeing the special statements to which my hon. Friend alludes, we cannot be expected to give an opinion upon them, or to say whether the Board of Trade Returns confirm such statements; but I shall be happy to show him any Returns we have in the Office which he may 520 desire to see as throwing light upon this important subject. I ought, however, to state that the published statistical Reports show that the value of imports into the United Kingdom amounted in the year 1877, the last year given in the statistical abstract, to £394,419,682, and the exports to £252,346,020. Of the last amount, foreign and colonial produce re-exported amounted to £53,452,955. It will be remembered that the same re-exported produce is included in the above amount of imports.