§ MR. C. TENNANTasked the President of the Board of Trade, If it be correct, as had been stated at the recent meeting of the Chamber of Shipping, London, and repeated at the meeting of the Shipowners' Association of Glasgow, that Great Britain and Turkey were the 300 only two countries which exacted Light Duties from shipping, and that other countries maintained their lighthouses out of the Imperial Revenue?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONSir, although I have not been able to verify the correctness of the statement to which the hon. Member refers, there is no doubt that a considerable number of foreign countries do maintain their lighthouses out of their National Exchequer. But I believe I am correct in saying that several of these countries levy on shipping dues and other taxes, which they pay into their National Treasuries; while I need hardly say that in this country there is no tax imposed on shipping which is paid into the National Treasury. I may add that the comparison of the taxes on shipping levied in different ports and different countries is a very complicated and difficult question.