§ MR. BARCLAYasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether Her Majesty's Government is prepared to offer to the Government of Spain to admit Spanish wines on the scale of duty suggested by him in his Budget speech of 1880, provided the Spanish Government will give this Country the benefit of the most favoured nation tariff; and, whether the Government has considered how far the trade of this Country is suffering in consequence of the much higher duties being levied on British goods than on those of France and some other countries?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GLADSTONE)Her Majesty's Government are neither directly nor substantially at issue with the Government of Spain upon any question relating to the scale of duties adopted in this country; but they have been compelled to signify to the Government of Spain that the finances of this country do not admit of any reduction of those duties at the present lime, while they have also signified that they are not unwilling to approach the question at a time when the finances are in a more favourable condition. With regard to the rest of the Question, with regard to the "Most Favoured Nation Clause," and whether any advantage could be obtained for the Spanish market by a reduction of the Wine Duties, Her Majesty's Government have never yet arrived at the conclusion that it would be safe or desirable to purchase by financial changes, and possibly by financial sacrifices in this country, the privilege of equality, if it be equality, in the markets of a foreign State. The adoption of that principle in the case of one particular foreign 780 country might lead to very inconvenient consequences affecting our commercial relations with many other foreign States.