MR. O'BRIENasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether there is. 1337 any objection to altering the form of the monthly Return relating to the Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom, so as to distinguish separately the figures in relation to Irish imports and exports?
§ MR. J. HOLMS,in reply, said, that to give separate figures for Ireland in the monthly trade and navigation accounts would swell the Return enormously, and would probably give rise to similar demands for England and Scotland, with the result that there would be four monthly Returns—one for England, one for Scotland, one for Ireland, and one for the United Kingdom—instead of one as at present. Such a number of Returns would be undesirable, even if there were any objects to be gained by a separate monthly Return for Ireland. The facts as to the foreign trade of Ireland, carried on directly with foreign countries, were, however, substantially in the annual Statement of Trade, which gives the total imports and exports at each port of the United Kingdom, with the quantities and values of the principal articles at the principal ports.