MR. MAC IVERasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, in the recent commercial negotiations with Spain, any endeavour was made to obtain equal treatment for British ships as for Spanish ships, and with what result?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEThe efforts of Her Majesty's Government have been confined to securing most-favoured-nation treatment for everything concerning British trade in Spain, including, therefore, British ships. Her Majesty's Government are of opinion that it would have prejudiced the negotiations to have asked for British ships any privileges not accorded to ships of other nations.
MR. MAC IVERWill the noble Lord confess that, under this declaration, nothing of the slightest value has been obtained—only the removal of a few particular injuries to trade?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEUnder the Declaration, which is now in the hands of hon. Members, this country obtains the abolition of all differential treatment between it and foreign nations—a most important matter to many branches of British trade.
§ MR. TOMLINSONWill any attempt be made to include the Spanish Antilles, which are now excluded?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEIt would be open to this country to attempt, in the subsidiary negotiations contemplated in Article IV., to do so; but that is a matter of policy.