§ MR. LAWRENCE BAKER (Somerset, Frome)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, The number of Secretaries of Legation, and of Consuls, who are expected to make Annual Reports on the Trade and Commerce of the Countries to which they are accredited; the number of the Reports which have been received for the years 1884 and 1885 respectively; and, how many of these Reports have been laid upon the Table of the House?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. BRYCE) (Aberdeen, S.)Annual Trade Reports are required to be furnished by 23 Secretaries of Embassy and Legation, and 156 Consuls General and Consuls. Nineteen Secretaries' Reports and 138 Reports from Consular officers, dealing with the Trade 1175 of 1884, were received and laid before Parliament in the course of last year; and, in addition to these Reports, 16 Reports from Secretaries, and 16 from Consuls on matters of general interest, were also received and presented. The Reports for 1885 are coming in daily, some have been already published, and the rest will be presented as quickly as possible.