§ MR. BOURKE (Lynn Regis)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the attention of the Government has been called to the fact that a line of Custom Houses has, within the last three weeks, been established between Eastern Roumelia and Turkey; whether this is a breach of the Organic statute; whether it will prejudicially affect the interests of British commerce; and, what steps the Government propose to take with respect to it?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. BRYCE) (Aberdeen, S.)Her Majesty's Government have received information that orders have been given to the Bulgarian Authorities to establish a Customs Cordon on the South-Eastern Frontier of Eastern Roumelia, and to levy an export duty of 1½ per cent ad valorem on cattle and sheep. This duty would therefore not directly affect British commerce; but this measure appears to be contrary to the provisions of the Organic Statute and of the Treaty of Berlin, and is the subject of communications now passing between the Governments of the Signatory Powers and between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Bulgaria. I am glad, therefore, to be able to add that satisfactory assurances have been received from the Bulgarian Government that duties will not be levied on the frontier between Eastern Roumelia and Turkey until some arrangement has been arrived at on the subject.