§ SIR JAMES FERGUSSON (Manchester, N.E.)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, When and how provision will be made for the admission at the lower rate of Duty of British Colonial wines of an alcoholic strength equal to that of the Spanish wines to so be admitted under the new Convention with Spain?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir WILLIAM HARCOURT) (Derby), in reply, said, he would answer the substance of the Question. The Government would introduce a Bill for the purpose of altering the scale of the wines which would come in under the 1s. duty, raising the scale to 30 degrees. That would not be applicable to Spain alone, but would be applicable to all wines of the same strength. He was happy to think that the new scale would be of very great advantage to the British Colonies. It would not be necessary to make special provision for the Colonies, or, indeed, for any other producers of wines.
§ MR. FORWOOD (Lancashire, Ormskirk)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, under the conditions of the proposed new Commercial Convention with Spain, British ships trading with Spanish Colonies from any Country will, as regards tonnage duties or other tonnage impost, and the cargoes conveyed by them as regards the duties thereon, be placed on 907 equal terms with vessels of any other Nation?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. BRYCE) (Aberdeen, S.)Yes, Sir; as the Convention stipulates that Spain shall grant to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and to Her Britannic Majesty's Colonies and Foreign Possessions, most-favoured nation treatment in all that concerns commerce, navigation, and Consular rights and privileges in Spain and in the Spanish Colonies and Foreign Possessions, co-extensive in amount of benefit with that already accorded to France and Germany.