§ SIR HENRY TYLER (Great Yarmouth)asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade, Whether a Report has yet been received from the Inspector sent to inquire into the case of the French fishing smack, Jeanne Rene, of Fecamp, which is stated to have put into Yarmouth, to have lain at the fish wharf, and to have sold her catch of herrings, cured in bulk, by auction in the Yarmouth market, on Saturday last; whether, under the Conventions of 1843 and 1868, or other International arrangements, English fishing vessels may lawfully be seized, and subjected to various pains and penalties, for entering French ports, as was the case with the 12 Colchester smacks recently detained at Havre, whilst a French fishing vessel is allowed not only to enter an English port, but also freely sell her catch of fish in competition with English fishermen; whether fish from French fishing smacks may thus be freely sold in England, and without duty, whilst English-caught fish cannot under any circumstances be sold in French or other foreign ports without being subjected to high and practically prohibitive duties; and, whether they will adopt such speedy measures as Her Majesty's Government may consider to be best to remedy such anomalous conditions, by negotiating a fresh Convention with the French Government or otherwise?
§ THE SECRETARY (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)The facts are generally as stated. The matter is undoubtedly one of great importance; but all I can say is that it shall receive very careful consideration by the Government. The Inspector's Report has not yet been received.