§ MR. SEXTONI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the fact that a proposal has been made to the Inter national Telegraphic Conference, now sitting in Paris, for a reduction to 1s. or 1f. of the fee for signalling shipping intelligence both from British and Continental semaphores; and whether, in view of the commercial utility of the proposed change, the Government will use their influence in support of the adoption of the proposal?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE. FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N.E.A representative of Lloyds' has been admitted to the Conference in order to represent the utility of a reduction of the signalling fee, and the British Delegates will sup port it.