§ MR. SAMUEL SMITH (Flintshire)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any application has been made to Her Majesty's Government on behalf of the African Association, Limited, of Liverpool, asking for the grant of a Royal Charter to the said Company, and whether any decision has yet been come to in regard to such request; whether he is aware that it has been charged against that Association that they have already entered into negotiations with one of the largest distillers in Holland, with the view to take the whole of their production of gin for trade in the Oil Rivers, for the purpose of defeating intended purchases by their co-traders; whether he is aware that it has been charged against that Association that they have carried on negotiations with a large gunpowder company to take all the powder they could make for export to the Oil Rivers, with the view to a monopoly of that commodity; whether he is aware that it has been charged against that Association that they have been endeavouring to obtain a preference from the steam shipping companies, so as to obtain a preference over the other traders on the Oil Rivers; whether he is aware that it has been charged against that Association that since its operations in the Protectorate it has sought to crush out all rival traders by paying prices for produce far beyond its market value; whether he is aware that the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce this week decided, by a majority of 26 votes to three, after hearing the promoters of the African Association, that it was undesirable that they should receive a Royal Charter; and whether Her Majesty's Government, under these circumstances, will institute some independent inquiry into the position of this Association before seriously entertaining their claim to the powers implied by granting them a Royal Charter?
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N. E.In reply to the first question of the hon. Member I bog to state that such an application has been made, but no decision has been taken in regard to it. The charges 254 specified in the second, third, fourth; and fifth paragraphs have not been brought before Her Majesty's Government, but they are aware of the opposition in the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and elsewhere to the grant of a Charter to the Association. As I have already stated, a very full inquiry has been made into all the circumstances necessary to be considered. The results are under consideration, and no action whatever will be taken without hon. Members having previously an opportunity of offering objections to the course proposed.