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Address for—
Copies of or Extracts from Correspondence relating to the system of grading Royal Engineers with Civil Engineers on their first appointment to the Public Works Department."—(Sir Roper Lethbridge.)
§ State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware if it is a fact that the duty imposed on sugar imported from the West Indian. Colonies to the United States is from £8 to £9 per ton; and whether any communications have passed between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States as to reduction of tariff: and, if not, whether Her Majesty's Government will consider as to the advisability of making some representations, so as, if possible, to obtain a reduction of the existing duty?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATU FOE FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N.E.I am informed that practically all the sugar imported into the United States of America from the West Indies pays, not £8 or £9, but £6 10s. a ton. No communications between Her Majesty's and the United States Governments with respect to the reduction of the tariff have passed, and it is not at all likely that any good result would ensue from representations made to the United States Government, who fix their rates of Customs Duty according to the fiscal system adopted by Congress.