§ SIR C. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether an English steamer, subsidised as a mail steamer both by the Canadian and by the Newfoundland Governments, and running from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland, lately brought down 400 boxes containing cans for packing lobsters consigned to a firm nominally French: whether these were landed on the Newfoundland Government public wharf at St. George's Bay: whether the consignees refused to pay duty or to acknowledge the Colonial Custom House: whether, after due notice, the Customs seized and condemned the shipment for non-payment of duty: whether the French Admiral protested, and, sailing for St. John's, addressed the Governor in a Despatch asking for payment for the lobster cans seized and refund of duties paid by French residents on other goods imported by the same steamer: and whether Her Majesty's Government are in correspondence with 637 the French Government in support of the action taken by the Colony?
§ MR. S. BUXTONThe facts appear to be correctly stated in the first five paragraphs of the question. With regard to the last paragraph, a protest has been received from the French Charge d'Affaires, and the matter is under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government.