MR. FIELDI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether his attention has been directed to the fact that the collieries on the north-east coast of Great Britain are likely to lose an export trade equal to 800,000 tons yearly, in consequence of the German State Railway authorities having reduced their rate from the coal districts to Stettin down to about 2s. 9d. a ton; and whether he can devise any remedy for this state of things, partially arising from transit freights?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonI am informed that the railway rate on coal from Silesia to Stettin has been reduced to 7s. 6d. per ton, and not to 2s. 9d. per ton as was at first reported and is quoted in the hon. Member's Question. It is also reported that the imports of all kinds of British coal into Stettin and Swinemünde amount to about 600,000 tons annually. The German railway authorities can fix their own freight charges, even at rates below the cost of service.