§ SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the past 40 months 104,656 Foreigners, besides over 30,000 Foreign seamen, have arrived at eastern ports in Great Britain from Europe, not en route for other countries, and mainly as deck or third-class passengers, and that upwards of 35,000 were Russians and 1506 Poles, three-fourths of whom came to London: that in 1896 no less than 8,000 of these destitute alien classes settled in this country; and, in such case, if he will endeavour to deal effectively with this Foreign accession to the overcrowded labour market early next Session?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonMy attention has been drawn to the number of alien immigrants arriving in this country, and "not stated to be en route for other countries," and I have no doubt that the figures quoted are substantially accurate. The subject will continue to receive my careful consideration, but I am not in a position to make any promises for next Session.