MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have in or since the year 1886 been informed by the President of the United States of North America of the provisions of the Act of Congress of that year relating to tonnage dues on shipping; whether, as prescribed by that Act, Her Majesty's Government have been invited to co-operate with the Government of the United States in abolishing all lighthouse dues, tonnage taxes, or other equivalent tax or taxes on, and also all other fees for official service to, the vessels of the two nations employed in the trade between the ports of Great Britain and the United States; if so, what reply was given by Her Majesty's Government to that invitation; and whether the reply can be laid upon the Table of this House?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.Her Majesty's Government were informed in 1887 of the provisions of the Act of Congress, and the invitation then given to them in accordance with that Act was declined. The correspondence has already been published in "British and Foreign State Papers," Volume Ixxix. page 711.