§ MR. LOGAN (Leicestershire, Harborough)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether there are any Returns to show that the alleged continued short supply of bread stuffs in the United Kingdom actually exists, or whether the Returns show that the American-Spanish War has in no way interfered with our importation of wheat; and whether, with the exception of two years, we have imported more wheat from the United States during the past month than in any April of the last 10 years, and more wheat and flour from all parts of the world than we ever did before in the month of April?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonThere are no official Returns showing the stocks of bread stuffs in the country at any particular date, but the Estimates made by the trade show that the stocks at the present time are lower than usual. It is the case that we have imported more wheat from the United States during the past month than in any April of the last 10 years with the exception of two years, and more wheat and flour from all parts of the world than we have imported during the last 10 years in the month of April. It will thus be seen that the actual hostilities have not in any way interfered with the imports.