§ MR. DOUGHTY (Great Grimsby)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he could state to the House what is the amount of light dues at present paid on one voyage by a steamer of 1,000 tons register trading from the port of Grimsby to the Baltic, and what will be the dues payable by a similar steamer on one voyage should the Mercantile Marine Bill become law in its present 545 form; and whether, if it should appear that the light dues then payable will be Largely increased, he will modify the scale of dues to be levied on vessels to the Baltic ports, so that British steamers and British merchants trading there should not be further handicapped by the burden of increased light dues?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEThe amount of dues at present paid on a steamer of 1,000 tons register trading from Grimsby to the Baltic is £1 1s. the outward voyage, and £1 8s. 4d. for the return voyage. These payments are levied for every voyage made during the year. Under the scale proposed in the Mercantile Marine Fund the amount will be £11 9s. 2d. for each voyage, but with exemption after six payments during the year. The question whether the new system will increase the charge depends, therefore, on the number of voyages undertaken during the year. Power is taken in the Bill for dealing with exceptional cases which may arise after the effect of the new scale has been ascertained.