§ SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if Her Majesty's Government is aware that under date the 2nd instant a decree was published at Tunis by the French Resident General, levying increased duties upon all imported goods other than French goods, most of which are to be admitted free, and making such duties applicable to all stocks of an alcoholic nature, although imported prior to the decree and in ignorance thereof; and, if instructions will be given to the Queen's Consul General to support, by all means in his power, the appeal made against such retrospective action by the British subjects injured thereby, having regard to the terms of the Anglo-Tunisian Treaty of 19th July, 1875, which provides that imported goods on which the customs duty has been paid shall not be subjected to any other duty or tax?
MR. CURZONI have seen the Decree mentioned in the first paragraph of my honourable and gallant Friend's Question. I have not heard of the appeal by British subjects mentioned in the second paragraph, but I would remind my honourable Friend that the Treaty of 1875 expired from October 15th, 1897, when the new Convention was ratified and came into force. I will, however, inquire into the matter, and will communicate with Her Majesty's Consul General at Tunis with respect to it.