§ COLONEL SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the excess in 1898 of exports from the United States of America, amounting to 621,000,000 dollars, while in the case of the United Kingdom the excess, of imports amounted to £175,000,000; and if, in view of these circumstances and the rise in the United States exports in the last three years of 52 per cent. and of industrial exports by 26 per cent., while those of the United Kingdom show no such vitality, Her Majesty's Government is prepared to issue a Royal Commission or move for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the causes of this condition of things?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe facts and figures stated in the Question are substantially correct. The causes which have led to this condition of things are, generally speaking, well known, and there seems no necessity for a special inquiry such as is suggested, more especially as I have no reason to regard the general condition of trade and industry in this country as other than satisfactory.