§ MR. DRAGE (Derby)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state what are the latest figures received by the Foreign Office with regard to the percentage of the total Chinese trade carried by British ships, and the percentage which they pay of the total receipts of the Chinese customs.
§ *MR. BRODRICKThe percentage of the number of vessels engaged in the foreign trade of China in 1899 was— British, 61; other countries, 39; and as regards the value of the goods carried— British, 53; other countries, 47; and the percentage of duties paid on such goods was—British, 59; other countries, 41.