MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)To ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether His Majesty's Government have information that the Government of Russia is negotiating with the Government of Persia a treaty whereby, in return for a Russian loan to Persia and other considerations, prohibitive customs duties are to be placed on British and Indian goods imported into Persia either by the frontier of Beluchistan, or by the Persian Gulf, and whereby the Persian custom houses on the Afghan and Beluch frontiers are to be administered by Russian officials; and, if so, whether His Majesty's Government have consulted the Indian Government on the matter, and what steps do they propose to take.
(Answered by Mr. A. J. Balfour.) His Majesty's Government are not aware that any such treaty is in negotiation, but they understand that the two Governments in question contemplate a revision of the tariff arrangements now in force, and that certain of the proposed duties would be likely to have an unfavourable effect on British and Indian imports, and they are in communication with the Indian Government on the subject.