§ MR. NORMAN (Wolverhampton, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether lie is aware that the German Foreign Office has set aside a sum of money to enable German Consuls abroad to telegraph to Berlin any facts of immediate importance to German commercial firms; whether British Consuls have authority to do this; and if not, whether he will consider the advisability of taking a similar step for the benefit of British firms.
§ *SIR M. HICKS BEACH (for Lord Cranborne)British Consuls have authority to telegraph important tariff changes, information affecting shipping, quarantine, navigation, epidemics, etc. The question whether they should telegraph information specially important to particular firms would require careful consideration before such a system were adopted. I have no information as to the German practice.
§ MR. NORMANWill the right hon. Gentleman give the matter consideration?
§ *SIR M. HICKS BEACHI have no doubt the Foreign Office will.