SIR HOWARD VINCENTI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he can state what is the present condition of affairs regarding the new German tariff, and especially as to the increases of the duties upon Sheffield and other British goods.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralI understand that the German Tariff Bill is at present under consideration by a special Committee of the Reichstag. A Return, comparing the existing and proposed rates of duty on the principal articles in which British traders are interested, has been prepared by the Board of Trade and presented to this House. Information has since been received of certain modifications of the proposed rates introduced by the Bundesrath, and those modifications have been published in the Board of Trade Journal. They do not, however, materially affect the proposed duties on Sheffield goods. The whole question of the effect of the proposed tariff on British Trade is receiving the careful consideration of the Board of Trade and of their Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence.