§ * SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucester-shire, Forest of Dean)On behalf of the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydvil, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the average tonnage rate per mile charged for the carriage of manufactured iron on British railways, and the average charge as mining rents, wayleaves, and royalties on the materials used in the manufacture of a ton of steel rails in Great Britain.
§ THE PRESIDENT of THE BOARD or TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Central)The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. Some information with regard to the matters referred to in the last, part of the Question 541 is contained in the Report of the Royal Commission on Mining Royalties issued in 1893 (Final Report, paragraphs 42–50).
§ * SIR CHARLES DILKEOn behalf of the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydvil, beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state the average tonnage rat per mile charged for the conveyance of manufactured iron on German and Belgian railways, and the average charge as mining rents, wayleaves, and royalties on the materials used in manufacturing a ton of steel rails in those countries.
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord CLAN-BORNE, Rochester)No, Sir; But the hon. Member will find general information on the subject of railway rates in "Commercial No. 2 (1898)"; No. 574 Miscellaneous Series of Diplomatic and Consular Reports; and in the Reports of the Royal Commission on Mining Royalties