§ SIR THOMAS DEWAR (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)To ask the President of the Board of Trade, seeing that the charges made on British vessels entering United States ports are estimated to produce upwards of £70,000 annually, and that the United States, like other countries, will benefit by the reduction of 12½ per cent. made in the light dues on vessels entering British ports, will he say whether arrangements have yet been made with the Foreign Office with a view to secure a compensating reduction in the charges made on British vessels entering United States ports.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) My hon. friend will recollect that I promised him in July, 1903, that I would have the figures carefully gone into, and consider whether any representations could usefully be made to the United States Government, and that I informed him in August last year that I had come to the conclusion that there was not a 1195 sufficient case to justify a representation. Nothing has since occurred which enables me to modify that opinion.