§ Mr. LARDNERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that gelignite is offered for sale in Scotland at £80 per ton, while in Ireland the price is £100 per ton, and that blasting powder is offered at 33s. per 100 pounds in Scotland, while the price in Ireland is 43s.; will he cause inquiries to be made as to whether these high prices are demanded and obtained in Ireland as the result of a ring amongst the manufacturers of those commodities; and, further, will he state how many manufacturers of these explosives there were in England, Ireland, and Scotland, respectively?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have no official information as to the relative prices obtaining for explosives in the different districts of the United Kingdom, but I shall be happy to make inquiries on this subject. There are 10 factories of gelignite in the United Kingdom, 8 in England, 1 in Scotland, and 1 in Ireland, and 10 of blasting powder, 8 in England, 1 in Scotland, and 1 in Ireland.