§ 58. Major CHRISTOPHER LOWTHERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Oversea Trade Department whether, with a view to re-establishing and improving the trade of the United Kingdom in the Latin-American Republics, he will send a Special Commissioner, fully acquainted with the manufacturing conditions of this country, to inquire into and report upon the particular requirements of all the Republics in question, so that British manufacturers may be encouraged to increase their exports to Latin-America?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Sir HAMAR GREENWOOD(Department of Oversea Trade): Steps have already been taken to secure the ends indicated in the question. It is impossible for any one Commissioner to cover the whole of South America. Six Commercial Secretaries have already been appointed to Latin-American countries, and the appointment of three more is in immediate prospect. It is the duty of these officers, assisted by the members of the British Consular Service, to study these countries for the purposes suggested in the question. In addition, special Commissioners are already engaged, under the joint auspices of the Department of Oversea Trade and the appropriate trade associations, in investigating the possibilities of Brazil and Chili for the sale of British engineering products, and in studying the South American market for jewellery, electroplate, and confectionery.
§ Major LOWTHERMay I ask whether those Commissioners are additional to the Commercial Attachés who, I understand, have been appointed to Chili, the Argentine, and Brazil?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe Commercial Secretaries take the place of what were formerly known as Commercial Attachés, but in total throughout the world they are more numerous than the Commercial Attachés were.
§ Sir H. GREENWOODMany have been sent, and others are going.
§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNORWill the hon. Gentleman make it a condition of the appointment of those officials going to South America that they shall devote the few months necessary to acquire the language 1887 of each country, so as to be able to compete with their German rivals, who never arrive in South America without knowing the language of the country?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODNobody is accredited as a Commercial Secretary or Consul to any country unless he is a master of the language of that country.
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI am not responsible for the past, but it applies now.
§ Sir H. GREENWOODAll these Commercial Secretaries have had commercial experience before they got the appointments.