§ 36. Captain NORTHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the purposes of the loan being made by this country to the European Commission of the Danube; when the third instalment on this loan is to be paid; and what proportion of vessels plying for trade on the Danube are British?
§ Mr. EDENThe purposes of the loan of 8,500,000 gold francs granted to the European Commission of the Danube by the British, French, Italian and Rumanian Governments in 1930 were stated by the Commission to be cover for (1) current working deficit.; (2) repayment of outstanding debt; (3) payment for improvement and maintenance works. It was originally suggested that this loan should be paid in three instalments, the first in 1930, the second in 1931 and the third in 1932. The first instalments have been paid, the share of His Majesty's Government being 700,000 gold francs. The payment of the second 528 instalment has been postponed and it is therefore uncertain when the third instalment will be paid. As regards the last part of the question, statistics issued by the European Commission of the Danube show that the proportion of British to total tonnage leaving the Danube during the years 1929 and 1930 was 23.9 per cent. and 18.5 per cent. respectively.