§ The EARL of ELLENBOROUGHsaid, that in moving recently for some returns relative to trade and navigation, he observed, that whilst our exports of cotton, linen, and woollen manufactures had fallen off during the last year, the exports of silk manufactures appeared to be stationary, if not to have increased in amount. He had since received information which induced him now to move for another return, to which he anticipated no objection. He was given to understand that a large quantity of bandanas was annually imported into this country, of which only about one-third was retained for home consumption; and the remainder, after being stained and stamped—a small process of manufacture—were exported. The bandanas thus exported, instead of appearing in the accounts under the head of colonial merchandise, were entered as British manufactures. The amount of bandanas thus exported was very large. The total value of the silk manufactures exported in 1844, 1845, and 1846, was 2,340,000l.; but in that sum was included the value of the bandanas exported after being stained, which amounted to no less than 1,461,000l. Deducting the latter sum from the former, it would appear that the total value of British silk manufactures exported in the three years 1844, 1845, and 1846, was only 879,000l. It was worthy of observation that the principle on which bandanas were classed with British manufactures was not universally applied; for thrown silk, which underwent some trifling process of manufacture in this country, appeared in the official accounts under the head of colonial manufactures. It was desirable that the same principle should be applied in all analogous cases. In order that a correct statement of facts, as regarded the exportation of silk, might be brought before the House, he begged to move for an account of the value of manufactured silk exported in the years 1844, 1845, and 1846, distinguishing the value of bandanas.
§ The EARL of CLARENDONbelieved that the statement of the noble Earl was correct as to a large quantity of bandanas being imported into this country to be subjected to some process of manufacture 1135 which they could not receive in India, and afterwards exported as British manufactures. He believed that this was done in accordance with a legal decision. No objection existed to the production of the returns moved for by the noble Earl.
§ Returns ordered.