§ LORD PORTMANavailed himself of that opportunity to ask a question of importance, with regard to some errors which had crept into the statistical returns presented by the Board of Trade. In the course of the year 1848 certain returns had been made of the exports by that board. In the year 1850 a statement had been presented by the same hoard of the exports of 1848, which did not correspond with the returns made at the time. Now, if a mistake had been committed it ought to be set right; and, if no mistake had been committed, the discrepancy ought to be explained.
§ EARL GRANVILLEwas glad that the noble Lord had given him an opportunity of setting right a very natural misapprehension. The noble Lord had compared the last monthly report with the current monthly account of 1848, whereas the Customs had properly furnished the Board of Trade with the corrected accounts for 1848. The same apparent discrepancy would have been seen in the same month's account of last year. The note to the twelve months' accounts explained that the additions of the quantities in the twelfth month would not agree with the yearly total, on account of errors corrected. A central board had now been established at the Custom House, which he hoped would have the effect of diminishing the number of these errors. Instead of these returns being sent up from above 100 outports, the papers were sent up to 297 a department of the Customs in London, where they were compiled with more care and attention than could be expected from so many collectors.