§ LORD WAVENEYI beg to ask the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the Question, of which I have given him private Notice, with reference to the French Commercial Treaty?
§ EARL GRANVILLEMy Lords, I have to state that a proposal was made some little time ago by the French Government to the effect that the English and French Commissioners who have been engaged in London in negotiating the proposed new Commercial Treaty should resume their meetings at Paris on the 22nd instant. The French Government have made new proposals with regard to the duties on iron, on woollen, and on cotton goods. Her Majesty's Government considered that those proposals afforded scope for consideration and discussion; and they, therefore, assented to the re-assembling of the Commission at Paris, on condition that the existing Treaty be prolonged for three months, in order to give time for ample consideration of the proposals. The French Government, however, have now declined to accede to this prolongation; and we have, therefore, to our regret, felt ourselves unable to accept the invitation to the Commissioners to reassemble at Paris next week.