§ Mr. HUNTasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now able to communicate to the House the result of the representations made to the Cuban Government by His Majesty's Minister at Havana with a view of obtaining a readjustment of the tonnage tax imposed upon merchandise entering Cuban ports from Europe; whether he is aware that dissatisfaction has for the past three years been felt by the mercantile and shipping community engaged in the West Indian trade at the prolonged negotiations which have taken place in this matter; and whether he has any objection to lay upon the Table of the House Papers upon the subject sufficiently illuminating to be of assistance to persons interested in fostering commercial enterprise between Cuba and the British Dominions?
§ Sir E. GREYHis Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Havana was instructed last month to renew the protest of His Majesty's Government against the preferential nature of the tonnage dues under the ports company law. I understand that the representatives of France, Germany, and Norway made similar protests. I cannot undertake to lay any Papers on the subject at the present time.