The Express.
London, England, 1863-02-18 00:00:00

THE A DJOCTILNEVENT OF THE HOUSE.-COMMER.
CUL TREATIES.

On the motif), of Lord Pautheerou that the Howie
at ite rising do adjourn to two o'clock to-morrow, that day
being Ash-Wednesday,_ _
Mr. S. FITZGERALD rose to cell the attention of
the hoed to the guard= of 'omelet* commercial treaties,
end-especially to the oommerciil treaty pending between
this country and the kingdom of Italy. The hon. gentle-
man said no one could deny the importance which bed been
attached of late years to commercial treaties with other
countries. Not long ago the noble lord at the head of the
government, when at Southampton, expressed his sense of
the value of a commercial treaty between this country end
' Austria. He (Mr. S. Fitzgerald) believed that the noble
earl the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, when in
that bowie, expressed en opinion that tbe altera-
tions made in the Spanish tariff were favourable
to this country. It was the duty of the house to consider
the principle which had been adopted by the government in
their negotiations of commercial treaties. He thought
that the government had proceeded on a radically wren
principle ; for they bad allowed in every ode the Frence
government to take the initiative, and had only bestirred
themselves to secure a treaty "'lunar to that obtained by
France. That was unfortunate, because a tariff which
might be favourable for France might be quite the reverse
for this country. The treaty with Belgium was a proof of
this. At the present moment Fiance was negotiating •
treaty of commerce with Austria. Now Austria was de-
shoos of reforming her tariff, and the opportunity ought not
to be lost. As to the treaty between this country and the
kingdom of Italy, in the course of last year • distinguished
member of the Italian government, Signor Mariani, the
Minister of Commerce, came to this country to negotiate •
treaty of commerce between Italy and England. That goo-
demo was never put in communication with the minister
lat the head of the Board of Trade. Some time afterwards
the Board of Trade obtained the fullest information from
tbe chambers of commerce throughout the country oo the
products of their districts. The manufacturer' of Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire were buoyed up with the hope that
there had been • perfect commercial treaty between Italy
and England, but they soon ascertained that the tariff was
almost identical with that which bad been adopted in the
treaty with France. (Hear, hear.) This of COW'S had
crested the greatest astonishment sod regret among those
who had been in communication with the government and the
right bon. gentlemen the President of the Board of Trade.
Mr. W. E. FOR 3TER meld that durieg the last two or
three year. the government must bare either conducted
their negotiations without obtaining information from the
commercial interests concerned, or they bad deemed it
rato get for this conntre • similar treaty to that
Franos had obtained. Such a treaty as that would
not be satidectory, for it was probable that, originating
with Frame, and conducted by French ministers, it might
sot bedsores English interests.
Mr. LAYARD explained the peculiar position of this
etiontry. which, after the adoption of the principle of
free trade, had Huth to give in negotiating commercial
treaties, and justified the policy pursued by the goverment.
He dated the eirennotancee connected with the nod*
treaty with Italy. It wee not the fault of this govern-
mot that the treaty was not concluded last year; it was
delayed by the absence of • knowledge of the tariff. He
reed an °acid account, communicated by our consul-gene-
nil, of the trade of Naples, "bowleg a very large increase
ea compared with the lest year of the Bourbons. }Weeding
to the subject of commerchil treaties, he showed the im-
pedimenta sooonntered in our attempts to negotiate them,
F posa ls
our being commonly met with the gumtree,
T" W t will you give us ice return r
e discussion was continued by Mr. Newdegate, Mr.
yleinise/ Mr. Beaumont, Mr. Liddell, tad Mr. Gower
(Bodmin .
Mr. Li RAELL in answer to a taunt of Mr. Laystd,
remarked that aothiag me more unfounded thee to sap