The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-16 00:00:00

TRADE WITH FOREIGN NATIONS.

On the motion for going into committee of supply,
Mr W, FORSTER called the attention of the house to
the arrangement between the Foreign Office and the Board
of Trade in reference to trade with foreign nations, and
moved for a select committee thereon. In the course of
his speech, he adverted to the success of the French treaty,
which he said was wonderful, and taught a lesson to the
nations of Europe.
Mr. LAYARD observed that there had been a misap-
prehension as to the relations between the Foreign-office
and the Board of Trade, both of which departments co-
operated in promoting the policy of free trade in foreign
States, where that policy encountered obstacles arising from
jealousy and suspicion, Commercial questions were some-
times so intimately oonnected with political questions that
they could not be separated. He showed the impediments
which the Foreign office met with in negotiating commer-
cial arrangements. With reference to the motion, he in-
sisted that the complaints made against the present system,
which he explained, were not well founded. The duty of
the Foreign-office was to carry out the commercial views
and policy of the Board of Trade, and there was no divided
responsibility, as there would be under the system suggested
by Mr, Forster. The machinery of the Board of Trade
could not be imported into the Foreign-office, already over-
worked. He did not, however, oppose the motion.
Lord STANLEY said, if the motion was pressed to a
division he should vote for it. The motion only called for
an inquiry ; a prima facie case had been made out for an
inquiry, and he could testify that a strong feeling on the
subject existed among the mercantile community, He
wished Mr. Forster had enlarged his motion so as to com-
prehend the whole machinery of the Board of Trade.
After some remarks by Mr. BAINES and Mr. Bess,
Mr, HENLEY said it was very desirable that the sub-
ject should be inquired into ; the question, difficult as it
was, should be locked into, and he was not without hope
that the system might be amended, and some arrangement
made more satisfactory to the mercantile community.
Mr. NEWDEGA dwelt upon the sufferings inflicted
upon our silk .nanuracturers by the French treaty.
Mr. M. GIBSON, observing that there was no objection
on the part of the Government to the appointment of a
committee, noticed a remark of Mr. Henley upon what he
had supposed to be a divided responsibility between the
Foreign-office and the Board of Trade, which seemed, he
said, to imply that there ought to be but one department

for all the functions of the Government. There was in
reality no divided responsibility. He also vindicated the
course pursued by the Government of this country in the
commercial negotiations with foreign Powers. _ _

Mr, CO BDEN corrected the misapprehension which, he
said, existed as to the objects of our commercial policy, the
reward of which was to be found in its success, as shown
by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The question was
whether, irrespective of commercial treaties, it could not
be possible for the Government to diffuse Free Trade prin-
ciples among other countries, which would be a legitimate
course of action. But we had two departments connected
with this operation, and the object of the motion was to de-
vise means whereby the Foreign-office could be inspired
with the spirit which actuated the Board of Trade and an
appreciation of true commercial principles.
After a few observations by Mr. BAZ LEY, the motion
of Mr. Forster was agreed to.