FRANCE'S NEW TARIFF.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 764, 12 March 1910, Page 14

FRANCE'S NEW TARIFF.

EFFECT ON ENGLISH GOODS. Paris, January 14. A report of the British Chamber of Commerce in Paris contains an important statement concerning the prospecte of British trade with France as affected by the. newly-revised French tariff. Reviewing the debate' in the Chamber of Deputies, the British Chamber . of Commerce report states:—

"It may be remarked that in a number of instances the Customs Commission at the last moment abandoned' their first -proposals; 'and-:in- agreement with the Minister of Commerce have accepted amendments proposed by different deputies. .The .result is that some proposals ;which' had not been mentioned before came ;upon;.the Chamber as distinct surprises! As an instance, the words souliers montantS'were-added to the catalogue of the class of boots to be taxed at two francs (Is. 7d.) a pair. Apparently the object of this extraordinary proposal is to vtax'.-a".3argeieliiss-.'o£«'6hoes_£nOwn by different classificatious—'Richelieu,' 'Mo.liere,'.-. etc.—at a duty of. Is.' 7d.. per pair ln.plice'of 7Jd. which they now .pay. 'Throughout the discussion' the argument'that other i countries imposed henvy .ditties on 'French goods, and that, therefore, France must necessarily give, greater - protection ■■ to '.French industry, Was frequently • lised-;: '•* For instance, the taxation cardboard used for packing silk 'with' the''saine 'duty as the silks themselves, and'the-increase of the duty on agricultural machinery,''-were"justified by the proposers on the ground that Switzerland . and the United States treated French, goods unfairly. As a matter of fact, the -general tariff ..on, agricultural machinery has not boeri raised, the minimum tariff only has been changed. From these -instances l it appears as though the English "weref.to'Jje ..askjed to pay for the sins oi other countries."

Concerning the effect that, the tariff r . o'jay have on British trade with France, the monthly' report says: "It is not'easy to forecast the probable •effec|. uj»n. u JJSife -JF®* rance- . -'fSe Customs -which are exported Tjy Great' Britain ill quantities , have beeti considerably modified: "We consider, however, ,thatjthe,.increases adopted by the Chamber, for • the ■ following classes of goods will'have a serious effect on the exKprts. ,';of,;;th!!so 1 .good?, from Great Britain:— :C^t,iti'd^'<h , ojifeht!'ifßn./8,0 / p,t|-; i and shoes. High-speed - steel. .. • Motor , and steam " Silver, : plated,,golds'.,, ~. ... engines. , Machine parts'. Xgric'uli'u'rai implementsAYire.""' Regarding. the' general export of these classes of goods, ~it : is"difficult to obtain •any 'accuratß;''ligures,.-,but.: it is riot too much' to-; say. thatVin talf of. these classes ,at , least .■Englisji;. firms have built up ' businessesin Paris and other l-'rench towns in''the course of the last ten " or - 'fifteen years. In Bilver-plated ■goods, different shops in the Ay^W-jie'jl'Qpera,; due de la Paix, ai£d'along the boulevards show well enough : how", the"taste for English silverElated goods -has increased in ■ Prance, a furniture one could name two or three ;large warehouses which, if:one may judge [from appearances, lmve. secured a, business. as extensive as that of. any single one..of. tteir. rivals.' .In.agricultural implements-. -tile -largest;, trade- is probably done by.?Atnerican houses, .but. in some . specialities^—and those not unimportant, ;as J; diaSive'red 'atthe' exhibition -at' Nancy .—■English manufacturersdo ;a consider- . able , business in France.|. As for motors and "steam engines, it has been noticeable : recently that whilst the export of .German , motorcars, to Prance ■nas-'considerably 'diiSrihished; it is now not an uncommon sight to see an Amori'tin or. evenranVUffglish car in the Champs Jiiysees or the. Avenue du Bois. The , category.,.of.-vsteamrengines-.--, is probably ;more, important, hofreve'r';' " ; but already the day has passed 'when almost every steam roller or traction engine on French roads bore an English, trade mark.