The Government of Spain did not intend, it appears, to
close all negotiations with Groat Britain for a commercial treaty, by their recent sharp note. The Spanish Foreign Secretary wrote on August 12th to say that he had meant no -offence, and hoped that negotiations would recommence, but that the benefit of the " most favoured-nation clause" could not be conceded to Great Britain until the com- mercial treaty had been signed. The Spanish Government is so strongly influenced by the Protectionists, that it may be hardly worth while to reopen the question of the Treaty ; but still there is this to be said,—that Government has, in the matter of the French Treaty, withstood the Catalonian clamour, and it might he willing to do so again, if only we could help Spain to stop smuggling via Gibraltar. That is difficult, first, because Free-trade is essential to the prosperity of Gibraltar ; and secondly, because for the exporting State to stop smuggling would be, as the Economist has pointed out, an -entirely new precedent. The rule hitherto has been that the importing State must stop it the best way it can, the exporting State giving no assistance, except by abstaining from com- plaint when its subjects are punished. Still, the position of Great Britain at Gibraltar is so peculiar and so intolerably annoying to Spain, that an unusual effort might be made. We understand the Spanish Minister to give up any demand that smuggling shall be stopped as a condition precedent, and to place that also among the subjects for negotiation.
Previous page
