§ MR. SHAW-LEFEVREsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is true that the renewed Correspondence with the United States Government on the subject of the Alabama claims has been concluded; and, if so, whether he will lay the Papers upon the table of the House?
LORD STANLEYSir, the Correspondence with the United States Government on the subject of the Alabama claims—or, I should rather say, on the subject of the claims on both sides, arising out of the events of the late war—is not at present concluded. Under these circumstances, I think it would be better to defer the publication of the papers. I may, however, perhaps take this opportunity of contradicting a report which has gone the rounds of the newspapers to the effect that communications stated to be of a very unfriendly character had been received from the Government at Washington. There is no truth whatever in such a report.