§ MR. BADEN-POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, in the correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and the United States, any arrangements have been suggested or arrived at as to the representation of the British West Indian Colonies at the Conference on Trade Arrangements among all American communities, about to be held at Washington; and, whether Her Majesty's Government intend to take part in that Conference on behalf of British communities in America?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY or STATE (Mr. BRYCE) (Aberdeen, S.)All that Her Majesty's Government know about the proposed Conference referred to in the Question is that a Bill is now pending in the United States Congress authorizing the President of the United States to invite delegates from each of the Republics of Mexico, of Central and South America, Hayti, San Domingo, and from the Emperor of Brazil, to meet delegates on the part of the United States to deliberate on questions and measures for the mutual interest and common welfare of the American States. The British West India Colonies are not mentioned, or is Her Majesty's Government included in the invitation suggested by the Bill; but as the project is still merely in the stage of a Bill, which may or may not pass, and on which, if it passes, the President of the United States may or may not take action, the matter is evidently too hypothetical to make it necessary for Her Majesty's Government to express any opinion upon the objects contem- 249 plated in the measure, or, indeed, to arrive at any decision whatever regarding it.