§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS(The Marquess of SALISBURY)I observe that the noble Earl opposite (the Earl of Rosebery) has put down on the Paper for next week, a Notice which will involve discussion as to the New Hebrides. I do not wish to contest the Parliamentary right of the noble Earl to bring that question forward—in fact, under some circumstances it might be his duty to do so—but, perhaps, without going further into details, I should say that I think that serious public inconvenience would result from a discussion on this question at this time. I would, therefore, endeavour to persuade the noble Earl to withdraw his Notice for the present.
THE EARL OF ROSEBERYI have not the slightest hesitation whatever in replying at once to the appeal of the 219 noble Marquess. Anyone who sees the Notice I have put upon the Paper will easily perceive that it is by no means my intention to embarrass Her Majesty's Government, and I will withdraw the Notice. If I took the view of the noble Viscount the President of the Council (Viscount Cranbrook) as to our numerical powers, it would be impossible under any circumstances to embarrass Her Majesty's Government; but without entering into that, I may at once say that my one and only object in putting that Notice on the Paper was to strengthen the hands of Her Majesty's Government in dealing with what is a grave difficulty indeed. If I had brought it on. I should simply have recapitulated circumstances already well known to your Lordships—that an arrangement with regard to the New Hebrides had been entered into some time ago, and pledges constantly convoyed to the late Government by the French Government. But there is no use in doing that, if in any way it would injure the progress of negotiations. I am delighted to hear it stated that those negotiations have arrived at such a stage as to render discussion undesirable. I do not know whether before we disperse for the holidays the noble Marquess may be able to make any official statement on the matter; but I do hope that when we assemble next year, we shall know that an occupation has come to an end which has ceased, in my opinion, to have any justification at all.