§ MR. PEACOCKEsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Government will lay upon the table of the House, Copied of their Correspondence with the Government of the United States, and more especially that portion of it relating to the case of the Alexandra, and the claim by the United States Government for compensation for the losses inflicted by the Alabama and other Confederate cruisers? He also wished the hon. Gentleman to state what course the Government intend to take with reference to this Correspondence?
§ MR. LAYARDSir, I don't quite understand the drift of the Question of the hon. Gentleman. The Question which he has put on the Paper is, Whether the Papers connected with the Alexandra case will be laid on the table of the House? As regards the Alexandra, I need scarcely tell the hon. Gentleman that the case is still under judicial inquiry, and that consequently we cannot present the Papers to Parliament. As regards the Alabama, the Papers have been laid on the table of the House. Since these Papers have been printed others have been received, and I am not aware there is any objection to lay them also upon the table of the House. In regard to any other Correspondence, if the hon. Gentleman will point out to me to what particular Correspondence he refers, I shall be able to give him a definite answer.
§ MR. PEACOCKESir, I beg to ask the hon. Gentleman if he will place upon the table of the House the answer of Her Majesty's Government to that Despatch of Mr. Seward's, relating to the decision in the Alexandra case, which has been laid before Congress and published in the papers,
§ MR. LAYARDSir, I am advised that it is not right that any Papers upon a case under judicial inquiry should be laid upon the table of the House.