§ MR. R. FOWLERsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is true that negotiations have taken place with the view of the transfer of the Settlement of the Gambia to the Emperor of the French?
§ MR. MONSELLIn answer to the Question of the hon. Gentleman, I beg to inform him that communications have passed between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of France, having for their object the determining the limit of English and French, influ- 1843 ence on the West Coast of Africa, and that the transfer of Gambia to France is one of the steps under consideration as part of that arrangement. It may be well to state that, in 1868, the European population in Gambia numbered 39 males and eight females.
§ Afterwards—
SIR JOHN HAYsaid, he would beg to ask the head of the Government, Whether it is possible that the Settlement of Gambia, and the great arterial communication of Africa, can be conveyed to France without the consent of Parliament?
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, that though he was taken by surprise by this Question being put, still he might say that his impression was that such an arrangement could not be carried out without the consent of Parliament. He could not answer positively, but that was his impression and belief.
A little later in the afternoon the right hon. Gentleman added that what he had already said had reference to the power of the Government—to the question whether there was power in the Government or not. He added that there never had been the slightest intention of taking any proceedings of the kind without the consent of Parliament.