§ COLONEL BARTTELOTSir, as the right hon. Gentleman has not risen to give the House or the country any information with respect to the Question asked him yesterday by my hon. Friend the Member for Waterford (Mr. Osborne) I wish to ask in what position the negotiations between this country and America stand, and in what position we now find ourselves placed within fourteen days of the expiration of the term at which the Indirect Claims must be withdrawn or not. The House has patiently waited for information on the subject; but I think the time has now arrived when the country is entitled to know in what position we may find ourselves fourteen days hence?
MR. GLADSTONESir, I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that nothing has occurred in any way to compromise the declaration we have made to Parliament—that is to say, no negotiation will be carried on between this country and the United States except 912 under circumstances which will allow Parliament to become cognizant of the nature of the negotiations, and, if it thinks fit, to express its opinion upon the result before the negotiations are finally concluded by ratification. Likewise, we have kept fully in mind the passage of time with respect to the approach of the day when the Tribunal of Arbitration will sit at Geneva, and we have taken such steps as appear to us to be required by that consideration. But early as is the day, and short as is the interval, before the meeting of the Tribunal of Geneva, the hon. and gallant Member may be aware that another event, material to the progress of this important affair, is to arrive at a still earlier date. The Session of the American House of Representatives and of the Senate is appointed to terminate on the 3rd of June—namely, on Monday next, and the hon. and gallant Member will naturally understand that the present negotiations in which the Government is engaged have reference to the early arrival of that date, when, as the arrangements of the American Government have been communicated to us, the action of the Senate would of necessity be suspended. It is with reference to an arrangement before that date that we are now carrying on communications, so that the hon. and gallant Member will not have long to wait before he receives information.