§ MR. VERNON HARCOURTasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he intends to make provision for the payment of the sum awarded by the Tribunal of Geneva in the month of September last, out of the balance yielded by the excess of revenue collected in the current quarter; and, if so, whether any vote with that object will be proposed to the House in the course of this week before the close of the financial year on the 31st instant, at which date the surplus of the quarter will become vested and appropriated by statute to other purposes?
MR. GLADSTONESir, it is not intended to propose any Vote during the course of the present week, or with reference to the finance of the present year. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he makes his Financial Statement, will, of course, state the views of the Government with reference to the method of making provision for the sum due to America under the Award made by the Tribunal of Geneva; but I may state, what probably the hon. and learned Member may not be aware of, that if such a Vote were taken during the course of the present week, as his Question appears to suggest, it would be necessary to make the payment at once to America; for if the payment were not made at once to America, the sum must be returned to the Exchequer before the end of the financial year. And with regard to making the payment at once to America, it ought to be borne in mind that this country is already called on, as a portion of the sum we have been adjudged to pay, to pay very large sums in the shape of interest of money, although that sum for interest is not specifically due at the present time. But we have not thought it our duty to make a charge on the present year in respect of a sum, the proper time for settling which will not arise for several months.