§ MR. DILLWYNasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the Correspondence which has recently passed between Her Majesty's Government and the other European Powers relative to the assembling of the Congress at Berlin?
§ MR.W. E. FORSTERBefore the right hon. Gentleman answers that Question, perhaps he will allow me to put one of which I have given him private Notice, and that is, Whether it is the intention of the Government to lay any further Papers on the Table of the House, or make any statement which would give any information to the House and the country as to the policy the Government go into the Congress with?
§ MR. HAYTERalso asked, Whether the right hon. Gentleman is now able to give to the House the names of the Plenipotentiaries selected to represent the Great Powers at the approaching Congress at Berlin; whether any Power other than England will be represented by its Prime Minister, its Foreign Secretary, and an Ambassador; and whether he can give the House any assurance that questions of the highest importance to this Country will not be finally decided in the Congress, except on the collective responsibility of the whole Cabinet?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI may, perhaps, be allowed to answer the Questions of the hon. and gallant Gentleman (Mr. Hayter) first, at least in part. We have not received full information respecting the Plenipotentiaries deputed by the various Powers to attend the Congress. We know that France sends M. Waddington, Foreign Secretary, and Count St. Vallier, Ambassador at Berlin; Italy, Count Corti, Foreign Secretary; Russia, Prince Gortchakoff, Chancellor; Count Schou- 1253 valoff, Special Envoy; M. d'Oubril, Ambassador at Berlin; and Turkey, Sadyk Pasha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Caratheodory Effendi. Austria and Germany will, of course, be represented by Count Andrassy and Prince Bismarck, who are Chancellors of their respective Empires. We have no information as to those who will be associated with them at present. The Times gave a long list of the Austrians yesterday or the day before. With regard to the Question which has been put to me as to the production of Papers, I have to say that it is not now possible to lay any further Papers on the Table; nor do I think there is occasion for any formal statement of the policy of Her Majesty's Government beyond that which is contained in the various Papers which have, from time to time, been presented to Parliament. I would refer especially to the Circular Despatch of my noble Friend (the Marquess of Salisbury), with regard to the Treaty of San Stefano, which Treaty will be the subject for discussion in the Congress. From that Despatch and from the statements which have, from time to time, been made in this House and elsewhere by Her Majesty's Government, its general views may, it seems to me, be sufficiently ascertained. The Plenipotentiaries who will represent England will be furnished with instructions drawn up by the Cabinet. In answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Bath, I may say that, undoubtedly, the questions to be decided in the Congress, so far as this country takes part in them, will be decided on the responsibility of the collective Cabinet. I do not know that I can say anything more, except that it would not be according to precedent, while it would certainly be inconvenient, to lay any further Papers on the Table at the present moment. When, however, the labours of the Congress have been brought to a termination, all the information which can properly be given will be laid before the House.