§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he has yet received the Report of the Committee of inquiry as to the case of the Cuban Refugees; and, if so, whether he will lay it upon the Table of the House?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYNo, Sir; we have not yet received the Report of the Committee of Inquiry. The latest telegram we have received from Lord Napier arrived this morning, and is to the following effect;— 1791
Committee have completed inquiry; evidence very voluminous; Attorney General hopes to deliver Report next Friday; will be forwarded as soon as possible.From this I gather that the Report will reach us about the middle of next week.
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What steps the Government have now taken to secure the release of the Cuban refugees by the Spanish Government; and, whether he will lay all the Correspondence between the British and Spanish Governments upon the Table of the House?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEIt is too soon to make a statement upon this subject, as we have not yet seen the Report of the Inquiry.
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSWhat Inquiry does the hon. Baronet refer to?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI mean the Inquiry which is being held at Gibraltar. We cannot make any formal application to the Spanish Government until we know the result of the Inquiry.
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSWill the hon. Baronet state what Correspondence has passed between the British and the Spanish Governments on the subject up to the present time?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKENo, Sir; it is quite impossible to do so, as we have been asked by Her Majesty's Minister at Madrid not to make any statement.
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSI will repeat my Question on Friday.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEIt will be impossible to make a statement on Friday, because, as I have said, Her Majesty's Minister at Madrid has asked us, in the interests of this Question, not to make any statement until the matter is completed by the result of the Inquiry.
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSThe result of the Inquiry, if not known now, could be made known by telegraph by Friday. I shall repeat the Question on that day to both hon. Members.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked whether Her Majesty's Government had any assurance from the Spanish Government that the refugees would not be maltreated until the Report of the Inquiry had been received?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEThat is not a Question growing out of the Question on the Paper.