§ MR. A. M'ARTHURasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he will inform the House what is the present state of the negotiations 1849 for the improvement of commercial intercourse between the West India Islands and the United States and Canada?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEFull information respecting the negotiations for improving commercial intercourse between the British West India Colonies and the United States will be found in the Parliamentary Paper Commercial No. 4, 1885. As stated at page 22 of those Papers, Her Majesty's Government does not abandon the hope of coming to an agreement, and they are in communication with Her Majesty's Minister at Washington on the subject. There have been no negotiations with respect to Canada.