§ MR. E. STANHOPEasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether the offers of the Government of the United States to negotiate a Convention with the West India Islands have been rejected by Her Majesty's Government; and, if he will lay upon the Table the Despatch from the Government of the United States offering to open negotiations for a reciprocity Treaty, and the Correspondence which has since taken place on the subject between the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, the Board of Trade, and the interests concerned?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEHer Majesty's Government have not been able to accept the draft of the Convention proposed by the late United States Government; and Lord Granville is now in communication with Her Majesty's Minister at Washington with respect to the publication of the Diplomatic Correspondence. The question of the publication of the Papers referred to by my hon. Friend must stand over until the course to be taken with regard to the Correspondence with the United States is settled.