§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, When he expects to be able to give an account of the progress of the negotiations with France, relating to the evacuation of the New Hebrides; whether those negotiations are confined to pressing on the French Government the duty of fulfilling the engagements made regarding the New Hebrides, or embrace other questions relating to other Islands in the Pacific Ocean; and, if they do embrace such other questions, what those questions are, and what is the nature of the arrangements which have been proposed to, or are being considered by, Her Majesty's Government?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N. E.)I hope to lay upon the Table Papers showing the course of these negotiations. The negotiations as to the New Hebrides have been associated with others which had been commenced in the time of previous Governments; but Her Majesty's Government have pressed for nothing else from the French Government except a fulfilment of the formal obligations of the French Government with respect to the Now Hebrides. Her Majesty's Government are well aware that these questions have been too long at issue; they have spared no efforts to bring them to a conclusion by friendly representations; and they cannot but deeply regret the unsettled position in which they still remain.
§ MR. BRYCEasked, when the Papers would be laid on the Table; and, also, whether it was the intention of the Government that any agreement finally made should be confined to the settlement of the New Hebrides question; or whether the evacuation by France of the New Hebrides would involve the concession of something else on our part?
§ SIR JAMES FERGUSSONsaid, that Papers would be presented before the 530 end of the Session; he hoped in a few days. The settlement of the New Hebrides question, which he trusted would not be much longer delayed, would stand on its own merits; hut he did not mean to say that other Pacific questions would not be arranged; because when Earl Granville held the Seals of the Foreign Office there were negotiations on other Pacific questions; but Her Majesty's Government had held that the New Hebrides question should stand by itself.