§ MR. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether the statement in the Press that an International Conference on the subject of signalling at sea, in pursuance of the Act which recently passed the United States Congress, will be held on October 1 next is correct; when the proposed Conference will be held; what steps will be taken by the Board of Trade to appoint Representatives to the Conference; and, whether Her Majesty's Government propose to include among such Representatives one or more experienced captains of steamers who have special knowledge of the present conditions of steam navigation in the North Atlantic?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.), in reply, said, he understood that a Bill on this subject had been passed by the United States Legislature; and, writing on June 26, the British Minister at Washington stated that the Bill then awaited 1746 the signature of the President. Her Majesty's Government had as yet received no invitation to attend the Conference; and until they did so, and knew the scope and objects of the Conference, it would be premature to make any statement on the subject.