MR. STAVELET HILL (Staffordshire, Kingswinford)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Correspondence in the Foreign Office discloses any claims made by the French Government upon the British Government with reference to establishments or settlements upon the Western Coast of Newfoundland between the years 1783 and 1834; and if there should be any such Correspondence, if he will lay the same upon the Table of the House?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONAs a matter of fact, there are not to be found in the Foreign Office Correspondence any claims made by the French Government with regard to establishments or settlements on the western coast between the years 1783 and 1834, but there are records of such claims in the Colonial Office Correspondence made by the French Naval Commandant to the Governor in 1784. There is Foreign Office Correspondence in 1789 as to the exclusive right of fishery, and in 1831. With regard to presenting them to Parliament, it is not thought desirable to make a preliminary and partial publication of Papers which it will probably be necessary shortly to lay before the arbitrators.