§ MR. JENNINGS (Stockport)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, considering the gravity of the news from Washington published during the last few days, concerning the relations between the United States and Great Britain on the Behring Sea difficulty, he will communicate to the House the effect of the latest communications which have passed between the two Governments on the subject?
MR. J. W. LOWTHERThe Convention for referring to arbitration the questions in dispute between Great Britain and the United States in regard to Behring Sea was signed at Washington 1826 on the 29th February. It is now before the Senate of the United States for their assent to its ratification. Communications have been passing between the two Governments during the last few weeks as to the arrangements to be made for the approaching fishery season. This correspondence is being printed, and will, I hope, be in the hands of Members in the course of Monday. The reply to be returned to the last Note of the United States is now under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government.
§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)I should like to ask the hon. Gentleman whether the Government have received any information as to whether the Senate of the United States or the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate has agreed to ratify the Arbitration Convention?
MR. J. W. LOWTHERNo. There was a telegram in this morning's newspaper which stated that the Committee on Foreign Relations had decided to recommend the ratification of the Convention, but up to the time that I left the Foreign Office we had heard nothing from Washington to that effect.