§ SIR RICHARD TEMPLE (Surrey, Kingston)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have information regarding recent maltreatment of British subjects in the disputed territory of Guiana; and, if so, whether any action has been taken; and whether any negotiations have taken place with a view to a settlement of the boundary and tariff questions now in dispute between the West India Colonies and Venezuela?
§ SIR E. GREYRepresentations have been received by Her Majesty's Government as to the ill-treatment of one British subject and the murder of another at El Callao, and the acting British Consul at Caracas has placed correspondence on the subject in the hands of the German Representative who is in charge of British interests in Venezuela, and who will be requested to apply for investigation of the facts, punishment of the guilty persons, and compensation to the sufferers. No recent cases of ill-treatment of British subjects on the British side of the line have been reported. With regard to the latter part of the question, no negotiations have taken place recently. The Venezuela Government are aware of the terms on which we are willing to renew diplomatic relations, and also of our readiness to resume the discussion of those conditions with any properly accredited Representative whom the Venezuelan Government may send to this country for the purpose.