§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if it is a fact that Her Majesty has had no Minister in Venezuela since 1887, owing to the action of the then President of the Republic; and if he can cause an unofficial representation to be made to the new President, General Crespo, by the friendly offices of Count Kleist, the Gorman Minister, who extends his courtesies to British residents at, Caracas, that Her Majesty would be willing to resume diplomatic relations should a wish to that effect be expressed by the Government of the Republic and a friendly reception assured to Her Majesty's Envoy?
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY,) Northumberland, BerwickDiplomatic relations with Venezuela were suspended on the 21st of March, 1887, and have not yet been resumed. Her Majesty's Government are desirous of a friendly and equitable settlement of the questions at issue between the two countries, and their views on this matter have on more than one occasion been communicated to the Venezuelan Government. As recently as last year negotiations were carried on with a special Venezuelan Envoy who visited England, 1430 but they proved unsuccessful. As the Venezuelan Government are already aware of the views of Her Majesty's Government, it is not considered necessary to make a special representation to General Crespo on the subject.