§ SIR C. W. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the newly appointed Consul of the United States for Madagascar has abstained from applying for the exequatur through the medium of the French Resident General, and has referred back to his Government for further instructions; and whether it would be possible for Her Majesty's Government to cause inquiry to be made on the spot into the existing position of affairs in Madagascar, and to place themselves in communication with the Government of the United States with a view to joint action in respect to Madagascar, in which the two Powers have equal commercial and other interests?
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY,) Northumberland, BerwickIt is understood that the United States Consul has not yet applied for an exequatur, but Her Majesty's Government have no knowledge of his communications with his Government. The existing position of affairs is so well known that a local inquiry is superfluous. In view of the position of France as the protecting Power, Her Majesty's Government cannot adopt the suggestion in the second paragraph of the question.