§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT (Monmouthshire, W.)I desire to ask the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Treasury a Question of which I have given him private notice—namely, whether arrangements have been made, or will without delay be concluded, with the Government of the United States for the settlement by arbitration of the matters in dispute respecting the boundary of Venezuela?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.In reply to the Question of the right hon. Gentleman I have in the first place to thank him for having given me timely notice of his Question. The arrangements for the conditions of arbitration with respect to Venezuela, and also with respect to other questions, are matters that both Governments have had in view in the conduct of the recent negotiations. The last communication from the Government of the United States, which arrived on Friday last, and which is now under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government, deals both with the general question of arbitration, and also with the special question connected with Venezuela. I am afraid that I cannot give the right hon. Gentleman further information, and the right hon. Gentleman, I am sure, will agree with me that to discuss negotiations that are being still conducted would not be expedient. ["Hear, hear!"]