MR GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether Her Majesty's Government are aware that a sum of 8,000,000 dollars, out of the 15,500,000 awarded in 1872 by the Geneva Tribunal on the Alabama claims, to be paid by Great Britain to the United States as damages, is still in the hands of the United States Government undistributed to any claimants for compensation in respect of the acts of the Alabama, Florida, and Shenandoah; and (2) whether there is any prospect of the United States Government offering to repay to Great Britain the amount remaining unclaimed after all claims for compensation have been satisfied?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MR. G. CURZON,) Lancashire, Southporta similar Question was answered on February 17, 1891, by MR. W. H. Smith, then First Lord of the Treasury, as follows:—"It was believed from accounts which had been published in the United States that a certain portion of the sum paid by Great Britain to the United States under the award of the tribunal of arbitration at Geneva still remained in the hands of the United States Government. It would be contrary to the engagements taken by this country in the Treaty of Washington of 1871 that Her Majesty's Government should request the return of this sum."
MR. GIBSON BOWLESMay I call the right hon. Gentleman's attention to the second paragraph of my Question? I do not suggest that Her Majesty's Government should make the request, but ask whether there is any prospect of the United States Government offering it. Can the right hon. Gentleman answer that?
§ *MR. CURZONNo, Sir; I cannot speak for the United States Government. [Laughter.]