HC Deb 06 June 1899 vol 72 cc440-1
SIR EDWARD GOURLEY

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will be good enough to in- form the House whether the Anglo-American Commission is to re-assemble; if so, when; can he state the nature and extent of the differences alleged to exist between the American and Canadian members of the Commission; and whether the whole or any portion of the points at issue are to be referred to arbitration.

MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN

In reply to the first two questions I have nothing to add to the answers given by the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Before the Commission adjourned proposals and counter proposals were made by the British and United States Commissioners for referring the question of the Alaska boundary to arbitration, but they had been unable to agree as to the arbitral tribunal and the terms of reference. Negotiations on this question are still proceeding between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government.