§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government of the United States has offered its good offices to Her Majesty's Government with a view to bringing about peace in South Africa.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (MR. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.The United States Chargé d'Affaires on the 13th inst. communicated to Lord Salisbury the following telegram which he had received from Mr. Hay:—
By way of friendly good offices you will inform the British Minister for Foreign Affaire that I am to-day in receipt of a telegram from the United States Consul at Pretoria reporting that the Governments of the two African Republics request the President of the United States to intervene with a view to the cessation of hostilities; and that a similar request is made to representatives of European Powers. In communicating this request I am directed by the President of the United States to express his earnest hope that a way to bring about peace may be found, and to say that he would be glad to aid in any friendly manner to bring about so happy a result.Lord Salisbury requested Mr. White to convey to the United States Government the sincere acknowledgments of Her Majesty's Government for the friendly tone of their communication, but stated that Her Majesty's Government does not propose to accept the intervention of any Power in the South African war.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDMay I ask whether intervention was not allowed in the case of Venezuela?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!