MR. CHARLES H0USEOn behalf of the hon. Member for South Wolverhampton, I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is able to make any statement concerning a meeting of Ambassadors at the British Embassy in Washington in April 1898.
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord CRANBORNE, Rochester)The meeting which took place on the 14th April, 1898, was convened by Lord Pauncefote as Doyen of the Ambassadors at the verbal suggestion of some of his colleagues. Whatever opinions were expressed by Lord Paunce fote during the discussion, which was of an informal character, were personal to himself and not in pursuance of any instructions from Her Majesty's Government. The discussion resulted in an agreement by the Ambassadors to forward an identical telegram to their respective Governments suggesting a further 39 communication to the Government of the United States. On the receipt of this message Her Majesty's Government at once replied objecting to the terms of the proposed communication as injudicious. Two days later Lord Pauncefote was informed that Her Majesty's Government had resolved to take no action. We had at the time no information of the attitude of the German Government.
§ MR. DILLONIs the noble Lord prepared to state whether the official German statement as to what has taken place is correct or incorrect?
§ *LORD CRANBORNEI have nothing to add to the answer I have just given to the House.