§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONI beg to ask the first Lord of the Treasury whether His Majesty's Government adheres to Lord Salisbury's despatch of 14th February, 1899, to Sir C. Scott, accepting the Russian proposal for a conference to discuss the best methods of bringing about the diminution of armaments by land and sea; whether the Government has taken into consideration the resolution of the First Commission of the Hague Conference, recording its opinion that a further examination of the question by the Powers would prove a great benefit to humanity; and whether, having regard to the increased expenditure on naval armaments since the date of Lord Salisbury's despatch, the Government will take the initiative of inviting the Powers to make another attempt to deal with this question by conference or otherwise.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI must ask the hon. Gentleman to postpone this Question for a few days.