§ Mr. FELLasked if the Foreign Secretary has received through the Ambassador at Washington any report or papers referring to an inquiry and Report said to have been made by the Senate of the United States attributing the rise in recent 1161 years in the cost of food and the necessaries of life to the greatly increased production of gold and the depreciation in the value of gold; and if such Papers can be presented to the House?
§ Sir E. GREYMy attention has been called to a telegram which has appeared in the Press stating that the President of the United States has sent a message to Congress transmitting the first instalment of the information gathered by the Consular Service as to the cost of living. I have not so far received anything from His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington, but have already instructed him to procure a copy of the message if possible.
§ Mr. FELLMay I ask whether that is all the right hon. Gentleman has done; and whether there were not, about a year or eight months ago, statements in the Press that a report had been issued by the Senate at Washington. Will the right hon. Gentleman also make inquiry as to that?
§ Sir E. GREYI will look into that, but we have had no official communication on the subject direct.