§ EARL RUSSELLwished to ask the noble Earl at the head of Her Majesty's Government, Whether any final answer had been received from the United States Government in reference to the Alabama, Claims, or whether negotiations were still going on?
§ THE EARL OF DERBYsaid, that the Government of the United States had admitted the principle of arbitration, but as yet no agreement had been arrived at with regard to the points to be referred. Her Majesty's Government asked for a specific statement of the points to be referred to arbitration; but it was contended by the United States Government, on the other hand, that the whole of the correspondence which had passed between the two countries should be submitted to arbitration. Of course, there were questions which Her Majesty's Government could not consent to have so treated; but he might say that the whole of the negotiations had been carried on in a spirit which was likely to lead ultimately to a satisfactory termination.