QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS. (Hansard, 20 March 1876)

§ LORD COTTESLOE

said, he rose to ask the noble Earl the Colonial Secretary a Question of which he had given him Private Notice. It was in reference to the negotiations with the French Government as to the exchange of the Gambia for the French Settlements upon the West Coast of Africa. The noble Earl the Secretary of State brought the question before the House some weeks ago; but the result of the debate was far from being satisfactory, as it did not appear from noble Lords' speeches what policy the Government intended to pursue upon this important subject. The question had rested from that time to the present without anything more having been said upon it; but it was desirable that their Lordships should know something more from the noble Earl. He now wished to learn whether the Government would consent to the appointment of a Select Committee of Members of that House to inquire into the whole question—one which involved a great many considerations not only as regarded the interests of the people of the Gambia, but also those of this country? It was said there were French settlements on the Gold Coast, but the extent of their authority was not known, nor were we informed at what places they had any military or naval stations. The question was worthy of consideration, and therefore he begged to ask, Whether the noble Earl was prepared to give any further information in regard to it, and whether a Committee would be appointed?

THE EARL OF CARNARVON

said, he knew the interest which his noble Friend took in reference to this subject, and therefore was not surprised that he should desire to have the fullest information in regard to it that could be obtained. Considering that in "another place" the Government had appointed 265 a Committee of Inquiry, it was only natural that a similar proposal should be made in this House, seeing that it was particularly strong in colonial experience and knowledge—for he saw on the opposite side of the House three ex-Secretaries of the Colonies (Earl Granville, the Earl of Kimberley, and Viscount Cardwell) and another noble Lord who had obtained great experience at the Colonial Office (Lord Blachford). Therefore a Committee appointed by this House would be eminently fitted to sift such a question. But the objection which he saw to the appointment of such a Committee was, that the Committee of one House might come to a different conclusion from the Committee of the other; though that difference of opinion would, no doubt, be useful by bringing into relief points of difficulty in the case. But since the discussion in this House the circumstances of the case had undergone a considerable alteration. The prominent feature in the statement he then made to their Lordships was as to the acquisition of the exclusive and undivided control by the British Government of the whole of the seaboard in question. Nothing short of that, in his opinion, would have satisfied the requirements of the case or would have made it desirable for them to consent to the proposed transfer. Since he made his statement further communications had passed, and it now appeared that the French Government were unwilling to give up to them that entire and exclusive control of the coast which Her Majesty's Government expected, and upon which, of course, the articles of agreement were based. Under these circumstances they had no option but to abandon the negotiations. They had always held that the bargain was eminently favourable to this country, and it was, perhaps, not to be wondered at that the French should look at it in very much the same light. He knew how important it was that a question of that sort should not be unduly kept in suspense, and he was glad his noble Friend had given him that opportunity of stating that the negotiations were at an end, and that, of course, the appointment of the Committee in the other House had been abandoned.