Mr. Buxton went on to state that as the general
feeling of the House was in favour of inquiry, the Government, on an early day in next Session, would appoint a Committee to consider the Convention, the regulations, and the protocol, in order to throw light on the subject, and assist the Cabinet in arriving at a conclusion. He repudiated the view that the Government had played second fiddle to Germany, or had been actuated by altruistic benevolence. On the contrary, the British delegates got all they could on behalf of Great Britain, and succeeded in securing more than they were instructed to obtain. In conclusion, he expressed the con- viction that on the commercial side of the question we should benefit under the Convention from competition. Mr. Buxton• made out a good case for the Convention, but it is significant that he failed to meet the objections based on the confusion and friction likely to arise under the new arrangement, and on the, grotesque disregard of the " One vote one value " principle• involved in the method of voting prescribed for future, Conferences. We are greatly relieved that the Convention. will not be ratified without further consideration. We await, of course, the decision of the Committee ; but as at' present advised it seems to us that it would be wiser to let the matter drop. In a year or two we shall have a better chance of coming to a satisfactory decision on the whole question.
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