| Content Description | Reports that the Spanish Government is hesitating over whether to accept the British explanation of the comments made in the House of Lords [on the slave trade]; he has discussed this with Señor Negreti, the Minister of Grace and Justice; it should be satisfactory to the Government but the Cortes would not accept it without the despatch being called for and if produced, it would cause problems; he regrets that the issue is not settled; he stated to Mr Negreti that the Earl of Malmesbury would never retract the comments that he had made; he hopes that he will have the chance to confer with Mr Caldéron Collantes before the Spanish take any further steps in on this matter.
Believes that the best line to take on this subject is that until Spain has adopted every possible means of suppressing the slave trade, the British Government has a right to complain that Spain has not fulfilled her obligations; discusses what he will say to Caldéron Collantes. |