§ MR. R. REIDasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If his attention has been called to a telegram which appeared in the "Daily News" on Friday last, stating that the Chinese Foreign Office had finally declined to undertake the operation of dredging the Woosung Bar; and, if he will inform the House what is the latest intelligence received at the Foreign Office on the subject, and what further steps Mr. Wade has taken to induce the Chinese Government to attend to the matter?
§ MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, the latest intelligence received at the Foreign Office with regard to the questions referred to by the hon. Member was dated Pekin, July 11, and it was not of a satisfactory character. At the same time Her Majesty's Government had no reason to think that the Chinese Government had refused to improve the Bar of the Woosung River. Under these circumstances the correspondence was still going on, and Her Majesty's Government did not yet think it necessary to decide upon what future steps they might take.