HC Deb 20 November 1882 vol 274 c1706
SIR HENRY HOLLAND

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any communication has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the French Government with respect to the alleged treaties made by M. de Brazza on behalf of the latter Government and some chiefs of Congo; and, whether he can state the nature of such communication? Perhaps the hon. Baronet will also kindly state whether it is true, as stated in the French papers, that Urgency has been voted in the French Chambers for the discussion of a Bill empowering the French Government to ratify those Treaties?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, with regard to the last Question of the hon. Baronet, I have seen the statement in the French papers to which he refers; but I have not seen Lord Lyons's report on the subject. With respect to the Question which the hon. Baronet has placed on the Notice Paper, I have to say that communications are passing between the two Governments on the subject of the Treaties stated to have been made by M. de Brazza; but the Correspondence is not yet in a state for publication.