§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If his attention has been called to the great losses inflicted upon British subjects in Madagascar by the bombardments and arbitrary proceedings of the French Naval Authorities in that island, whereby trade to the amount of £750,000 per annum has been wholly stopped, and especially to a letter from the Correspondent of The Standard, which appeared on January 3rd, in which he states:—
At Mojanga and along the western coast of the island are over five hundred Chorah merchants from Bombay, regarding whose fate during the past six months their friends in India have learned little. Although British subjects, they have apparently been altogether abandoned by their Government. During my stay in Bombay, Her Majesty's Ship Euryalus arrived from Mauritius, and Her Majesty's Ship Dragon from Zanzibar and Tamatave. From the officers of these we had confirmation and more of all that has appeared in the home Press regarding the insulting attitude of the French;whether he will lay upon the Table the Despatches of Commander Johnstone, describing the insults offered to the British Consul and the British flag in July last and since that date, and the apology stated by the First Lord of the Treasury, on November 9th, to have been given by the French Government; and, what steps are now being taken to put an end to the sufferings of British subjects in Madagascar, and to secure 1201 them compensation for their heavy
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEThe attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to the losses incurred by British subjects by the existence of war in Madagascar, and they are being considered with reference to the accepted Rules of International Law bearing on the subject. A communication has been addressed to the French Government in regard to losses reported to have been suffered by British subjects at the bombardment of Vodhemar. A British man-of-war is on the Station, and the Consular staff in the Island has been strengthened. It is not intended, by producing further Papers, to revive the discussion which has been happily terminated by the expression of regret contained in the Note by M. Challemel-Lacour, printed at page 56 of the Papers which have been laid before Parliament.