§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Government have received any information bearing on the news brought by the Royal Mail Steamer Benguela, which arrived in the Mersey on Saturday last—namely, that the excitement caused among the Natives in the Congo territory by the proposal to hand them over to the Portuguese was increasing, and had already spread beyond the district proposed to be ceded?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICENo information of the nature alluded to 435 has been received by Her Majesty's Government.
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLAre the Government going to take any steps to ascertain the feeling of the Natives?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICENo doubt a Report will be made upon the subject by Her Majesty's Consul.
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLIs the noble Lord aware that this is the second Royal Mail steamer that has arrived at Liverpool bearing this information; and does he not think the news of sufficient importance to justify his making inquiries?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEWhether the news is important or not is naturally a question of opinion; and anybody, including Her Majesty's Government, can form their own opinion.
§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFHave the Government received any Report from Her Majesty's Consul on the subject?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEIn Mr. Cohen's last Report there was no information bearing upon this particular point.
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLHas the noble Lord, whose replies are exceedingly brief, caused any inquiry to be made as to the state of native feeling?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEI have already answered that. ["No!"] With regard to the question of Native feeling, there have been several Questions put in this House, and the attention of the Government has naturally been drawn to the subject throughout the negotiations.
§ MR. GIBSONHave the Government lost any of their sympathy for Native races since Tuesday last?