§ MR. DIXON-HARTLANDasked the First Lord of the Treasury, If his attention has been called to the article in The National with regard to the recent Treaty of Tien-Tsin, in which it is stated that the French "do not plume themselves on an exaggerated Liberalism in tariff matters; and, though they will not shut out Foreign trade from their new markets, yet they will make it pay its share of the expenses of the conquest and occupation;" whether the freedom of commerce in the provinces of Southern China will, in future, be hampered by prohibitive duties, and henceforth dependent on the goodwill of France; whether China has infringed the letter of her engagements with other Powers by her concession of exclusive rights to 676 France; and, whether he will take any steps, and, if so, what, to prevent the destruction of British interests?
MR. GLADSTONEI have not seen the article to which the Question refers, and Her Majesty's Government, I find, upon reference to the Foreign Office, are not in full possession of the details of the Treaty reported to have been recently concluded between France and China. I therefore think it would be quite premature to give any account of that Treaty.