§ MR. R. G. WEBSTER (St. Pancras, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any proposition has been made by the Chinese authorities to open the port of Chung-King, on the Upper Yangtze, to Foreign trade, on different conditions to those in the Chefoo Convention of 1876?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON, Manchester, N.E.)Discussions have taken place between the Chinese Government and Her Majesty's Legation at Pekin as to the execution of that portion of the Chefoo Convention of 1876 which relates to the opening of the Port of Chung-King. Proposals have been made by the Chinese Government for a modification of this part of the Convention on terms which seem not unlikely to be acceptable, but Her Majesty's Government, who have only received a telegraphic summary, are not as yet sufficiently acquainted with the details of those proposals to communicate them to the House.