§ MR. CURZON (Lancashire, Southport)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to a telegram from the Rangoon correspondent of The Times in the issue of the 28th of April, about the alleged conditions of the Anglo-Chinese Convention relating to the frontier of Burma, and whether it is true that that Convention includes the renunciation in favour of China of all British rights over the States of Monglem and Kiang Hunn, the right of free navigation of the Irrawaddy 218 to Chinese vessels, the importation dutyfree of Chinese goods into Burma for six years, while British goods will be subject to an import duty of two-thirds of 5 per cent. ad valorem, and the abandonment of Chinese claims to the region north of Bhamo; and whether the decennial tribute mission from Burma to China will be continued or will be allowed to drop?
§ * SIR E. GREYThe text of the Convention cannot yet have reached Pekin, and under the circumstances it would not be desirable in the public interest that Her Majesty's Government should make any public statement as to its provisions.