MR. LESLIEsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If it is the case that Mr. Lay, after being dismissed by the Chinese Government from the office of Inspector General of Customs, has been appointed by Sir Frederick Bruce to act as Chinese Secretary to the British Legation?
§ MR. LAYARDbegged to say, in reply, that no information of the kind referred to had been received by Her Majesty's Government; on the contrary, as far as he was aware, Mr. Lay was now on his way back to England.