§ MR. M'ARTHURasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether a Memorial addressed to Her Majesty's Government in 1870, signed by the principal Chiefs of the Fiji Islands and the white residents therein, praying for a British Protectorate, was received by the Foreign Office; and, whether he will lay such Memorial upon the Table of the House, with Copies of any Replies that may have been given to the same?
§ VISCOUNT ENFIELDA Memorial in favour of annexation was forwarded from Fiji to Her Majesty's Government in 1870, but it was not thought advisable to reply to it, as the whole question was under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government. Since the date of the Memorial a form of government has been established at Levuka, which it was determined to treat as a de facto Government as respects matters occurring within the territory acknowledging its jurisdiction; and as no renewal of the application for annexation has been made, it would appear unnecessary to lay upon the Table the original document, which was compiled under a different state of affairs.
§ Afterwards —
§ SIR CHARLES WINGFIELDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, If he will lay upon the Table Copies of any Instructions that may have been sent to the Naval Officer commanding in the Pacific relative to the line of conduct to be adopted by commanders of Her Majesty's vessels towards the so-called Government of the Fijis?
§ MR. GOSCHENreplied that there would be no objection to lay upon the Table Copies of those Instructions.