§ MR. ARTHUR COHENasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is true, as lately reported from Gibraltar, that Her Majesty's Government have declined to cooperate with the German Government in sending a ship of war to punish a tribe on the West Coast of Africa who had been guilty of attacking a crew of a shipwrecked vessel; or, if not, what action Her Majesty's Government has taken in the matter?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKESir, a German steamer, the Carles, having been plundered and the crew ill-treated by some savages on the Liberian coast, the German Government have sent the Victoria to exact a reparation, and Count Minister has asked that the British authorities on the coast may be instructed to give all assistance in their power to the commander of this vessel. To this Her Majesty's Government have agreed, and instructions have already been sent to the Governor of Sierra Leone and the senior naval officer. The active co-operation of Her Majesty's Government was not asked, and there is consequently no foundation for the statement that it was refused. I may add that the German Government hate given positive assurances that they do not wish to engage in military operations against Liberia, but that they wished to induce the Liberian Government to assist in punishing the savages.