§ SIR JOSEPH PEASEasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he has any Papers relative to the Chefoo Convention, or any information thereon, to lay before Parliament; whether he has any information of negotiations with the Chinese Government for the alteration of duties levied on opium under the Treaty of Tientsin, or of the "Li-kin" duties, which he can lay before Parliament; whether, in accordance with his expectation expressed on the 4th of June 1880, he received by the French Mail, which left Shanghae on the 19th of May, a compromised agreement between Sir Thomas Wade and the Chinese Government in which the representatives of other Powers had concurred; whether, on the 15th of July 1880, he did not state that he expected to receive, on the 18th of July, Despatches, and then would consider whether any further Papers could be presented to Parliament; whether, on the 27th of August 1880, he stated that Despatches had not reached the Foreign Office at the end of July, and that Sir 1965 Thomas Wade had replied, in answer to instructions, that the Report was not completed; whether Sir Thomas Wade, in a Despatch to the Marquess of Salisbury dated the 19th of January 1880, having stated—
I shall submit to your Lordship some observations on this subject (Chefoo Convention) in a separate Despatch;whether such a Despatch has ever arrived; whether in January 1881, he stated that negotiations respecting Opium were now pending, that discussions had been opened, and were still proceeding, between Her Majesty's representatives at Pekin, and the Chinese Government, in relation to Inland taxation and other matters, and whether these discussions are still proceeding; whether, on 12th August 1881, he did not state that Her Majesty's Government have received information of an increase in the Inland Tax on Opium being under the consideration of the Chinese Government, and whether such deliberations have been brought to a close; whether, on the 28th of February 1882, he did not state that, until negotiations are concluded between the Governments of England and China, it would be inconvenient to produce further Papers; whether, on the 24th of April 1882, he did not state that Sir Thomas Wade telegraphed on the 9th of February 1882, that he was reporting fully, and that Her Majesty's Government were then awaiting his Report, and whether that Report has been received; whether, on the 14th of April 1882, Lord Granville did not write a Despatch to Sir Thomas Wade on the subject of Opium duties, to which his Lordship asked a direct reply by telegraph from Sir Thomas Wade, and whether such a telegraphic reply has ever been received; and, whether, in view of this constant delay, he will explain to the House what course Her Majesty's Government intend to take?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEPapers on the matters referred to in the first two Questions of the hon. Member are being prepared, and will shortly be laid on the Table of the House. The expected Report by the French mail from Shanghai of the 19th of May, 1880, was not received by that mail, and it referred to a proposal which had not been submitted to the Representatives of the other Powers. With regard to Ques- 1966 tions Nos. 4 and 5, I did make the statements therein mentioned. The despatch alluded to in Question No. 6 was dated the 31st of January, 1880, and a preliminary Report was afterwards received. The negotiations referred to on the 18th of January, 1881, which had been opened between the Chinese Government and the French Representative respecting Inland taxation and other matters have not as yet led to a definite result. Her Majesty's Government do not know whether those negotiations are still proceeding. I did make the statement mentioned on the 12th of August, 1881; but Her Majesty's Government do not know whether the deliberations of the Chinese Government on the point referred to have been brought to a close. With reference to Questions 10 and 11, I did make the statement mentioned, and Sir Thomas Wade's Report has been received. The despatch of Lord Granville to Sir Thomas Wade referred to asked for a telegraphic reply to a particular inquiry, and that reply was received accordingly. Papers are about to be laid before Parliament, and, in the meanwhile, Her Majesty's Government are considering the course they will pursue.