§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTON (for Mr. BOURKE)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government are aware that the following Order has been issued by the Governor of Angola:—
By order of His Excellency the Governor General, I beg to inform you that Mr. Ferreiro d'Aterea, and, in his absence, Mr. Antonia Alfredo Ferreia de Carvalha, have been appointed at Banana, Congo River, by the Board of Health of Angola, to put the vise on the Bills of Health.I beg to inform you that Mr. Cartaus de Meiscida has been appointed director of the branch post office in Banana Point, Congo River, and that all correspondence that the English steamers may bring for that place has to be delivered to him;and, if so, whether the instructions issued to British officers in 1856, and confirmed by Lord Derby in 1876, viz. to oppose by force any attempt of the Portuguese to extend their dominions north of lat. 5.12 degrees are still in force?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEHer Majesty's Government have received from a private source a translation of the orders referred to, which are stated to 631 have been issued by the Governor of Angola, but they have no official confirmation of the fact. Her Majesty's Minister at Lisbon has already been instructed to make inquiries on the subject. The instructions to Her Majesty's naval officers, which were issued in 1856 and confirmed in 1876, are still in force.