HC Deb 24 April 1883 vol 278 cc1058-9
MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government still adhere to the statements made by Lord Granville in his Despatch of October 7th 1882, to Lord Lyons, that— Her Majesty's Government recognise the Queen of Madagascar absolute Monarch of the whole Island, and are unaware of any Treaty stipulations in virtue of which the French Government could properly claim territorial jurisdiction over any part of the mainland of Madagascar?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

I must refer the hon. Gentleman to my previous answer to the same Question, which was put on his behalf on the 2nd instant. The position of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the French claims is fully shown in the Papers already presented to Parliament.

MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

said, that he had repeated the Question because the noble Lord did not answer it before. As he could not obtain a simple statement from the noble Lord as to the views of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the Sovereignty of the Island, he should repeat the Question to the Prime Minister at an early date.