§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether her Majesty's Government have received any confirmation of the statement, made by the Paris correspondent of the "Times." that M. Tricou, the new French Minister to China, had told the Viceroy at Shanghai that the French officers "have had instructions to shoot any Chinaman taken in arms in the Annamite ranks;" and, whether, seeing that Annam is under the protectorate of China, such a proceeding would not be a violation of International Law; and, if so, whether friendly representations have been or will be made by Her Majesty's Government to France in the interest of peace between that Power and China, with a view to the withdrawal of the instructions referred to?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICENo, Sir; no confirmation of the statement has reached Her Majesty's Government, and there has been no question of making representations to France on the subject.