§ SIR JOHN HAYasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, If information has been received of a riot at Hong Kong, consequent upon the compulsory employment of Chinese labour to coal French ships employed in hostilities with China; and, whether directions will be sent to the authorities at Hong Kong and Singapore to refrain from enforcing any contract to labour which may have been entered into by our Chinese fellow-subjects, who from patriotic reasons may reasonably object to such employment?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYWe received from the Governor of Hong Kong, on the 6th of October, a telegram in which he informed us that there had been a strike of boatmen and labourers—that 100 soldiers had been quartered for four days in the Tung Wah Hospital to support the police, but that they were not required to act; that one Chinese had been killed and five Sikh constables wounded. We asked by telegram whether the Chinese labourers had been compelled to work on board French 252 ships. In reply we were informed that several persons had been fined for refusing to work for the Messageries Maritime; but that no work had been performed for other French ships. We telegraphed to ask the Governor under what law these labourers were fined; but no reply has yet been received. I must therefore ask the hon. Baronet to wait a few days for the answer to the second Question. I may add that on the 3rd of September the Governor notified to the French Admiral Lespes that the provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act must be carried out; and Admiral Lespes, in reply, gave an assurance that they would be fully respected by French ships.
§ MR. NEWDEGATEasked whether, when hostilities were being carried on between two other Powers, without a declaration of war, if this country supplied munitions for such hostilities to one of the belligerents, we might not be held responsible for such a proceeding?
§ [No reply.]