MR. GORSTasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, by a Convention of 1847, the Government of France entered into an engagement formally to acknowledge the independence of Raiatea and other of the Society Islands, and never to take possession of the said Islands, either absolutely or under the title of a Protectorate, or in any form whatever; whether, notwithstanding this Convention, the French flag has been hoisted at Raiatea; at what date this infraction of the Convention took place; and, what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to secure the due observance of the Convention of 1847 on the part of the French Government?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, the declaration of 1847 is to the effect stated by the hon. and learned Member. The French flag was hoisted over one of the Islands of the group called Raiatea by a French Naval Commander without the authority of his Government. The incident occurred in 1880. Representations were at once addressed to the French Government, who disavowed the act of their naval officer, but requested that their flag should be allowed to remain temporarily hoisted at Raiatea pending negotiations which had com- 1235 menced in relation to the declaration. This request was acceded to, and the provisional maintenance of the French flag at Raiatea has been periodically renewed during the negotiations which have been carried on with a good prospect of success.
MR. GORSTAm I right in concluding that the French flag has been flying at Raiatea from 1880 to the present time—that is to say, about five years?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEYes; that is so.