§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Government has received any Report of recent disputes or hostilities between the servants of the Royal Niger Company and the King and people of Onitcha; and, whether he can give the House any information as to the cause and nature of the dispute?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)No such Report has been received. The council of the Niger Company states that there is no truth in the rumour.
§ MR. PICTONasked, whether the name "Royal Niger Company" implied that it was under the British Government, and that they were responsible for it?
§ Sir JAMES FERGUSSONreplied that the word "Royal" before the name of a Company meant that it was a Company incorporated by Royal Charter. Her Majesty's Government retained a supervision over the Company, which was obliged to render to them Reports from time to time.