§ MR. KIMBER (Wandsworth)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether it is true, as stated in a telegram from Amsterdam in Monday's Times, that—
Owing to the friendly intervention of the Transvaal Government, the British Government had declared that it would never seek to obtain paramount influence over the railway from Delagoa Bay to the Transvaal Frontier in any way,and that—A like understanding had been given by the Cape and Natal Governments?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)(who replied) said: What took place was this. The High Commissioner has declared to the President of the South African Republic that Her Majesty's Government have no intention to buy or acquire the Portugese Delagoa Bay Railway, nor the controlling power in the Company to which it belongs. The President has stated, on the other hand, that the South African Republic has no intention to impose duties on imports by Colonial routes other than those imposed by the Delagoa route. The Secretary of State has no knowledge of "anything like understanding" said to have been given by the Cape and Natal Governments; but it is believed that those Governments have no intention of taking any action to buy or obtain control over the railway.