HC Deb 04 December 1888 vol 331 cc1016-7
MR. J. M. MACLEAN (Oldham)

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, When the Correspondence between the Foreign Office and the British Consul General at Zanzibar, as to the recent disturbances on the East Coast of Africa, and the Anglo-German blockade, will be laid upon the Table; and, if the Papers will include the Proclamation issued to British Indian traders by the Consul General when the German Company took over the collection of the Sultan's revenues, exhorting them to remain under German protection, and promising them that they should enjoy perfect freedom and security in the transaction of their business?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)

The Papers are in preparation, but no day can be named. The Proclamation to which the hon. Member refers will be included in the Papers. It informed British Indians of the establishment of the German Administration, and advised them as to their status and position; but gave no exhortations nor promise of the character mentioned.

MR. J. M. MACLEAN

Will those Papers be issued before the Vote comes on?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

I cannot promise.

MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether any reply has been received to the Marquess of Salisbury's Despatch of October 29, in which the consent of the French Government is asked to an arrangement by which a mutual right of search and detention might be exercised by the two Powers over sailing vessels flying the flag of either country in the waters between the East Coast of Africa, the Comoros, and Madagascar; why it has not been included in Correspondence, Africa, No. 7, just issued; and, if no arrangement has been come to, what are the instructions under which the British Admiral is to act in dealing with suspected vessels flying the French flag?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

There has been no reply at present to the Despatch referred to. It will be seen, from the notice published to-day in The London Gazette, that an ordinary blockade has been proclaimed, which gives the right of search and detention of vessels violating it.