§ MR. COCHRANE-BAILLIE (St. Pancras, N.)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Portuguese Government had paid the indemnity due to British-Indian subjects for the destruction of their property in the bombardment of Tungi and Minengani; and, if not, what steps Her Majesty's Government proposed to take to enforce their claims; and whether the Portuguese had yet evacuated the territory north of the Minengani River, as maintained both by Her Majesty's Government and by that of Germany to be her proper boundary?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester N.E.It will be seen on reference to p.p. 82 and 83 of "Africa, No. 10 of 1888," presented to the House in December last, that the Portuguese Government have declined to comply with the request for compensation made to them by Her Majesty's Government. No claim can be made according to International Law. So far as Her Majesty's Government are aware, the Portuguese Government have not evacuated the territory north of the Minengani River.
§ MR. COCHRANE-BAILLIEWas not that the opinion of Her Majesty's Government when the case was first brought forward?
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSONI think I stated at the time that whether the claims would be paid or not would depend on the circumstances of the case, and whether a notification of the bombardment had been given to Her Majesty's subjects. It appears that due notice was given, and in accordance with International Law no claim could be made.