§ MR. LAWRENCE (Liverpool, Abercromby)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at what date communications between Her Majesty's Government and Alnamy Sammory were first initiated; and whether at any time, and, if more than once, at what dates, Alnamy Sammory has expressed his desire to Her Majesty's Government, either through official channels or otherwise, to place his dominions, or any portion of them, under the protection of the Queen?
§ BARON H. DE WORMS(who replied) said: The first occasion on which Sahmadoo sent messengers to the Government of Sierra Leone appears to have been in 1880 in reply to letters which had been sent to him and other Chiefs in the interior by Sir S. Rowe in 1879, for the purpose of encouraging trade between their countries and 1109 Sierra Leone. The next visit was in 1885, on which occasion Sahmadoo's messenger made a statement to Major Festing to the effect that his master wished to ask the Queen to take the whole of his territories under her protection. In reporting this statement in June, 1886, Sir S. Rowe stated that he did not attach much importance to it, but looked upon it as a mere expression of politeness. In March, 1886, Sahmadoo had already concluded a Treaty with the French Government by which, as they have informed Her Majesty's Government, he placed his countries under the Protectorate of France. He also made further Treaties with the French in 1887 and 1889. Sahmadoo has on subsequent occasions repudiated his Treaties with the French, and asked for British protection; but Her Majesty's Government were of course, under the circumstances of his engagements to France, debarred from complying with his request.
§ MR. LAWRENCECan the right hon. Gentleman tell me in what month of 1885 the first application was made to Her Majesty's Government?
§ BARON H. DE WORMSI cannot say without notice.
§ MR. PARKER SMITH (Lanark, Partick)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the statement in the Figaro of 23rd January, 1892, that, by an arrangement of 26th June, 1891, England recognises French possession of the sources of the Niger on the eastern frontier of Sierra Leone; what is the nature of the arrangement referred to; and whether, considering the publicity already given to the matter in France, he is prepared to lay it upon the Table of the House?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. J. W. LOWTHER,) Cumberland, PenrithMy attention has been called to the statement referred to. The arrangement mentioned is one for the purpose of delimiting a portion of the boundary between Sierra Leone and the French Protectorate, and also for delimiting a portion of the 1110 western boundary of the colony of the Gold Coast. Papers relating to the Agreement will be prepared and laid.