MR. CURZON (Lancashire, Southport)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is true that a Protocol has been signed with the French Government, constituting a buffer State between British and French territory on the Upper Mekong; whether this Agreement involves the assignment of the buffer State so created to China; whether the geographical limits of the buffer State have been already determined or are to be fixed by delimitation on the spot; and when Her Majesty's Government will be able to lay the promised Papers upon the Table?
§ SIR E. GREYA Protocol has been signed, and a Despatch from Lord Dufferin inclosing the full text of the Agreement will be laid on Monday next. In the meanwhile, it would not be convenient to make any partial statement as to its provisions. But I may state that it has been found impossible, without further geographical and ethnographical information, to fix the exact limits of the proposed State, and that no definitive agreement has yet been arrived at as to placing it under the control of China. Further Papers relative to the affairs of Siam are in course of preparation, and will be laid as soon as circumstances will permit.