§ SIR C. W. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, as the Government have informed the House that the British South Africa Company are responsible for the maintenance of peace and order in the territories comprised within their Charter, the Foreign Office will act upon a similar view as regards those of the territories comprised in the Charter of the Imperial British East Africa Company from which the Company has not retired; and whether Her Majesty's Forces are now carrying on operations at any places within the territory still nominally under the control of the Company?
§ *SIR E. GREYHer Majesty's Government hold the Imperial British East Africa Company responsible for the due execution of the terms of their Charter in the territories from which they have not yet retired. One of Her Majesty's ships was sent to Kismaya on an emergency for the protection of British life and property; but it is understood that the operations are now over, and the reply to the last paragraph of the question is, therefore, in the negative.