MR. J. W. LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith)I beg to ask the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have received any information from Sir Claude Macdonald at Akassa in regard to the hostilities which are reported in the papers to-day and Saturday, and if he could state anything in regard to the general position of affairs at present existing on the Niger Coast Protectorate?
§ SIR E. GREYWe have received a telegram from Sir Claude Macdonald to 1486 say that the town of Nimbo was destroyed after sharp fighting on Friday. I regret to say that Lieutenant Taylor and two men were killed and five were wounded; but the military operations have been quite successful.
§ MR. H. LABOUCHERECan the right hon. Gentleman state how many of the natives were killed?
§ SIR E. GREYThe telegram makes no statement on that point.