§ SIR C. W. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether, in view of Sir Claude Macdonald's statement, that the Brass Natives have been deprived of their means of subsistence by the action of the Niger Company, and in view of the present Military operations and total destruction of the Brass towns, ho will cause immediate inquiry to be made into the alleged practice of "sniping" or shooting British-protected Brass Natives at sight when they make use of those creeks of the delta of the Niger, through which the whole of their trade has been conducted from time immemorial, and thus reach the territories of the Niger Company; and, whether it would be possible to avoid the present difficulties on the frontier of the British protectorate, and that of the territory of the Niger Company in the delta of the Niger, Informing of them a single Customs' territory without any intervening Customs' barrier, in such manner that one duty shall be levied within them, as provided in the somewhat similar case of the Gold Coast Colony and German Togoland by the 1894 Convention?
§ MR. W. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)Before the hon. Gentleman answers that 20 question, may I ask him whether it is not a fact that the recent affray was in consequence of an attempt to introduce intoxicating drink into the country, contrary to the regulations of the Royal Niger Company?
§ SIR E. GREYThe first paragraph of the question conveys a very grave accusation, which cannot be entertained without some evidence. The whole question of the outbreak—who was responsible for it, how the arms of precision were supplied to the natives, and how just grievances can be remedied, will be fully considered when details are received. In answer to the supplementary question, I am aware that the statement which the hon. Member has just made has been made by others, but that, of course, will be inquired into when the inquiry is made to which I have referred.
§ SIR G. BADEN-POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)May I ask whether the inquiry will be conducted in England, or oil the spot?
§ SIR E. GREYOn the spot, certainly.