§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government has received any information respecting the Government caravan carrying up pieces of the steamer William Makinnon, which started from the coast with 400 porters, of whom only 150 returned, as reported by Bishop Tucker; if so, how many of these porters were slaves; what was the weight of load actually carried per man; and what was the estimated number of deaths, desertions, and loss of loads?
MR. CURZONThe steamer for Lake Victoria is being conveyed to the lake, not by Government carriers, but by contract with Messrs. Smith, Mackenzie, of Zanzibar. We do not know how many of the porters have returned, nor how many deaths or desertions there have been in the caravan. All porters are voluntarily engaged for a fixed wage, and no question is raised as to whether they are slaves or freemen. The usual weight of load per man is 65 lbs. It has been reported that sonic loads are missing, but it is thought that they may still be found on the way.