§ SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information to give the House regarding the presence of Russian forces at the capital of Korea; and whether the agreement entered into by the Russian Government not to occupy any port in Korea when Great Britain withdrew from Port Hamilton is still binding?
MR. CURZONWe have received no further information than that which I gave in reply to a question on Tuesday, but have telegraphed to Her Majesty's Consul General at Soul. Her Majesty's Government consider that the pledge given by the Russian Government in 1886 not to occupy Korean territory under any circumstances whatsoever is still binding.