§ SIR EDWARD GREY (Northumberland, Berwick)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether Her Majesty's Government have received any notification from the French Government of a modification of the French Protectorate over Madagascar; and, if so, whether he can give a definite assurance that British Treaty rights, as guaranteed by the Declarations of 5th August 1890 will be maintained?
MR. CURZONOn February 11 Lord Salisbury received a note from the French Ambassador, stating that in consequence of difficulties that had arisen in the exercise of their Protectorate, the French Government had been forced to military intervention in Madagascar, and had been impelled to occupy the island and to take possession of it. It is understood that a similar note was addressed to the other Powers. Lord Dufferin was instructed to ask what was implied by this phrase. No reply has yet been received, but it is understood from a recent speech by the French Minister for Foreign Affairs that a notification respecting the Treaties with Foreign Powers is about to be made by the French Government. Until this has been received and examined, it would be premature to make any statement on the subject.