§ MR. HOGANI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether it has been brought to his knowledge that the Somalis at 402 Ras Alula, on the East Coast of Africa, seized and demanded a ransom for one of the officers of the British steamship Glengarry which was temporarily stranded in the locality; (2) whether a treaty exists by which the Sultan at Ras Alula, in consideration of a monetary allowance, bound himself to protect and assist British shipwrecked mariners; and (3) whether the experience of the officer of the Glengarry is to be taken as a sample of the assistance and protection the Sultan is prepared to render
MR. CURZONWe have no knowledge of the incident referred to in the Question, except that contained in the statement by a passenger in the vessel, which has been forwarded to me by the hon. Member. I am therefore not in a position to say whether the action of the Sultan or other chief constituted a breach of the treaty mentioned in the second paragraph.