MR. J. L. WALTON (York, W. R., Barnsley)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the French Government, under Article IV. of the Declaration between Great Britain and France, signed at London on 15th January, 1896, agreed that all railway concessions and all commercial and other privileges and advantages conceded, or which may in the future be conceded, in the two Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Szechuen shall be extended and rendered common to Great Britain and to their nationals and dependents; and whether by the same article the French Government engaged to use its influence and good offices with the Chinese Government for this purpose?
MR. CURZONThe hon. Member has correctly cited the terms of Article IV. of the Anglo-French Declaration about Siam, with, one exception—namely, that the words "as far as rests with, them" should have appeared in the eleventh line between the words "shall" and "be."