§ SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Russian Government have formally withdrawn the pledge which they gave to Great Britain, on the evacuation of Port Hamilton, that Russia would not occupy any port in Korea, or any port in China west or south of Korea?
MR. CURZONThe pledge was given not to Great Britain, but to China, as the then suzerain of Korea. It was to the effect that if the British Government evacuated Port Hamilton the Russian Government would not occupy Korean territory under any circumstances whatsoever. The pledge has not, so far as I am aware, been withdrawn. There was no mention of any port in China west or south of Korea.