§ MR. S. E. MENDL (Plymouth)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state whether the Chinese tonnage dues levied on British shipping at the Treaty ports of Chine, will be levied at Kaiou-chau or not; and, if so, whether vessels which have been charged with such dues at Kaiou-chau and are proceeding to other Treaty ports in China will be entitled to the existing exemption for four months from further customs dues now granted to vessels which have been charged with such dues at the Treaty ports?
MR. CURZONThe German Government have given us assurances that foreign commerce will be admitted to Kiaou-chau on the most, liberal terms, but we have not yet received any particulars as to what dues will be levied.