HC Deb 26 April 1898 vol 56 cc1211-2
MR. J. M. MACLEAN (Cardiff)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if any notice was taken by Her Majesty's Government of the passage in Sir C. Macdonald's telegraphic dispatch of 31st January, in which it is stated that, in reply to the British Minister's exhortation to China to make a stand against Russian threats, the Chinese Government said that a promise of protection against Russia was the only thing that would help them?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

The request of the Chinese Government was a direct equivalent to a demand that we should guarantee Chinese territory. It is certainly not a demand which under the circumstances ought, in our opinion, to be granted.

MR. MACLEAN

Was not all that the Chinese Government asked for a promise of protection against Russia?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

Protection against any foreign Power, I presume, involves, among other consequences, guaranteeing the territory of the Power which asks for protection.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

Has the right honourable Gentleman forgotten the Resolution of the House of Commons, which declared that it was of vital importance to British interests that the integrity of China—

MR. SPEAKER

That Question is not in order.

SIR J. FERGUSSON (Manchester, N.E.)

A motion pour rire.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

Mr. Speaker, do I understand that you rule my Question out of order?

MR. SPEAKER

I do. It is in the nature of a speech, and is not a Question asking for information.

MR. MACNEILL

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury on what grounds the signature of the writer of the letter on behalf of the Marquess of Salisbury to M. de Staal, dated Foreign Office, 29th March, 1898, published in the correspondence respecting the affairs of China recently laid before Parliament, has been withheld from the knowledge of Parliament?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

The dispatch to which the right hon. Gentleman refers was signed by one of the Under Secretaries by my direction.

MR. MACNEILL

Why don't you give the name? What is the meaning of it?

MR. T. C. H. HEDDERWICK (Wick Burghs)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury why the correspondence respecting affairs in China contains no reference to the French demands upon China?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

Because the negotiations in connection with those demands have not yet reached a conclusion.