§ MR. T. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, (1) in the Convention between Great Britain and France, of 5th August 1890, recognising the sphere of influence of France up to a line from Say on the Niger to Baruwa on Lake Chad, drawn in such a manner as to comprise in the sphere of action of the Niger Company all that fairly belongs to the Kingdom of Sokoto, it was stipulated that this line was to be determined by Commissioners to be appointed; whether any such Commissioners have been appointed since the Convention; and, if so, whether they have made any progress towards determining the line in question; and (2) if no such Commissioners have been appointed, whether he can state the cause of the delay in their appointment?
MR. CURZONThe answer to the first question is in the affirmative, and to the second in the negative. The necessity for local delimitation owing to the relative position and distance of the two Powers on either side of the Say-Baruwa line has not hitherto been of an urgent nature, but when the Paris Conferences are over the matter will, doubtless, engage the attention of the two Governments.