HC Deb 28 July 1898 vol 63 c296
MR. J. WALTON

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will communicate to the House the reply of the Chinese Government to the application of Her Majesty's Government for full information as to whom, and on what terms and conditions, the concession for a railway from Pekin to Han-kau, in the Yang-tsze Valley, has been granted?

MR. CURZON

The reply of the Chinese Government is to the effect that the concession in question has been granted to a Belgian syndicate, and that the terms and conditions will be communicated to Her Majesty's Government as soon as they are received from Shanghai. At the same time, the Chinese Government have formally assured Sir Claude MacDonald, and have requested him to convey the assurance to Her Majesty's Government, that the Russian Government are not interested financially or otherwise in the Pekin-Han-kau line, A similar statement has been made to Sir Claude MacDonald by the Belgian Minister at Pekin.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)

May I ask if that assurance of the Chinese Government covers the Russo-Chinese Bank?

MR. CURZON

I have given the assurance in the exact terms in which it was received by us.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

Has the concession or a large portion of it been parted with to the Russo-Chinese Bank?

MR. CURZON

I have no information to that effect.