§ MR. YERBURGHI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Port Arthur is the naval base of defence of Pekin; whether it commands the Treaty ports of Cheefoo, Tientsin, Neuchwang; whether it is the only port in China with a dock capable of taking modern warships of considerable burden; and whether the harbour of Talienwan is as good as that of Port Arthur, and how far Talienwan is from Port Arthur and from the sea on the west?
MR. CURZONThe Questions of my hon. Friend appear to relate either to matters of fact which can be ascertained from other sources, or to matters of opinion upon which in the present circumstances I must decline to pronounce.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI rise to order. I wish to ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether a Minister is justified in this House in referring a Member, in answer to a Question, to "other sources"; and whether we have not a right to ask Ministers for definite replies as to matters of fact?
§ MR. SPEAKERUndoubtedly. The right hon. Gentleman is perfectly entitled to give such an answer. It is frequently done by Ministers in reply to Questions which merely refer to matters which can be ascertained from other sources.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI would ask the right hon. Gentleman if he would be so good as to refer us to the sources from which we may obtain the information asked for in the Question?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI do not know where the information is to be obtained.