§ MR. R. A. YERBURGH (Chester)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether it is the case, as has been stated, that the Viceroys of Nanking and Hupei and the Governor of Hunan have agreed to direct the affairs of the Yang-tze Valley from Nanking, irrespective of the Emperor's orders, and not to allow the Emperor any voice in the affairs of the government of the central and western provinces; (2) whether Russia has been giving assistance to the Korean Government in the form of the Palace guard, army instructors, and financial adviser; and (3) whether she has now withdrawn such assistance?
MR. CURZONWe have had no confirmation of the report mentioned in the first paragraph; and in a telegram dated 22nd March Sir Claude MacDonald informed us that nothing was known at Peking of the imminence of extensive rebellion as reported from Shanghai. The answer to the second and third questions is in the affirmative.