§ MR. MARKSI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state on what terms Talienwan, under the Russian occupation, will be open to foreign trade; and whether Port Arthur, under the Russian occupation, will be open to foreign trade on any terms?
MR. CURZONOn 27th January the Russian Ambassador communicated to Her Majesty's Government the assurance which I have before quoted in this House that any port acquired by Russia on the coasts of the North Pacific would be open to the ships and commerce of all the world, like other ports on the Chinese littoral. On 16th March Count Muravieff authorised Sir Nicolas O'Conor to inform Her Majesty's Government that, in the event of the Chinese Government consenting to lease to the Russian Government Talienwan and Port Arthur, both ports would be open to foreign trade like other ports in China. The telegram conveying this assurance was submitted to Count Muravieff before being dispatched, and received his approval.