§ MR. HEDDERWICK (Wick Burghs)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether French troops are still in occupation of posts within the area of the British West African Protectorate, declared and announced to France by Her Majesty's Government on 1st January, 1895; and whether, before entering into the negotiations now proceeding with France for an amicable settlement of disputed territorial claims in West Africa, Her Majesty's Government made any request for the withdrawal by France, pending the negotiations referred to, of the French troops then in occupation of places within the British Protectorate declared and announced to France as stated?
MR. CURZONWill the honourable Gentleman allow me to remind him that I have more than once stated that, while negotiations with France are pending, I cannot undertake to make any statement upon the matters in dispute?
§ MR. HEDDERWICKCannot the right honourable Gentleman make a statement as to what transpired before the negotiations? That is the purport of the second paragraph of the Question.
MR. CURZONNo, Sir. It is precisely the matters that happened before that which are now under discussion at Paris.