§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT () Sheffield, EcclesallI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is a fact that the Chinese Government have concluded a loan for £4,500,000 with several French banks for the construction of the Pekin-Han-kau Railway, which will traverse the heart of the Yang-Tsze-Kiang Valley and connect the Pekin-Nin-chwang and Manchurian Railways on the north and the Canton-Han-kau Railway on the south; whether the lenders are to have complete control over the construction, material, working, and personnel of the Pekin-Han-kau line, and all questions of dispute are to be settled by the arbitration of the French Minister; whether the lenders have power to seize the line in case of default on the part of the Chinese Government; and what interest the Russo-Chinese Bank have in this undertaking?
§ MR. BRODRICKIf the honourable Member will refer to the Blue Book, Nos. 271 (page 185), 278 986 (page 189), 347 (page 260), and 383 (page 285) he will find full information with regard to the loan for the construction of the Pekin-Han-kau Railway, which was given to a Belgian syndicate. The contract gives the syndicate a mortgage on the line in case of default. Her Majesty's Government have no reason to think that the Russo-Chinese Bank has any share or interest in the undertaking except as agents and bankers for the Belgian syndicate.