§ MR. PROVAND (Glasgow, Blackfriars)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, within a few days after signing the recent railway agreement of 28th April last between this country and Russia, the Russian Minister at Pekin made a demand on the Chinese Government for a concession for a branch railway from a point on the Trans-Manchuria Railway to Pekin, so as to connect Port Arthur and Pekin; whether the Chinese Government refused this demand; whether our representative at Pekin has conveyed to the Chinese Government an assurance given by Count Muravieff to our Ambassador at St. Petersburg that Russia had not demanded a concession, but only made a friendly request that China should concede in principle the right to build such a railway when applied for by Russian subjects; whether our Government knew of the intention of Russia to make this demand or friendly request when they signed the railway agreement of 28th April; and whether all the papers connected with this matter will be laid upon the table of the House before the Foreign Office Estimates come up for consideration?
§ MR. BRODRICKThe answer to questions 1 and 2 is in the affirmative. As regards the remaining questions, communications have been and are passing between the two Governments. I hope to present papers relating to the Northern Railway before the Foreign Office Vote is discussed next week; but it will not be possible to include those relating to the subject matter of this question, which is still under discussion.