§ MR. MOON (St. Pancras, N.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Agreement concluded on the 27th August (8th September), 1896, by the Imperial Chinese Government with the Russo-Chinese Bank is more or less comprehensive than the Statutes of the Eastern Chinese Railway Company, which were imperially confirmed on 4–16 December, 1896, and presented in an abridged translation to this House in March, 1898 [C. 8777], and whether he will obtain and supply to Members translations of the following sections of the Statutes of the Eastern Chinese Railway Company, namely, (18) Functions of Board of Management; (19) Constitution of the Board; (21) General meetings of shareholders, and the subjects that shall come under their notice; (23) Conditions under which general meetings shall be recognised as legally held; (24) Participation of shareholders in proceedings of general meetings; (25) Local management of works of construction; (26) Local management of railway when in working order; (27) Questions to be submitted for confirmation by Russian Minister of Finances; and (28) Committee of audit; and whether he will consider the question of appointing a British Consul at Vladivostock where there are already United States, French, Belgian, and German Consuls or Commercial Agents?
§ MR. BRODRICKWe have not seen the Agreement of August 27th (September 8th), 1896. Her Majesty's Ambassador at St. Petersburg will be requested to send home translations of the sections referred to, and his dispatch will be included in any further correspondence respecting China which may be 273 presented to Parliament after its receipt. The question of the possible appointment of a British Commercial Agent at Vladi-vostock has been suggested, but no decision has yet been arrived at.