§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Russian Minister at Pekin has renewed his protest against the conditions of the Chinese North Eastern Railway Extension Loan: and whether the Russians have 20,000 soldiers near Kirin, the capital of Manchuria, and are everywhere acting as if they were owners of the country?
§ MR. BRODRICKSo far as we are aware, the protest of the Russian Minister has not been renewed. It is understood that his representations to the Chinese Government were made with the object of calling their attention to the tendency which it appeared to the Russian Government had been displayed in the Loan Agreement of not keeping to their prior engagements with Russia; and not with the object of opposing the conclusion of a loan in England for the construction of the railway. The information in our possession does not lead us to believe that there are 20,000 Russian troops at Kirin.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTDo I understand that the protest referred exclusively to matters within the Russian sphere of influence?
§ [No Reply.]
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI wish to ask either the Under Secretary for War or the First Lord of the Treasury whether we are to understand from the reply that the Russian Government have withdrawn their objection to the conditions of the Northern Railway Extension in the two principal details— namely, the objections to a British engineer and to a chartered accountant.
§ MR. BRODRICKI must ask my honourable Friend to give notice of the Question.