MR. BRYN ROBERTSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether, seeing that Her Majesty carries on her diplomatic intercourse with all other Republics through the Foreign Office, he will explain why a difference is made in the cases of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State; and, whether, on various occasions, these States have protested against the present system, and have expressed a desire to be in communication with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI understand that no protests have been made against the present system during the last twenty years, and Her Majesty's Government see no reason to change that system, which is founded on considerations of convenience and public policy.