§ CAPTAIN SINCLAIR (Forfar)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has been informed that, on or about the 18th of February 1899, the town of Iloilo, situate in the Philippines, being held by the Filipino insurgents, was shelled by the United States Navy; that the town was set on fire by the bombardment, and thereby damage was caused to buildings and property of foreign residents and merchants, chiefly English, German, French, and Swiss, the estimated value of which was about one million sterling; and that the United States Government intend to compensate traders; and, if so, whether Her Majesty's Government are aware whether claims will be dealt with by a committee appointed by the United States Government locally, or if they should be submitted to Washington; and if Her Majesty's Government are acquainted with the probable date of settlement of such claims; and, if not, will they take steps to ascertain.
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)Her Majesty's Government are aware that a certain amount of British property was destroyed by the bombardment of Iloilo. They have, however, no information with regard to the intentions of the United States Government to compensate traders. The question of these claims is under consideration, and British interests will not be lost sight of.