§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)On behalf of the hon. Member for East Mayo, I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been directed to the fact that Admiral Kempff has reported to the 417 Government of the United States that ho had declined to join in the demand for the temporary occupation of the Ta-ku Forts because it endangered the lives of people in the interior in advance of absolute necessity, for up to 17th June the Chinese Government had not committed, so far as he was aware, any act of open hostilities towards the foreign armed forces; and whether the Foreign Office are still without any information as to the refusal of the American Admiral to join the other Admirals in the demand for the surrender of the Ta-ku Forts.
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordWe have no information to the effect suggested in the first part of the question. In a report which reached the Admiralty on the 31st July, Roar-Admiral Bruce states that though Rear-Admiral Kempff attended the Council of the Admirals on each occasion, he did not sign the protocols, and informed Rear-Admiral Bruce that he was unable to take any action, not having received authority from Washington to do so.
MR. SWIFT MACNEIELHaving regard to that answer, does the right hon. Gentleman adhere to his statement of 3rd July that the American Admiral acted absolutely in concert with the other Admirals?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! It is irregular to refer to a previous answer and to proceed to argue on it.