§ SIR E. ASHMEAD - BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government of Japan have received the mandate of all the Powers to undertake the relief, if possible, of the Legations and the suppression of the disturbances in Northern China, and have accepted the proposal.
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe Government of Japan have received assurances from Her 775 Majesty's Government that the prompt despatch by them of a large force to Ta-ku would be welcomed by us; that no objection has been raised by any European Power to this course. Negotiations are still proceeding, and I am not in a position to make a further statement.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNOR (Liverpool, Scotland)Am I right in assuming the right hon. Gentleman to mean that the request to Japan was unanimous on the part of the Powers?
§ [No answer was returned.]