HC Deb 12 July 1900 vol 85 cc1306-7
MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he has any know lodge of the number of guns and the quantity of ammunition which has been since 1895 exported from this country to China by Kynoch's Ammunition Company and by the Birmingham Small Arms Company, Limited.

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WYNDHAM, ) Dover

As I have already stated, there is no objection to a Return showing the total quantity of guns and ammunition of various kinds sent to China from firms in this country; but I do not think it is desirable to publish the figures for any particular firm. I may say, however, that neither of the firms named by the hon. Member manufactures guns.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

On Monday † last the hon. Gentleman told us exactly how much ammunition was furnished by a German firm; on Thursday he declines to give the same information about a Birmingham firm.

*MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the chairman of this firm is a gentleman called Arthur Chamberlain?

MR. WARNER (Staffordshire, Lichfield)

Has the importation of arms into China been stopped even now?

*MR. WYNDHAM

I must ask for notice of that. Whether we have the power to stop it involves an abstruse point of international law. As far as I know, we are not at war with China.