§ MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydfil)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any, and, if so, what reply has been received to the representations made by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the French Government in July, 1898, that their action in greatly increasing the 464 import duties upon the principal articles of British manufacture was a further infraction of British rights in Madagascar, inconsistent with the international rights of this country, and with the assurances given by the Government of the Republic.
§ * MR. BRODRICKNO direct reply has been received to the representations made in 1898, the French Government having stated that they adhered to the reply upon the subject which was made by Monsieur Hanotaux on the 23rd April, 1897. This reply has already been laid before Parliament.