§ MR. JOSEPH WALTON (Yorkshire, W. R., Barnsley)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the grave situation in China, he will give the House full details of the considerable reinforcements of men and ships which he stated were on their way to China, in addition to the increases previously announced; and whether Her Majesty's Government have decided to further augment our naval and military forces in the Far East for the protection of the lives and property of British subjects.
* THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE, FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BROD- RICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe, reinforcements in ships which have been sent out to China since the present outbreak consist of: "Goliath," battleship; "Argonaut," "Ms," "Dido," "Marathon," "Wallaroo," "Arethusa," and "Mohawk," cruisers; "Lizard," "Bramble," and "Britomart," gunboats; besides 860 seamen and marines by transport. The despatch of reinforcements will naturally depend upon the course of events. Ten thousand men have been despatched from India, and the troops withdrawn from Hong Kong are being made up. Further troops have been placed under orders in India, and can be immediately despatched if necessity arises. Troops will be available in this country to replace any troops withdrawn.