HC Deb 23 July 1900 vol 86 cc849-51
SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNEKMAN (Stirling Burghs)

I beg to ask the Under

from 1869–70 (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, No. 320, of Session 1899), and an Estimate of the same for the year ended the 31st day of March, 1900, in the following form:—

the amount of Foes paid for instruction at these respective Classes, according to the following form:—

Name of University.

Name of Faculty.

Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether there is anything to communicate to the House about China.

THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FORKIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford

We have very little in the way of news from China, but perhaps the House would like to hear the statements made to us with regard to the safety of the Legations at Peking. A communication has been received at the Foreign Office from the Chinese Minister to the effect that the Legations were un- harmed, and we have received from Shanghai a translation of an Imperial Decree, dated July 18th, as follows— In the Confucian work ' Spring and f Autumn,' it is written that Envoys shall not be killed. How can it then be supposed that the Throne's policy is to connive at allowing the troops and populace to vent their wrath upon the foreign Ministers? Excepting the murder of the German Minister by the riotous people, which offence is being vigorously investigated, the other Ministers are being protected for a month past by the Throne with a ceaseless energy, and fortunately have suffered (group omitted) harm. A telegram was received on Friday at Shanghai from the Governor of Shantung transmitting a cypher message from the United States Minister to his Govern- merit, which purported to have loft Peking on July 18th. This message was undated and was to the effect that the United States Minister was in the British Legation under fire from shot and shell. The date given by the Chinese to the United States Minister's telegram is the same as that of the above decree, and the assurances of safety contained in the decree are not borne out by the latter. The Consul General telegraphed to the Governor of Shantung asking how it was that a message from Peking could reach Chinan-Fu in two days, and why we had had no message from Sir Claude MacDonald. The reply was as follows— The United States Minister's telegram was sent by Tsung-li Yamen by a messenger travelling 600 li (roughly 200 miles) a day. I assure you there is no telegraphic communication. I cannot explain why Her Majesty's Minister has not telegraphed. But J. beg you not to be anxious, for the Ministers and others are all living and unharmed; of this I have already had several reliable messages. Seeing that over a month has elapsed since any communication has reached Her Majesty's Government from the Peking Legation, and that the Tsung-li Yamen are communicating by messenger with various Chinese authorities, Her Majesty's Government feel that they cannot attach credence to any statements or decrees attributed to the Emperor or the Chinese Government unless fortified by letters signed and dated by Sir Claude MacDonald or other British official, or by telegrams in our cypher.