§ COLONEL PILKINGTON (Lancashire, Newton)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government have come to any decision with regard to stopping the export of arms and ammunition from this country to China for the use of the Chinese; and, if so, whether he will communicate the nature of such decision to the House; and whether any ironclads, torpedo boats, or other vessels of war are now being constructed for the Chinese by British firms, or are in course of transit from British builders to the Chinese; and, if so, whether the Government intend to stop these vessels, either on the water or in the building yards.
§ * MR. BRODRICKIn reply to the first portion of the question the Bill announced by the First Lord of the Treasury in reply to the hon. Member for East Mayo, on Friday last, was introduced in another place on that day, and was read a second time yesterday. No ironclads, torpedo boats, or other vessels of war are now being constructed for the Chinese by British firms in this country. None are in transit from British builders to the Chinese. So far as is known none are under orders from China to be built in the United Kingdom.