HC Deb 04 May 1900 vol 82 c758
MR. MOON

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the attention of the Foreign Office has been called to a letter dated 22nd February from the native correspondent in Peking of the North China Herald, and appearing in their issue of 7th March, in which the writer states that he has seen a list of the reformers who are to be made away with within the month of March, gives the names of some of them, and adds that a long limit of time to live is allowed other reformers, but that he has it from an authoritative source that a list has been drawn up containing over 300 names; and whether, if executions similar to those of the coup d'etat of September, 1898, are contemplated by the Ex-Empress, the British Minister will be instructed to make the strongest protests.

* MR. BRODRICK

No information has been received to corroborate the reports mentioned in the letter referred to, and there is no reason to suppose that any such action is contemplated by the Chinese Government.