§ *MR. STUART SAMUEL (Tower Hamlets, Whitechapel)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Return presented by the Treasury of advances made to colonies under the Colonial Loans Act, 1899, and to Section 2 of that Act, which provides that the principal and interest of such advances shall be charged on the general revenues and assets of the respective colonies, with priority over any subsequent charges, whether the advances made to the colony of Jamaica for railway purposes on 21st August, 1899, rank as a charge on the general revenues and assets of that colony before or after the issue of Jamaica Government Inscribed Stock, bearing interest at 3½ per cent. from 24th January, 1899, and repayable between 24th January, 1919, and 24th January, 1949.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe advance to which the hon. Member refers was sanctioned on the date he names, but was not made until the 14th April, 1900, and ranks as a charge on the general revenue and assets of Jamaica before the 3½ per cent. Inscribed Stock, to which he refers. The amount of the advance in question is only £110,000.