§ * SIR E. ASHMEAD - BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have any information confirming the alleged Russo-Chinese agreement regarding Manchuria between the representatives of Russia and China in Manchuria; whether the following constitute some of the conditions of that agreement: That the Russian troops in occupation of Manchurian towns and posts are to be lodged and fed by the Chinese authorities; that the Chinese General is to disband and disarm all his troops and hand over all munitions of war to the Russian military officials, and that all Chinese forts and defences not already occupied by the Russians are to be dismantled; that Niu-chwang and other places shall be administered by Russian officials until the Russian Government shall be completely satisfied as to the pacification of the country; that a Russian Resident, with full powers of control, be stationed at Mukden, and that the Chinese General must give him full information, and invite Russia to despatch reinforcements whenever emergency arises; that no resistance be offered to the construction of the Russian Trans-Siberian Railway through Manchuria, and that Russia is to purchase and hold the Northern Railway from Shan-hai-kwan to Niu-chwang; that all the Customs in Manchuria are to be under Russian control; and that no kind of commercial concession is to be given to any other Power in Manchuria; and whether the assurances said to have been given by the Russian Government to the British Government regarding Manchuria were given orally or by a formal communication in writing to His Majesty's Government.
§ * VISCOUNT CRANBORNEWe have no official knowledge of the terms of this agreement, but our information is to the 1033 effect that it includes most of the provisions enumerated in the question, and that it is of a temporary and provisional character. The assurances of the Russian Government referred to by my hon. friend were given verbally to His Majesty's Ambassador at St. Petersburg.
§ * SIR E. ASHMEAD - BARTLETTWill the noble Lord have the assurances placed in a formal document?
§ [No answer was given.]