§ MR. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware 273 that the claims of French subjects in Constantinople who suffered losses during the disturbances of August, 1896, have been paid in full by the Porte; and can he state the reasons for the delay in satisfying the British merchants who sustained losses on that occasion, and whose demands have been admitted by His Majesty's Ambassador to be fair and reasonable, a certificate to that effect having been given four years ago.
§ *VISCOUNT CRANBORNEHis Majesty's Government have received no confirmation of the statement, which has appeared in the press, that the French claims have been paid in full by the Porte. The Porte has always refused to admit any liability for the claims of any of the sufferers, of whatever nationality, and all arrangements for satisfying them have been of an unofficial nature. His Majesty's Government have reason to believe that British claimants will not receive less favourable treatment than those of other nationalities.