§ EARL PERCYI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's vice-consul has been recently withdrawn from Konia; and, if so, whether, in view of the commercial interests involved, steps will be taken to fill the vacancy as soon as possible.
§ *VISCOUNT CRANBORNEThe British vice-consulate at Konia was abolished in February last, after communication with His Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople and Consul at Angora. British interests in that district are not such as to require the supervision of a consular officer, and, so far as our information goes, there are no other reasons for which the presence of a representative of this country in the district would be desirable; but if the information of my noble friend is different we shall be very glad to consider it.