§ *SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Governments of Great Britain, Germany, and Japan have protested against the ratification by the Chinese Government of the agreement lately concluded between the representatives of Russia and China in Manchuria; whether that agreement, if carried out, would give Russia control of Manchuria to the exclusion of all other nations, would prevent the subjects of any other Power from obtaining concessions in Manchuria, and would place the trade and customs there under Russian control.
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Viscount CRANBORNE,) RochesterThe question to which the hon. Member refers is engaging the earnest attention of His Majesty's Government, and has been the subject of diplomatic communications between the Powers. In the opinion of His Majesty's Government, any statement or discussion on the subject at the present moment would be inexpedient.