HC Deb 07 March 1901 vol 90 cc803-4
MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSE

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet received any confirmation in writing of the promise given orally to the British Ambassador in St. Petersburg that the occupation of Manchuria by the Russians is to lie neither virtual nor actual; and, if not, whether he expects to receive such confirmation; and it so, at what time.

*THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Viscount CRANBORNE,) Rochester

The despatch from His Majesty's Ambassador at St. Petersburg reporting his conversation with the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs on the subject of the Russian occupation of Manchuria to which the hon. Member refers will be presented to Parliament at once. The text of this despatch was seen and approved by Count Lamsdorff at the end of last month.

MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSE

Has the written assurance been received or not?

*VISCOUNT CRANBORNE

My answer-to that is that the contents of the despatch were approved by Count Lamsdorff.