§ SIR CHRISTOPHER FURNESS (Hartlepool)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will inform the House as to the number and description of the ships representing Great Britain in Chinese waters and on the Yang-tsze River; and also as to the number and description of the ships representing each of the other European Powers and the United States.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe Naval forces of the Powers named now in Chinese waters appear from the last published Returns to be as follows:—Great Britain: 4 battleships. 15 cruisers, 23 small vessels (of which 2 cruisers and 4 small vessels are on the Yang-tsze River); France: 1 battleship, 9 cruisers, 22 small vessels (of which 3 small vessels are on the Yang-tsze); Russia: 5 battleships, R cruisers, 30 small vessels and torpedo boats; Germany: 4 battleships, 10 cruisers, 10 small vessels (of which 2 cruisers and 2 small vessels are on the Yang-tsze); Italy: 6 cruisers; Austria: 4 cruisers (of which one is on the Yrang-tsze); Portugal: 1 cruiser, 2 small vessels; United States: 1 battleship, 2 coast defence ships, 8 cruisers, 2 small vessels.