*SIR E. ASHMEAD BARTLETTI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Russian Government has recently endeavoured to exclude the British fleet from certain portions of the Gulf of Pechili, and has claimed the waters of the Blonde and Elliott Islands as exclusively belonging to Russia: and, if so, what steps His Majesty's Government has taken in consequence of this claim.
MR. A. J. BALFOUE (for Viscount CRANBORNE)We have received no communication on this subject from the Russian Government, but the Russian Admiral remonstrated against the presence in the waters of the Elliott Islands of H.M.S. "Plover," which was engaged in pursuing pirates. The action of the Commander-in-Chief on the China Station in sending British ships to these islands appears to be in accordance with our rights under Article 52 of the Treaty of Tientsin.
§ *SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTMay I understand that this claim has not been accepted by His Majesty's Government?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURCertainly.