§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether in the districts of the province of Chili occupied by the Allied Troops the disorder is so complete that even the neighbourhood of Peking is more unsafe now for the foreigner or Christian than at any time since the occupation; and whether, if this be so, the British Government will urge on the Council of Foreign Ministers the desirability of the immediate withdrawal of the Allied Troops.
§ * VISCOUNT CRANBORNEOur information does not lead us to suppose that the facts are as suggested in the first part of the question. The withdrawal of a portion of the Allied Troops is in contemplation, and it is generally desired that a large reduction should take place as soon as the Chinese Government have sufficiently complied with the more important demands of the Powers.