§ * SIR CHARLES DILKEI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether conditions with regard to the handing back of territory at Teintsin have been agreed upon by the Allied Commanders, one of the conditions being that Chinese troops are not to approach within thirty kilometres either of the Native city or of the railway, the conditions also containing stipulations with regard to the hills west of Peking and Chinese warships at Taku; 527 and, if so, whether the British Minister at Peking has been consulted upon and has given his consent to any such conditions.
At the request of my hon. friend the Member for the Barnsley Division, may I at the same time ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Commander at Teintsin was authorised by His Majesty's Government to insist on the conditions announced in connection with the proposed handing back of the City of Teintsin to Chinese jurisdiction; and whether His Majesty's Government will facilitate the transfer by supporting a modification of the demands.
§ LORD CRANBORNEWe have not yet received information as to the details of the recommendations which have been made by the Military Commanders to the diplomatic body at Peking, but it was expected that these would have been submitted about the 14th instant, and a Report no doubt will be made by Sir E. Satow after they have been discussed by the Representatives of the Powers. Perhaps the right hon. Baronet will put a further Question on a later day.