§ *MR GILBERT PARKER (Gravesend)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the decision of His Majesty's Government not to use Wei-Hai-Wei as a Military and Naval station is due to a general strategic or financial policy, to international considerations, or to the unsuitability of the place for a Naval base.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD - FORSTER, Belfast, W.)Wei-Hai-Wei will still be
See preceding Volume, page 851.181 used as a Naval Station for many purposes. The decision to discontinue the fortifications was arrived at on strategic grounds only, and was not due to any of the other considerations referred to in the question.
§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the reports received by His Majesty's Government regarding the value for naval or other purposes of the harbour of Wei-Hai-Wei, or some of such reports, will be presented to the House.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERWei-Hai-Wei is of great value for many naval purposes—the decision to discontinue the fortification of the place was arrived at on purely strategic grounds, and was not the result of any special reports. There are consequently no such documents to be presented to the House.
§ MR. BRYCENo documents whatever, showing the grounds on which the decision of His Majesty's Government was arrived at?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERNo, Sir. The decision of the Government, so far as the Admiralty was concerned, was based on general knowledge of the position and capabilities of the place for the purposes for which it was required.