§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been directed to the advertisement of a sale of the Chinese Imperial Seals on Friday next; whether he will cause in- 1328 quiry to be made as to whether these seals are stolen or looted property; and whether he will see that they are restored to the Chinese Government.
§ * MR. RITCHIEAs soon as the hon. Member drew my attention to it I took steps to investigate and consider the matter and, amongst other things, I had an interview with a representative of the firm of auctioneers concerned in the sale. His statement, which be subsequently put in writing, was to the effect that the seals are the property of a gentleman, not a British subject, who purchased them in Tientsin from a foreign officer who, with the assistance of another person also of foreign nationality, had procured them from Peking. There does not appear to be any ground upon which the Government can take action in the matter; but I may perhaps add that I am sure the House will be glad to learn that, however these seals were obtained, British troops were in no way concerned.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether that is simply the account received from the auctioneer, or whether he has taken any steps to satisfy himself of the truth of that story.
§ * MR. RITCHIEI have no reason whatever to believe that the statement made to me by the auctioneer was not accurate. Whether it be accurate or not, I think there is no means of ascertaining the truth of the statement.
MR. BRYN ROBERTS (Carnarvonshire, Eifion)Having regard to the fact that no assurance has been given that the property is not stolen property, will the right hon. Gentleman direct that it shall not be sold?
§ * MR. RITCHIEI understand that the hon. Member is a lawyer. If he will point out to me what locus standi I should have in the circumstances I have named, I shall be glad.
MR. BRYN ROBERTSIf stolen property is publicly sold, has the right hon. Gentleman no right to interfere?
§ * MR. RITCHIENo one has made any claim to the property. How on earth am I to know that the property was stolen? I do not even know that these seals are genuine.
§ MR. DILLONI desire to ask the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the last answer, whether he has read the auctioneer's notice, in which it is stated that these seals are the property of the Empress of China, and were used by her at the time of the sacking of Peking.
§ * MR. RITCHIEI understand that that is the statement in the catalogue, but on my asking the auctioneer the question he said he would distinctly decline to guarantee that they were genuine.