HC Deb 07 July 1902 vol 110 cc924-5
MR. MARKHAM

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, on 23rd February, 1900, a letter was addressed by the War Office to the †See preceding Volume, p. 834. Directors of the Chartered Company, stating that Portugal had yielded to the demands of Her Majesty's Government relating to the conveyance of stores through Beira; and whether he will lay all correspondence relating to this matter upon the Table of the House.

MR. BRODRICK

Correspondence, diplomatic and otherwise, took place on this subject, but I am not prepared to lay it on the Table.

MR. MARKHAM

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, on 3rd February, 1900, the Foreign Office wrote to the Directors of the Chartered Company that the Portuguese Government? had refused to allow railway material to pass through their territory to Rhodesia, and had declared the same to be contraband of war; whether, on 10th February, Mr. Wilson Fox, of the Chartered Company, wrote to Sir R. Knox, enclosing notes of a conversation between Mr. Bertie, of the Foreign Office, and himself on this, subject; and whether he will state the nature of the demand made by His Majesty's Government on the Portuguese Government.

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord CRANBORNE,) Rochester

In reply to the hon. Gentleman, it is sufficient to say that no demand was made on the Government of Portugal, and that the material referred to was allowed to cross Portuguese territory as soon as the circumstances of the case had been explained to the Portuguese Minister by Lord Salisbury.

MR. MARKHAM

Will the noble Lord answer the first part of ray Question, as to whether the Foreign Office wrote to the Directors of the Chartered Company?

LORD CRANBORNE

I am sorry I cannot add anything to my answer, as this has relation to various correspondence not of a public character.