MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there is in existence an agreement between Great Britain and Russia guaranteeing the integrity and independence of Persia; and if so, whether he will lay a copy of that agreement upon the Table of this House, and if in the meantime, he will inform the House whether the prohibition by Russia of the construction of railways in Persia would be consistent with or a violation of that agreement.
§ LORD CRANBORNEThe agreement as to the integrity and independence of Persia will be found in the Parliamentary Paper, Miscellaneous No. 2 (1898). If the hon. Member's second Question has reference to the agreement understood to exist between the Russian and Persian 1082 Governments for deferring the construction of railways in Persia, I beg to refer him to the answer which I gave him on March 25th. †