§ * SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether by Clauses 10, 11, and 12 of the Franco-Siamese Treaty of the 13th February, alluded to in Lord Lansdowne's despatch covering the Anglo-French Agreement, France secures exceptionally favourable terms as regards the status of French protected subjects, who are in an increased degree placed under French jurisdiction; whether he can give the House any information as to the probability of the ratification of the Treaty of the 13th February, or a fresh modification of that treaty, in order that the House may be in a position to consider the agreements entered into with Siam by the French Government which are recognised by the Anglo-French Agreement.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl PERCY,) Kensington, S.By the provisions of the Franco-Siamese Convention signed in February last, persons enjoying French protection are placed in the same position with regard to jurisdiction as French citizens. This treatment does not appear to be exceptional, as will be seen by reference to the Agreement between this country and Siam of 29th November, 1899, which contains categories of persons who are entitled to registration as British subjects and therefore under British jurisdiction in Siam. The answer to the second Question is in the negative.