§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Under- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Convention entered into by His Majesty's Government with the French Republic, dated 8th April, 1904, was officially communicated to the German Government, and when; whether, if so, any reply to the communication was received by His Majesty's Government, and, if so received, will he lay it upon the Table of the House; whether any subsequent communications have passed between this Government and Germany in regard to the said Convention; and, if so, will he lay them upon the Table of the House; whether Germany has any Treaty with Morocco securing to it any special commercial rights and privileges; and, if so, whether they are analogous to the rights and privileges secured to this country by the Convention of Commerce and Navigation concluded between this country and Morocco in 1856, and confirmed by the Convention between this country and France, dated 8th April, 1904; and whether the Sultan of Morocco still retains the right to enter into Treaties or Conventions granting commercial rights and privileges with countries which were not parties to the Convention of 8th April, 1904.
§ *THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl. PERCY, Kensington, S.)The Declaration of April 8th, 1904, between the United Kingdom and France was not officially communicated So the German Government, and there were no communications between His Majesty's Government and that of Germany in regard to it so far as it had reference to Morocco. The Sultan of 642 Morocco was not a party to the Declaration, which was an independent arrangement between the British and French Governments having reference to their respective interests in that country. The Treaty between Germany and Morocco of 1890 is analogous to that of 1856 between this country and Morocco.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)The right hon. Gentleman says there were no communications between Germany and this country with reference to Morocco. Were there any with reference to other parts of the Empire?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, Order!
MR. GIBSON BOWLESThis Question has reference to the French Convention, and I think my Question is in order.
§ *EARL PERCYsaid the Question had reference to Morocco. No communication had been made to the German Government except in reference to the Khedival Decree.