§ MR. HERBERT SAMUELI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state what were the charges on which Monsieur Van Calcken, the head agent of the Abir Company at Baringa in the Congo Free State, was recently arrested; and whether His Majesty"s Government will instruct by cable the British Consul at Boma to forward a copy of the minutes of the trial, and of the judgment which has been delivered.
§ EARL PERCYMonsieur Van Calcken was tried on the following charges:—1. Having ordered certain "gardes-forestiers" to proceed to the neighbourhood of Baringa in order to kill natives who refused to collect rubber—which order was carried out. 2. Having armed his "gardes-forestiers" with Albini rifles. 3. Having tied up and arbitrarily detained as hostages several Ngombe women. A copy of the judgment has been received from the Acting British Consul.
§ MR. HERBERT SAMUELWill the Papers be published?
§ EARL PERCYI will consider if it can be done with other Papers. It is hardly worth while publishing them separately.