§ MR. JOSEPH WALTON (Yorkshire, W.R., Barnsley)I beg to ask the Prime Minister a Question of which I have given him private notice, viz., whether he can make any statement to the House in regard to the situation which has arisen in the Far East by reason of the alleged violation of French neutrality by Russia on the coast of Cochin China, and as to the steps His Majesty's Government have taken with a view of averting any danger of an outbreak of war between England and France in connection with this question.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIn answer to the hon. Gentleman I have to say that the following information has been supplied to His Majesty's Government by the French Ambassador. As soon as the French Government became aware of the presence of Admiral Rozdhestvensky's squadron in Kamranh Bay, representations were sent to St. Petersburg with the result that, under orders from the Emperor himself, instructions were telegraphed to the admiral desiring him to leave Kamranh Bay, which he did at once. The Russian squadron were subsequently reported to be at Hon-kohe Bay, a few miles to the north, and Admiral de Jonquières, in command of the French station, was sent to report. He found the Russian squadron at this place, though not inside French territorial waters. Upon this the Governor 1352 of the French colony of Indo-China, who had received instructions to see that French neutrality was duly respected, sent the French Resident at Nha-trang, the French settlement nearest to Hon-kohe, with directions to ask the Russian admiral to leave. The admiral promised to do so on May 3rd. As regards the reports that the Russian squadron had received valuable assistance from the French authorities in Kamranh Bay, I am in formed that there are only two Frenchmen, neither of them an official, but holders of concessions from the French Government, in that place.