§ MAJOR ANSTRUTHER-GRAYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, with a view to protecting British trading interests and of possibly mitigating the evils that now prevail, he will advise His Majesty's Government to claim consular rights on the Congo under the Act of 1885.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYHis Majesty's Government do not propose to take any action in regard to the Congo Free State pending the result of the discussion now in progress in the Belgian Chamber. And in any event, as already stated, the first step taken by His Majesty's Government would be to consult other Powers. It is evident that action by Belgium, or united action with other Powers, would lead to a more complete and effective change of system than could be done by individual action of any Power outside Belgium separately.