§ MR. JOSEPH WALTON (Yorkshire, W.R., Barnsley)To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any further statement to the House in regard to the Imperial edict of the Chinese Government, appointing Chinese officials at the head of the Imperial Maritime Customs; and whether he can lay upon the Table the correspondence with the Chinese Government on this subject before the Foreign Office Vote is taken on Thursday next.
(Answered by Secretary Sir Edward Grey.) As stated in Answer to a Question on June 12th, † His Majesty's Government regard the note of the Wai-wu-pu, respecting the Customs question, as satisfactory, and they are awaiting the issue of instructions to Sir E. Hart which, as I said yesterday in reply to a Question on the same subject, will, it is understood, be in accordance with the assurances given to His Majesty's Government. As soon as the text of the note referred to is received it will be presented to Parliament.