§ MR. ALDEN (Middlesex, Tottenham)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the language used by the King of the Belgians with regard to the Congo Free State as essentially a personal undertaking, in which the Powers have no right to intervene, he will call the attention of King Leopold to Article 5 of the general Act of Berlin which denies the power to grant a monopoly or favour of any kind in matters of trade; and whether he will press for some further security beyond that already given, to ensure the carrying into effect of the decrees consequent on the Reform Committee's Report.
§ MR. RUNCIMAN (for Sir EDWARD GREY)His Majesty's Minister at Brussels has recently explained to the Congo Government our views as to the right of the Powers parties to the Berlin Act to intervene in the affairs of the Congo State. With regard to the reform of the Administration, it would obviously be premature to make further representations to the Congo Government until we learn the effect of the new decrees.