§ MR. T. HART-DAVIES (Hackney, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been called to the report of the Newcomen Mission to South Eastern Persia; whether he will take into consideration the advisability of obtaining a concession for a road from Bunder Abbas to Kerman, and of appointing a Consul-General at Kerman of a rank equal to that of the Resident at Bushire, and of placing Vice-Consuls at Yezd and Bam; and whether 630 he will consider the desirability of pressing on the Persian Government such reforms as will tend to facilitate trade between India and South-Eastern Persia.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir EDWARD GREY,) Northumberland, BerwickThe Report in question has been received and is under consideration. The question of improving communications in South Persia has been carefully considered by His Majesty's Government; they are prepared to give a full measure of diplomatic support to private enterprise, but they would not feel justified in incurring expenditure from public funds on undertakings of the nature indicated. His Majesty's Government see no necessity for giving an increase of rank to His Majesty's Consul at Kerman; there are already a British Vice-Consul at Yezd and an acting British Vice-Consul at Bam. His Majesty's Government have pressed and will continue to press upon the Persian Government the desirability of adopting every measure to facilitate the trade in question.