§ SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether satisfactory assurances have now been received from the Government of China that no interference is intended with the position of Sir Robert Hart or his eventual successor.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir EDWARD GREY, Northumberland, Berwick)I can add nothing material to the answer given on the 17th instant, † in which I stated that the Chinese Government had disclaimed any intention of not adhering to the Loan Agreements of 1896 and 1898, which stipulate that during their currency the administration of the customs is to
†See Col. 645.1129 remain as at present constituted. We understand this to mean that the terms of the decree will not make any change in the present administration of the customs under Sir Robert Hart, but we have asked for a definite assurance to this effect.