§ MR. H. H. MARKS (Kent, Thanet)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can state whether the conditions under which the administration of the Imperial Chinese Maritime Customs were granted by China during the currency of the Chinese loans of 1896 and 1898 are being duly observed.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYWhen the loans of 1896 and 1898 wore raised, the Chinese Government undertook that the administration of the Maritime Customs should remain as then constituted during the currency of the loans. By the Imperial Edict of May 9th last, the 412 Customs administration was transferred from one Chinese Government Department to another, but this does not necessarily imply more than a change of form, and it has not so far made any difference to the administration of the Customs service by Sir R. Hart.