§ MR. ESSEX (Gloucestershire, Cirencester)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made with the railway, eastward from Lobita Bay, Western Africa; is it intended to make a connection with this line and that of the Rhodesian or other part of the railway system of British South Africa; is the gauge of the railway similar to that of the British South African system; and whether he has already secured, or in the future intends to secure, transit of goods in bond through to British territory.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir EDWARD GREY Northumberland,) BerwickAccording 466 to the latest information received, about 215 kilometres of the line have been constructed. Nothing is known with regard to an eventual connection between the Lobito Bay Railway and the Rhodesian or other British South African lines. The gauge of the railway is similar to that of the Rhodesian lines. No arrangement has been made with regard to the transit of goods in bond through to British territory, as negotiations on this point, before the completion of the line and the publication of the tariff, would be premature.