§ MR. REESI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether in view of the recommendations of the Committee on Shipping Subsidies of 1900 and of the fact that the primary objects of the German East Africa Steamship Company are to develop German East Africa and to promote German trade, in pursuance of which purposes its mail steamers call at one British, and at three German, East African ports, the Government will consider the urgent necessity which exists for subsidising a British mail service on the East African coast to serve Port Sudan, Berbera, Kismayu, Lamu Malindi, Mombasa, Zanzibar, Chinde, Beira, and Lorenzo Marquez, all of which are either British ports or serve the trade of British Colonies.
§ COLONEL SEELYHis Majesty's Government are anxious to secure, if possible, an improved service in British Steamships between this country and 743 East Africa, and negotiations are in progress on the subject. I regret that I am not at present in a position to say more.