§ Mr. SMEATONI desire to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information to the effect that the Shah of Persia has received a loan of money from Germany; if so, what is the amount of the loan; whether the money has been advanced by the German Government or by private persons; and, in either case, upon what security?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODI have received no information to this effect.
§ Mr. REESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he has any official information to the effect that the Shah's Government has received a loan through the German bank in Teheran; and whether the anti-Royal party has laid an embargo on the Customs at Bushire, which are assigned as a guarantee for the interest on the British loan?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODAs regards the first part of the question, I have no official information to this effect. As regards the second point, I have not heard that any embargo has been laid on the Customs at Bushire, though it is a fact that the administration of the Customs has been taken over from the Shah's officials by the Nationalist party. Steps are being taken to secure the continuance of the payments due in respect of British loans out of the proceeds of the Bushire Customs.