§ 7. Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked whether Mr. Cummins, the British Consul at Gomez Talacio, in Mexico, was threatened by General Villa and under duress was forced to carry a message by that General demanding the surrender to the Mexican rebels of the town of Torreon; whether any protest was made by the British Government at the treatment of Mr. Cummins; whether any representations were made to the Foreign Office with regard to the safety of certain oilfields in Mexico in which British capital was invested; and whether, as the result of those representations, other representations were made by the British Government to the United States Government, with the result that warships of the latter Government were sent to the disturbed area and the oilfields in question protected from the Mexican rebels?
§ Mr. ACLANDI have received no information with regard to the alleged treatment of Mr. Cummins by General Villa. Mr. Cummins resigned his appointment as British Vice-Consul on 9th March. With regard to the action of His Majesty's Government for the protection of British oil interests at Tampico, concerning the safety of which representations were made to me, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 14th instant to a private notice question by the hon. Member for Nottingham. The dispatch of United States warships at Tampico was, so far as I am aware, quite independent of the representations made by His Majesty's Government to the United States Government,
§ Sir J. D. REESCan the hon. Gentleman say whether any damage has or has not been done to British interests in Tampico?
§ Mr. ACLANDI could not say for certain; perhaps the hon. Member will put a question down.