§ 65. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether the British Government was in any way party to or concerned in negotiations resulting in the loan granted early in 1906 to the Russian Government by British and French financial houses; if so, whether any political conditions were imposed; what those conditions were; whether the Duma was proposed to be or agreed to become a party to the loan or controller of the loan in any way; and whether the British and French Governments, separately or jointly, claim any rights against the present Russian Government in respect of this loan?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Cecil Harmsworth)The answer to the first and second parts of this question is in the negative. As regards the third part of the question, authority for the issue of the loan was given before the first meeting of the Duma by Imperial Ukase on 4th April, 1906. The Ukase directed that it should be negotiated by the Russian Minister of Finance with 1744 Russian and foreign bankers. So far as His Majesty's Government are concerned, the reply to the last part of the question is in the negative.