§ 69. Mr. BETTERTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if 1516 his attention has been called to the action of the municipality of Montevideo in forcibly taking and disbursing the funds of a British-owned tramway system in Montevideo; if any protest has been made by the British Government against this arbitrary appropriation; and what is the loss, direct and indirect, in which it involves the British holders of Uruguayan securities owing to the consequent depreciation of Uruguayan credit in the market of Europe?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe answer to the two first parts of the question is in the affirmative. Any general weakening of Uruguayan credit in Europe would cause serious losses to British investors, but I trust that the matters now at issue may be satisfactorily settled and the contingency to which the hon. Member refers avoided.
§ Mr. A. M. SAMUELCan the hon. Gentleman say what steps the Foreign Office is taking to protect British interests there?