§ 27. Mr. LUMLEYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any news of the two British missionaries who were captured by Chinese bandits at Taiwan?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo news has been received of these missionaries since their capture, but all possible steps are being taken on their behalf.
§ 28. Mr. LUMLEYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information about the safety of British subjects at Kweilin, in China; whether he has any information to the effect that this place has been besieged by hostile Chinese forces; if so, by what forces and whether any British missionaries have been killed?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo information is at present available as to the safety of the British subjects now at Kweilin, who are understood to be travellers and not permanent residents. It is believed that Kweilin is being besieged by Chinese forces who, presumably, belong to one of the opposing armies of the Peking and Canton Governments. No report has reached me of the murder of any British missionaries.
§ 29. Lieut.-Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has information with regard to the four missionaries captured by Chinese brigands when travelling from Wuchow to Kweilin: whether any steps are being taken to protect British subjects in China: and whether he will make strong representations to the central Government and to the semi-independent provincial governors with regard to the frequent murders and outrages committed on foreigners?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe missionaries were captured while proceeding to Kweilin to succour some missionaries who were detained there owing to civil war between opposing Chinese factions. No information is available as to their present whereabouts. It is impossible to protect British subjects travelling in the interior except by notifying the local authorities of their route, which is done by the Consuls when circumstances demand it. If the local authorities are unable to afford proper protection, travellers are, so far as possible, warned by the Consuls. Strong representations are made in every case of murder of, and outrage on, British subjects, both to the Central Government and to the local authorities, but it must be remembered that large tracts of the country are completely out of the control of the Central or provincial Governments.