§ 95 and 96. Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he will lay before the House the text of the offer made to His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghai on 1st April by the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs appointed by General Chiang-Kai-Shek, the commander of the Nationalist forces, expressing the regret for the events that took place at Nanking on 24th March and offering to pay compensation for the damage done;
(2) whether he has yet consulted the Governments of the other interested Powers regarding the proposals made to His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghai on 1st April by the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs of the Nationalist Government; and whether it is now proposed to enter into negotiations with General Chiang-Kai-Shek or his civilian advisers on the responsibilities incurred and the damage done at Nanking on 24th March?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONI will answer these questions together. His Majesty's Consul-General has received no proposals from the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs of the Nationalist Government, who, so far as I am aware, has not yet been appointed, although Mr. Chen has mentioned two different persons as acting temporarily as the representative at Shanghai of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Nationalist Government. The official who called on His Majesty's Consul-General on 1st 2275 April was a third appointee representing General Chiang-Kai-Shek. His communication was verbal only, and I am therefore not in a position to lay the text; the purport of it was given in the reply returned on 4th April to the hon. Member for Peckham (Mr. Dalton). As regards the question of the action to be taken by His Majesty's Government. I can add nothing to the statement made by my right hon. Friend yesterday.