§ 2. Colonel DAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has received any notification of the declaration of warning to the leaders of the Chinese factions concerning the Shanghai opera- 1204 tions, which has been unanimously adopted by the diplomatic body in Peking; and can he state the exact terms of this declaration?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONYes, Sir. The following are the terms of the declaration:
"In the light of the military events which are at present taking place in the region of Shanghai, and which may at any moment have serious consequences for the safety of the life and property of their respective nationals, as was apparent from the bombardment of the 22nd of this month, the interested diplomatic representatives feel compelled to recall that the international settlement at Shanghai, like other concessions in China, was established in virtue of regular agreements with the Chinese Government in order to make it possible for foreigners to reside there freely and to carry on their trade.
"In the course of party strife, of which that region has been the scene, the authorities of the international settlement have scrupulously abstained from favouring any of the conflicting parties involved, and, in spite of the difficulties of the situation, they are maintaining in that respect the strict neutrality imposed upon them by the nature of the state of affairs thus established.
"The interested diplomatic representatives are thus warranted in expecting, on the part of the Chinese authorities, observance of the same rule of conduct, and they look to the heads of the armies involved to take all measures necessary to avoid incidents which would constrain the foreign authorities themselves to take measures indispensable for ensuring the safety of the persons and property of their nationals."
§ Colonel DAYWould the hon. Gentleman say whether a similar declaration has been made by the French Minister with regard to the French concession?