§ 10. Mr. MARDY JONESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply will be returned by His Majesty's Government to the Chinese Commissioner for Foreign Affairs at Shanghai who sent a letter to the senior Consul at Shanghai protesting against British troops being stationed outside the boundaries of the international settlement at Shanghai, and asking for their immediate withdrawal; whether a similar protest has been received from the Nationalist Government of China; and what reply will he returned to it?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI would refer the hon. Member to the replies returned to the hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme, on 9th March, and to the hon. Member for Bow and Bromley, on 10th March.
§ 13. Mr. WELLOCKasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can inform the House as to whether on the arrival of troops sent from this country to China in January and February, 1927, forces belonging to the Chinese northern armies on duty outside the international settlement at Shanghai at the time of such arrival were released for duty elsewhere?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI am not in a position to know the plans and detailed military dispositions of either the Northern or Southern commanders, but I have no reason to believe that the landing of British troops at Shanghai has had any such consequence as the hon. Member suggests.
§ 16. Lieut.-Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the United States of America is now taking part with the British, French, Italian and Spanish troops in the defences around the international settlement at Shanghai, or are they still acting independently?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI believe that, American forces have not been landed at Shanghai, but are held in reserve on board ship.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HOWARD-BURYDoes it mean that they are only there for the purpose of protecting their own nationals, and take no part in the general defence of the settlement?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINIf the hon. and gallant Member wants to know the exact position of the American Government, I really would prefer that he should address his question to them.