THE EARL OF AIRLIEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he could give the House any information with respect to the reported issue, or threatened issue, of letters of marque by Bolivia?
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYA report to the effect that a proclamation of letters of marque had been issued by Bolivia came to us from Chili some time ago. On the other hand, I have received to-day a despatch from Lima, stating that the Bolivian Agent in Peru was ignorant of any such proclamation having been issued, and was quite certain that no such idea would be acted upon. Communication with Bolivia itself, as your Lordships know, is not a very easy matter; it is almost entirely an inland State; what coast it has, or had, is separated from it by a large extent of desert, and that coast is now entirely in the hands of the Chilians. I cannot think that there is anything serious in the report of the threatened issue of letters of marque from a State without a seaboard.