THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNMy Lords, I rise to ask the Prime Minister whether he can give any information to the House with reference to the reported acquisition of territory in Hong-kong? On Friday last a statement appeared in the Times newspaper that on the preceding day Sir Claude MacDonald had signed a Treaty at Pekin on behalf of this country, the effect of which Treaty 21 was considerably to extend the boundaries of the colony of Hong-kong. My Lords, that Treaty was alluded to in a Debate which occurred in another place on Friday, and as the existence of it was not controverted, I suppose we may assume that it exists. But up to the present time we have received no official information with regard to the provisions of the Treaty, and therefore it is that I have placed upon the Notice Paper this question to the noble Marquess. My Lords, the colony of Hong-kong has been a colony of this country for more than 50 years—it is, indeed, the most important commercial port in the East, and, in point of commercial importance, is, I believe, the second port in the British Empire, but during the whole of that time it has laboured under great disadvantages, and has been exposed, and is still exposed, to great danger. My Lords, from a commercial point of view, it has been placed at a great disadvantage because its area has been so restricted, and British commerce, and, indeed, the commerce of the world, has suffered because that area could not be enlarged. From a military point of view, Hong-kong has laboured under disadvantages, and has been exposed, and is still exposed, to danger because it is commanded on all sides from Chinese territory. This disadvantageous state of things it was impossible to alter, and the opportunity has only now arisen, in consequence of the late important changes which have taken place in the Far East. My Lords, these changes, as the official papers have shown us, have not been the doing of Her Majesty's Government. Her Majesty's Government, in their friendliness for China, did everything in their power to preserve the integrity of the Chinese Empire, and to avert, or, at all events, to postpone, the changes which have recently taken place. But when the independent action of other Powers brought about an alteration in the existing condition of affairs, then it was, and only then, that the opportunity was given to us to remedy the disadvantageous state of things at Hong-kong. My Lords, any extension of the colony of Hong-kong must be a matter of great importance not only to this country, but, I think I may say, to the whole world. The commerce of Hong- 22 kong and the part of Hong-kong are open to the whole world, and this Treaty has this additional advantage, that throughout the civilised world it aught to be accepted, and I have no doubt will be accepted, with satisfaction. To the traders of every nation in the world ever}' British port is an open port. They experience there equal treatment, and they receive a protection and enjoy the liberty of trading even greater than they receive under their own flag. My Lords, it is in regard to this important matter that I wish to ask the noble Marquess at the head of the Government the question of which I have given notice, and I am sure that any information which he may feel himself at liberty to give to the House will be listened to with the deepest interest.
§ * THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRE TARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The Marquess of SALISBURY)My Lords, I understand that my noble Friend is discontented with the position in which Parliament is placed with reference to the information on this convention. It is due to the novel state of things brought about by the existence of the telegraph. I cannot remember any instance in which a convention has been laid before Parliament merely on telegraphic warrant. The proper and ordinary course will be to wait until the convention comes into our hands, and then to lay it before Parliament. Of course, the intelligence of the substantial character of its contents long precedes the arrival of any such text. I do not know whether it is possible in any formal manner to correct the apparent irregularity to which the noble Earl has called attention; but if informal statements are to be accepted, I am glad to be able to assure the noble Lord that a convention of the kind has been signed, and that the terms of it are substantially, at all events, the same as those which have reached us through the ordinary channels of information. As soon as we possess the actual text it will be immediately communicated to Parliament. I do not know that the details of this matter are of any general interest, although they are of strategic importance. What has happened is this: an opportunity has been 23 taken to remedy a want which has been felt for a long time, not only to give a slight extension to the colony of Hong-kong, but also to make it strategically safe. The territory that did not belong to Hong-kong but to China so far commanded the Colony that in the case of war we should be put to a certain disadvantage; and, of course, these considerations have become much more imperative in consequence of the events that have taken place in the last few years. When Hong-kong was founded there was no reason to fear or apprehend the advent of any. Power with whose actions we need concern ourselves; but things have much changed since then. Now there are many Powers in the East —some Asiatic, some European—and though I cannot say that any immediate danger is apprehended—indeed, I do not see from what quarter it can come—yet it is in conformity with the ordinary rules of military prudence that all strategical conditions should be so revised that if an accident we cannot foresee takes place we should not be exposed to any danger or disadvantage. That is all we have done, and I believe it has been demanded for a longtime. But recent events have made the Chinese Government more sensible of the possibility of unexpected occurrences happening in their empire, and they quite understand and quite value the solicitude that is displayed by us for the maintenance of the commercial interests of Great Britain —which the noble Lord justly says are those of the whole world— against any accident that might occur. They met us very frankly and freely in the matter. We have not disturbed more than was possible their domestic and civil organisation. We have merely taken these precautions which the position of Hong-kong and the nature of the ground around it seemed to our military experts to be necessary. I do not know that there is anything else I can explain to the noble Lord. It would be idle for me to read again the geographical details which, without a map, would not be intelligible; but what I have tried to do is to indicate the motives that have guided us, and I have every reason to believe that the objects we have had in view have been fully attained.