HL Deb 28 June 1900 vol 84 cc1268-9
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY

Seeing the noble Marquess the Prime Minister in his place, I wish to ask whether he can communicate to the House any information with regard to the state of affairs in China.

* See page 1067 of this volume.
THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The Marquess of SALISBURY)

I very much wish I could give the House some information which I could confidently claim to be of an authoritative character. So far as we know, the Admiral has been relieved and is safe; but I think, if I mistake not, that that comes from information other than an official source, and beyond that we know nothing of the position of Sir Claude MacDonald and the members of the other Legations. I think there is every ground for hoping that no violence has as yet been done to them, but even that can only be stated in a hypothetical form. With respect to the future, the noble Earl knows as much as I do From all quarters such troops as can be obtained are being hurried forward, but they must take some time before they can arrive.