Major NEWMANasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Chinese Republic have made an order deporting German subjects from the territories of the republic; has he any information how far that order has been enforced; is he aware that German missionaries are being exempted from the order; and is he satisfied that these persons should be exempted?
§ Mr. C. HARMSWORTHThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; to the second, that over 1,800 enemy subjects were deported from China last month and it is noted that the two1888W final shipments will take place shortly; to the third, that the question of exempting enemy missionaries from the order is under discussion at Peking between the Chinese Government and the Ministers of the Allied Powers; and as to the fourth and last part, that even if His Majesty's Government may be in favour of treating missionaries who have rendered themselves obnoxious by their political activities during the War in the same way as other enemy subjects, it must be remembered that the question of exemptions does not rest solely with them, even though they have hitherto taken the leading part in assisting the Chinese Government in their execution of this very desirable measure of repatriation.