§ Mr. DAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information as to the present situation in China?
§ Mr. DALTONThere have been no important developments in the general internal affairs of China since my reply to the hon. Member for South-West Bethnal Green (Mr. Harris) on 15th July. As regards the situation in Manchuria, on 19th July His Majesty's Consul-General at Harbin was informed by the Chief of Staff of the Chinese Eastern Railway Defence troops that, up to 3 p.m. that day, no hostilities had taken place, and the reports received by me indicate that this is still true. On the night of 1623W 19th July three regiments of infantry and artillery were despatched from Harbin to the eastern frontier of Manchuria; the Chinese Maritime Customs at Harbin report that two Chinese steamers have been seized by Russian gunboats on the Amur river below Aigun. The Chinese authorities have refused to afford facilities for the departure from Harbin of the Russian Consul-General, who still remains at his post, but about 50 members of his staff left for Siberia on 21st July.