Mr. David Adamsasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the withdrawal of five British gunboats from Chinese river waters is attributable to Japanese advocacy of the withdrawal of the Western Powers from the Far East or any other reason; and how these vessels are in future to be employed?
§ Mr. ChurchillThese gunboats were withdrawn because they and their crews could more usefully be employed elsewhere than in China. It would not be in the public interest to disclose the future dispositions of any of His Majesty's ships.