§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the importance to all engineering development work in Middle China, he will endeavour to secure reasonable freedom of opportunity for all nations in regard to the exploitation of the iron and coal deposits in this region; and whether he is aware that British interests recently planned the erection of rolling-stock works on the Yangtse, but found their prospects materially affected by the proposed Japanese monopoly in the sphere where the shops were planned?
§ Sir E. GREYThe hon. Member may rest assured that every endeavour will be made to secure the freedom of opportunity to which he refers in the first part of the question. The answer to the second part is in the negative.