§ Mr. RAMSDENasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in deciding upon the official subscription to the British commercial propagandist paper, the "Oh' eng Pao," in China, of 1,000 copies, he is aware of the extent of territory and the number of officials in China; whether it is the case that since 1916 His 216W Majesty's Consular officers in China have distributed nearly 20,000 copies of the paper every fortnight among Chinese officials only; whether not less than 7,000 copies are required to reach the chief officials and boards; and whether he will act upon the advice of His Majesty's Britannic Consul-General in Shanghai in settling the exact number required?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe answer to the first part of the question is generally in the affirmative, although there is no precise information as to the exact number of officials in China. The distribution among Chinese officials has been carried out locally, and no figures are therefore available on which to base a reply to the second and third parts of the question. In determining the number of copies which it is desirable to distribute regard must be had not only to any advice which may be given by His Majesty's Britannic Consul-General at Shanghai, but also to the amount of money available for their purchase as well as other considerations.