Affairs to what extent the lives or Property of British subjects have deen adversely affected by events in China since the beginning of the Parliamentary Recess; and what steps have been taken to safeguard them?
Mr. A. Henderson: On two occasions during this period there seem-to be some ground for anticipating danger to British lives and property., Ju July, as a precautionary measure, British subjects were evacuated from Changsha, but were able to return some days later. In August there was a rebel advance towans Hankow, and certain British fores were moved to that ity, but no loss of life or damage property, in fact, occurred. Generally speaking, conditions have been somewhat disturbed in the interior; but His Majesty's Minister and Consular Officers are fully alive to the possibilities of the situation.
The Boxer Indemnity Mr, Godfrey Locker-Lampson asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present position of the negotiations regarding the Boxer indemnity?
'Mr, A. Henderson: A settlement of" this "question was reached in September last, when 'Notes were exchanged between His Majesty' Minister in China and the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs. " The correspondence will shortly be pubished as a White Paper. 'The settlement is subject to the approval fiament, and the requisite Bill will be introduced as'soon as me' can be found.
Mr. Locket-Lampson: Is the state-went which has appeared in the Press true that a large sum of money is being handed over to the Dhinese for the Canton and Hankow oilway against the advice of the \visory committee?
Mr. Henderson: I must have tice of that question.
'Mr, Mills: Is the Secretary' of tate aware that the reason for this aneellation of the Boxer indemnity ay in the voluntary renunciation of by the Soviet Government seven fears Mr. A. M. Samuel: Is it not a act that our portion of the Boxer indemnity was earmarked for com-leting the Canton-Hankow railway, nd_is the right hon, Gentleman pware that the Chinese have already Gsmissed the British engineer-in-chief of that railway, Mr. Vale aid have withheld from him back ing to 36,000 dollars?
the Foreign Secretary take hat into consideration?
Mr. Henderson: 1 think T must ave notice of that question.
The Opium Conference it. Mander asked the Home secretary if he can make any statement as to the progress and the proposals that have been made at the preliminary opium conference which recently opened in London?
Mr, Clynes: I am informed that considerable progress has been made with the consideration of the matters referred to the preliminary conference, and that it is hoped to submit a report in the course of a few days.
M, Samuel asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the dismissal by the Nanking Government of Mr. Valpy, the engineer-in-chi Hankow railway: to hand over his' back pay, amounting to 36,000 dollars; and what action he proposes to take, in vi of the fact that this dismissal involves a breach of the Four Power Loan Agreement by eliminating the last element of British control and that the Boxer Indemnity has been earmarked for the completion of this railway.
Mr. A. Henderson: I have re-[ceived no information as to the dismissal of Mr. Valpy, and no re-ions have been made to me Mr. Samuel is very dissatisfied ith the official answers given to him by Mr. Henderson, with regard to the case of Mr. Valpy. I had a chat with him and there seems to be no doubt whatever that the Foreign Office does know about this matter, but prefers to take up the usual attitude that it does not know officially. I believe that the British and China Corporation have brought the matter to the notice of Downing Street. Anyway it will be seen from the appended question that Mr. Samuel is returning to the attack, Sir Kingsley Wood is still pro-securing his enquires with regard to the whole question of missionaries, as will be seen from the qu tion appended, and he tells me that he has also taken up the exact position of the negotiations between China and Great Britain regarding extraterritoriality, I called his attention to the fact that in the current issue of the London Chamber of Commerce Journal that there was an article from the Shanghai correspondent containing the following paragraph, An excellent impression has been created by the publication of the proposals made by the British Gov-lornment in regard to extra-territoriality, Moreover, the ish Minister, Sir Miles Lampson, came here and met members of the British Chamber of Commerc they are now said to be that no unjustifiable surrender of interests is contemplated."
I think that Sir Kingsley Wood asking the Foreign Secretary exactly what is the position of these negotiations, Sir Kingsley Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he has received any communication from the Chin-ete national government as to the capture of the persons guilty of the murder of the two missionaries Misses Nettleton and Harrison; and what further steps are being taken to protect British subjects in China, Mr. Arthur Michael Samuel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he has yet ascertained from His Majesty's: minister in China the reasons for the dismissal of Mr. Valpy, the engineer-in-chief of the Canton-Hankow railway; and what reason has been given for the retention.by the Chiftese authorities of. Mr. Valpy's back pay.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.