I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, if he is now of a position to state if the Chinese or Japanese Government admit liability in the loss of British lives in the Kowshing; if either of these Governments will give compensation for such loss; and what amount of compensation has been demanded?

No claim has yet been preferred on account of the loss of British lives in the Kowshing. The Indo-China Steam Navigation Company were requested to furnish evidence with regard to each of the cases, and communications for the adjustment of these personal claims are now in progress between Her Majesty's Minister at Peking and the Shanghai agents of the company.