asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has information which he can communicate to the House regarding the prolonged presence of the German gunboat "Panther," at Monrovia and on the Liberian coast?

I hear from the British Consul-General at Monrovia that there are claims pending for damage to German factories and goods, but I have no special information on the subject of the "Panther's" visit.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these claims have been pending for an extremely long time, and that the "Panther" is becoming a fixture on the Liberian coast?

Many claims against Liberia are of some standing.