HC Deb 14 July 1882 vol 272 cc449-51
SIR HENRY TYLER

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government will give instructions to Sir Beauchamp Seymour to take measures to ascertain definitely the position and condition of the Khedive; whether his life is safe; and, whether he is in need of succour? Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman would be kind enough to give the House the latent intelligence in regard to the Khedive?

MR. GLADSTONE

Yes, Sir. I will confine myself in answering the Question strictly to the Question itself, which relates to the position of the Khedive. We have received information both from the Admiralty and through Mr. Cartwright upon that subject. The information received through the Admiralty was to the effect that the Khedive is safe in his palace, garrisoned by 700 Marines. That is partial information, which is materially extended by a telegram received a little later this morning from Mr. Cartwright in Alexandria. It states that the Khedive returned to Alexandria at 4 yesterday afternoon from Ramleh with his family, having secured the loyalty of the guard of soldiers and the cavalry left by Arabi to watch him. He has sent for Sherif Pasha, and will summon all the leading Pashas and try to re-establish order in the town and in the country.

MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he can state the reasons of the Government for not having ordered a sufficient force to land at or near Alexandria during the bombardment, in order to save the town from ruin, to protect the lives and property of Europeans, and to cut off the retreat of Arabi and the Egyptian Army?

MR. MAC IVER

wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman, before he answered that Question, whether any further information could be given with regard to the objects which the Government had in view in bombarding Alexandria; also, why no efficient measures had been taken for the protection of British shipping using the Suez Canal?

MR. GLADSTONE

I must beg the hon. Member for Birkenhead to have the kindness to give me Notice of his Question. It will be well that he should not assume in his Question that no effective measures have been taken. With respect to the Question of the hon. Member for Eye, of which I have Notice before me, I must ask to be excused from stating the reasons of the Government for not having done several things which the hon. Gentleman indicates, and as I think with very great forget fulness of a number of most important reasons that bear upon the conduct of the Go- vornment in this question. My ground for declining to enter upon that is, that it appears to me distinctly to efface the line of distinction between Questions and a debate. When a debate arises, I shall be very happy to state the reasons which have guided the Government.

MR. MAC IVER

said, he would ask the right hon. Gentleman to-morrow whether there was any truth in the report which appeared in the newspapers, about a tea ship having been looted in the Suez Canal?

MR. MITCHELL HENRY

wished to ask whether the Marines who were said to be guarding the Khedive were English Marines or Egyptian Marines?

An hon. MEMBER

Horse Marines.

MR. GLADSTONE

The Marines are English Marines. The Khedive is not exclusively guarded by English Marines. Ho is likewise guarded, according to Mr. Cartwright's telegram, by a guard of soldiers and cavalry left by Arabi, not for the purpose of guarding him, but for the purpose of watching him.