§ MR. R. N. FOWLERasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he can give the House any explanation of the circumstances under which the Commander in Chief and Her Majesty's troops attended the departure of the Holy Carpet for Mecca?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, in reply to the hon. Gentleman, I have to say that I have discussed this question with Sir Garnet Wolseley, who has furnished me with a Memorandum, which, if the hon. Gentleman will move for it, shall be laid on the Table. The facts, in short, are that no people are more averse to idolatry than Mussulmans, and that no worship is paid to the Mecca Carpets presented by the Sultan and Khedive respectively, but that the Howdah or litter, -which is supposed to represent the presence of the Suzerain, has always been the object of honours, and is annually saluted as the Queen's Colours are saluted throughout Her Dominions. 754 The Khedive's Egyptian Army has ceased to exist, and Sir Garnet Wolseley as Military Governor of Cairo considered that Her Majesty's troops, which on this occasion were to a large extent Mussulmans, should give the same salute as that given by Egyptians. Their presence was, in fact, essential for the preservation of order on an occasion of great annual interest, when large numbers of the population in and around Cairo are collected. Section 2, paragraph 70, of the Queen's Regulations, especially sanctions such salutes as may have been customary on these occasions, and I consider that Sir Garnet Wolseley acted in accordance with the spirit of that Regulation.