HC Deb 10 August 1883 vol 283 cc68-9
MR. BOURKE

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If his attention has been called to a telegram in The Standard of to-day, which purports to contain the words of a Proclamation from the Superior Commandant at Tamatave, signed Billard, and to the following effect:— Considering the attempts of certain officers of Her Majesty's corvette Dryad to impede the course of justice, and to obstruct the action of the authorities by substituting themselves for private persons in questions which do not concern them personally; considering the interference which Commander Johnstone, of Her Majesty's corvette Dryad, believed himself authorized to exercise in requiring the military authorities to render an account of the execution of their orders—Decrees that access to Tamatave is forbidden to all foreign sailors, soldiers, and officers. He further asked, with reference to the appointment of a successor to Consul Pakenham at Tamatave, to what Power that Consul would be accredited, and from whom he would receive his exequatur?

MR. ARTHUR ARNOLD

asked, If any further information could be given with reference to the important despatches which arrived at the Admiralty yesterday?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

No, Sir; it is not in my power to make any addition to the short statement I made yesterday upon the subject of the despatches. With regard to the Question of the right hon. Gentleman, I may remind him that, so far as I recollect, yesterday I undertook, upon Notice from the hon. Member for Eye (Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett), that I would give an answer on an early day as to the appointment of a successor to Consul Pakenham. I propose to answer that Question when the hon. Member puts it down. But I must remind the right hon. Gentleman that a Consul is never accredited. He is not like a diplomatist, he receives an exequatur, but be is not accredited; and therefore the successor of Consul Pakenham will have a Consular and not a diplomatic position, and will not be accredited to anybody. A more important Question which the right hon. Gentleman asks me is whether we have observed this Proclamation by a gentleman named Billard. In the first place, there is some uncertainty as to this, because The Times contains two Proclamations by some Commandant or gentleman occupying some position in Tamatave, and relating to entirely different matters; and this question is so mixed up with the question mentioned by the hon. Member for Salford (Mr. Arnold) that I think it would be better to reserve any answer to it until the Prime Minister, myself, or someone else on behalf of the Foreign Office, gives a reply.