HC Deb 28 June 1883 vol 280 cc1692-4
LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been drawn to an extract in The Morning Post of Friday, 15th June, from The Egyptian Gazette, giving an account of the trial of Suleiman Sami; and, if so, whether he can ascertain whether it is the case, as stated in that account, that Suleiman Sand pleaded "not guilty;" that his advocate, Jacobbi, requested permission to open the proceedings by lodging certain evidence taken in another case which bore specially upon the one before the Court; whether the Court refused such permission, and at once called upon the Public Prosecutor; whether the Public Prosecutor in his speech used the following expression:— By its sentence the Court would afford some consolation to those who had suffered from the cruelties perpetrated on the fatal day of the 11th of June; whether, at the conclusion of the speech of the Public Prosecutor, Mr. Jacobbi objected to the course taken in having heard the Public Prosecutor before the witnesses had given their evidence; whether Mr. Jacobbi applied that the depositions and other documents taken in the trial of Arabi should be brought before the Court, as they bore special reference to the trial of Suleiman Sami; whether the Court refused the application, and thereupon the advocate, Jacobbi, threw up his brief, after a long and elaborate protest, which he handed to the Court; whether that protest can be obtained and laid upon the Table of the House; what part, if any, Major Macdonald took in the discussions; and, whether he has made any report of the proceedings to Sir Edward Malet, and whether such Report can be laid upon the Table; and, in the event of no such Report having been made, whether Her Majesty's Government will call for one, and lay it upon the Table? The noble Lord added that he had the following Question on the Paper addressed to the Prime Minister, which he would put to the Under Secretary—namely, Why the despatch of Lord Dufferin, and the telegrams to Sir Edward Malet, together with some germane Papers, referred to by him on June 11th, with reference to the trial of Suleiman Sami, and which he promised to lay upon the Table as soon as possible, have not yet been produced, seeing that more than a fortnight has elapsed since these Papers were referred to and promised, and when they will be in the hands of Members?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

In reply to the noble Lord's Question, addressed to me, as well as to that addressed to the Prime Minister, I may state that I have to-day laid on the Table of the House Papers which contain full information on the points referred to by the noble Lord. The reason why they have not been laid before is, that Reports from Egypt were expected of which the last only reached the Foreign Office on Tuesday last.

LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

The noble Lord does not say whether the protest of the advocate of Suleiman Semi has been received by Her Majesty's Government, and whether it will be laid on the Table of the House. I will be greatly obliged to the noble Lord, and I will put my Question to-morrow if he will answer it seriatim.

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

The Report of Major ssMacdonald gives full information on all these points. I think I may fairly appeal to the noble Lord to examine these Papers before he asks further Questions.