§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether he can now state when he expects to be in a position to make a general explanation of the policy of the. Government in Egypt?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, in reply to the Question of the right hon. Gentleman, put to me this day last week, I renew—although I will not repeat it in detail—the protest which I then made against the assumption which that Question appears to involve—that I had undertaken, on the part of the Government, to make any statement with regard to the general policy of the Government in Egypt. As regards the Soudan, I am able, after communication with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, to repeat the assurance which I gave last week, that the Government will endeavour, either by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister—or, in his absence, I will endeavour to take his place—to communicate to the House such information as may be possible with regard to the state of affairs in the Soudan generally. With regard to the question of the future defence and protection of Suakin, to which reference is made in a subsequent Question by the noble Lord the Member for West Essex (Lord Eustace Cecil), I hope we shall be able to give tolerably full information to the House. With regard to the state of affairs in Khartoum and to the position of General Gordon, we will communicate to the House such information as 1139 we are able to give; but I am not able, in the present state of communication, between Khartoum and Cairo, to say how far it will be possible for us to make a complete statement on that subject. I hope, therefore, that the right hon. Gentleman will renew the Question on a subsequent day before the rising of the House for the Easter Recess. Perhaps, in order to anticipate Questions that may probably be put, I may state that we have received from General Gordon a message that generally confirms the statement that was made in The Times of this morning, although it does not contain any reference to the alleged treachery of any of the Egyptian officials. The message, however, does contain a statement from General Gordon of a reassuring character as to his own security and as to the security of Khartoum.
§ MR. MACFARLANEWhat was the date of that communication?
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEI do not think, Sir, that the answer of the noble Marquess is a satisfactory one. He has not answered the Question I put to him. In the first place, I beg to remark that I did not imply or express that the noble Marquess had promised to make any particular statement. I wanted to know when it would be possible for the Government to make such a statement — and I do not confine myself to the question of the Soudan; but I think that it would be right for the House to ask for a general explanation of the policy of the Government. I would ask the noble Marquess, who says that some statement will be made before the Easter Holidays—it cannot be far from the Holidays now—to tell us, first, when the Holidays will begin; and, secondly, when that statement will be made?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, as regards the commencement of the Holidays, we propose, if possible, that the House shall adjourn from its rising next Tuesday until the following Monday week; but that arrangement will be contingent, of course, upon the conclusion of the debate on the second reading of the Franchise Bill, and also on my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department being able to find an opportunity of introducing the Bill for the better govern- 1140 ment of London. I am afraid that it is impossible for me, at present, to make a more definite statement in regard to the Holidays than that. If the right hon. Gentleman will renew his Question on Thursday, I will communicate in the meantime with my right hon. Friend, and will endeavour to arrange, either that the statement shall be made on Thursday, or to name the day on which it will be made.
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEI am very reluctant, Sir, on account of the peculiar circumstances of the Business of this evening, to interfere with that Business in any way, and, therefore, I will postpone my Question until Thursday; but, unless I receive a satisfactory answer then, I shall feel it to be my duty to press that Question by every means in my power.
§ MR. ONSLOWMay I ask the noble Marquess this Question? The noble Marquess says that he will place, as far as he can, information before the House as to General Gordon. What my right hon. Friend (Sir Stafford Northcote) wishes to know is, what is the policy of the Government with regard to Egypt, and not merely what information the Government has received with regard to the Soudan and Egypt? I would ask the noble Marquess, whether, considering the very critical position of General Gordon at the present juncture, he cannot, before Easter, tell us what measures Her Majesty's Government are going to take in order to relieve General Gordon from his difficulties?
MR. J. LOWTHERI beg to ask the noble Marquess, whether any definite information has been received from General Gordon? The noble Marquess says that he has received a telegram from General Gordon. Can he communicate it to the House?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, the telegram we have received, as I have said, generally bears out the statement which appeared in The Times of this morning. In fact, General Gordon, in his telegram, refers us to the statement in The Times, because, I think, he says that he has not time to write at any great length. The telegram does not contain any official statement as to the alleged treachery; and it concludes by the assurance, to use General Gordon's own words— "They are all right at Khartoum."