§ MR. STEWART MACLIVERasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If the Diary of General Gordon, which is now on its way to the Foreign Office, will be laid upon the Table of the House, after it has been received?
§ MR. W. H. JAMESasked the following Question, of which he had given private Notice:—Whether,in view of the publication of these Diaries, the Government would put themselves in possession of the views of General Gordon's nearest.
THE MARRQUESS OF HAETINGTONPerhaps I may be allowed to answer these Questions. I think I have already stated that, until General Gordon's diaries are received, it will be impossible for us to give any absolute pledge as to what will be done with them. I may add, in explanation, that we really do not know what will be the character of those diaries. If they were, as was the diary of General Stewart, which was prepared under General Gordon's direction, a sort of substitute for despatches, they will, of course, be treated in the same way as other public documents, and the Government will be responsible for the disposal of them. If, on the other hand, it appears that they are of a private character, of course the relatives of General Gordon will be consulted. But, as I have said, until the documents have been received, it will be impossible to state in what manner they will be disposed of.