§ MR. LIDDELLsaid, he wished to put to the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs a question of which he had not given the usual notice, but which, from the importance of the subject, he trusted he would have no objection to answer. He alluded to a telegraphic message which appeared in the daily prints of that morning with reference to a massacre at Jeddah. He wished to know if the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been directed to the alarming occurrence, and whether they have taken any steps in regard to it?
MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALD— Sir, the only information which Her Majesty's Government have of the outrageous occurrence is the telegraph message to which the hon. Member has alluded. We have no reason to doubt that the story is, unfortunately, too true; but immediately 1286 on the receipt of the communication my noble Friend at the head of the Foreign Office sent to Malta a telegraph message which will anticipate the Overland Mail. It conveys instructions to the commander of the Cyclops, at Suez, to go immediately to Jeddah, and use every means in his power to bring the perpetrators of this outrage to justice. At the same time, instructions have been sent out to Captain Watson, who commands the Indian squadron to send three vessels to Jeddah to co-operate with the Commander of the Cyclops in every way, by aggressive and coercive measures, if necessary; and to assist him in capturing, if possible, those who have been guilty of this crime.
§ Order for Committee (Supply) read.
§ Motion made, Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."
§ On the Motion for going into Committee of Supply,