HC Deb 02 May 1862 vol 166 cc1125-6
MR. DARBY GRIFFITH

said, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether information has been received that the Turkish Government was requiring from Abdel Kader the dismissal of his Algerian Guards, who were the means, under his command and direction, of saving great numbers of Christian lives during the late massacres at Damascus; and whether the British Government, who are parties to the transactions in Syria, approve of such a return being made to him for such services?

MR. LAYARD

replied, that no such information had been received by the Government, He believed that some time ago, either last year or the year before, on the general disarmament taking place in Syria, a portion of the followers of Abdel Kader were necessarily disarmed with the rest; but the Turkish Government had behaved with great liberality to Abdel Kader in the matter, and allowed him to retain 200 armed men.