§ MR. DILLWYNasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is true, as stated in the "Daily News" in a telegram dated June 16th, that the Porte has refused the request of Mr. Layard to permit the "neutralization" of the Suez Canal?
§ MR. BOURKEIn reply to the Question of the hon. Member, I have to state it is not true, as stated in The Daily News, that the Porte has refused, at the request of Mr. Layard, to permit the neutralization of the Suez Canal, and for this reason—that no request of that kind was made by Mr. Layard, and therefore no refusal to his request could have been given. The only intimation which Mr. Layard has been instructed to make upon the subject is contained in the Papers which are now before Parliament, and no answer has yet been given given by the Porte to the communication that Mr. Layard was desired to make.