§ MR. WHALLEYasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he is prepared to name the "European Nations" referred to in the Despatch of the 6th of May, which concur in or may be expected to support the policy indicated therein, namely, that Russia shall restrict her operations to certain portions of the Ottoman Empire?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERThe passage in Lord Derby's despatch of May 6 to which the hon. Gentleman appears to refer is this—
The mercantile and financial interests of European nations are also so largely involved in Egypt that an attack on that country, or its occupation, even temporarily, for the purposes of war, could scarcely be regarded with unconcern by the neutral Powers—certainly not by England.Now, I do not think I should be justified in taking up the time of the House by enumerating all the European nations which have mercantile or financial interests in Egypt. It would have been shorter, perhaps, to mention those which have not—only, unfortunately, I have not been able to find any.