§ MR. HANBURYasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government has received official information of the appointment of Colonel Gordon as Governor General of the Soudan; and, if so, whether he can state what powers have been conferred upon Colonel Gordon by the Khedive for the suppression of the slave trade in the countries within his jurisdiction?
§ MR. MARK STEWARTI beg also to ask my hon. Friend a Question of which I have given him private Notice —namely, Whether he can inform the House what extent of territory in the Soudan is proposed to be annexed by the Khedive of Egypt, and whether it extends to the Equator?
§ MR. BOURKEIn reply to the Question of my hon. Friend, I have to state that Her Majesty's Government have received the information which is alluded to in the Question of the hon. Member for Tamworth; and as the answer which I propose to give is one about which many people feel a great deal of interest in this country, with the permission of the House I will read a short letter which we have received from Mr. Vivian, Her Majesty's Agent and Consul General in Egypt. It is addressed to that official by Colonel Gordon.— 1452
Cairo, Feb. 16.Sir,—I have the honour to inform you that His Highness the Khedive has appointed me Governor General of the Soudan. His Highness has given me full powers over the finances, &c., of the Province. I have no hesitation in stating to you that this most splendid concession has been obtained from the good-will of His Highness on your straightforward representations to him. I thank you, therefore, most cordially for the able way in which you have assisted me, and thereby placed me in a position in which, if I live and God prospers me, I can look with certain confidence to the total suppression of the slave trade in, and the opening out of these vast countries. It increases my gratitude towards you to know that you have obtained this concession without any undue pressure on His Highness. You kindly placed before him the facts, and His Highness at once acceded to my nomination. No one could possibly have imagined that such powers as His Highness has confided to me would be so full and complete as those I have had given me; and I say that, from henceforth I alone ought to be considered responsible if the hunting of slaves does not cease. You will, of course, consider that I need some time in order to remedy the present state of affairs, and that it would be in- judicious on my part, in the face of the astounding authority His Highness has invested in me, to attempt any violent or sudden course of action. His Highness has throughout my intercourse with him shown himself perfectly sincere; in no way am I trammelled, and I fear no intrigues. Again thanking you for your kind and able support, I have the honour to be Sir, your most obedient servant,C. G. GORDON.With regard to the hon. Member for Wigton, I cannot state exactly the extent of territory included in what is known by the name of Soudan. Its limits to the North are well known and can be seen upon any map; but with regard to its limits Southwards I am not able to say how far they extend.