§ MR. E. JENKINSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, although Mr. Rivers Wilson has been withdrawn from Egypt, the French Government has not declined to withdraw M. do Blignières; whether the idea of any joint action in regard to Egyptian affairs between the English and French Governments has been abandoned; and what, if any, difference existed in the grounds on which the application of the Khedive for permission to be granted by the French and English Governments respectively to Messrs. Wilson and do Blignieres to accept office in Egypt was assented to by those Governments?
§ MR. BOURKESir, I shall be very happy to give a definite answer to the second Question of the hon. Gentleman the Member for Dundee. The hon. Member asks me whether the idea of any joint action with France in relation to Egyptian affairs has been abandoned. 237 I beg to reply that the idea of joint action in regard to Egyptain affairs has not been abandoned. With regard to the other Question on the Paper of the hon. Member, I must inform him that the Question relates to the action and motive of the French Government, and, although we are most happy to give every information we can with regard to the proceedings of Her Majesty's Government, it would be impossible for us to adopt the same rule in regard to the proceedings of a foreign Government.