THE EARL OF BECTIVEasked the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is true that the Khedive of Egypt, in view of a contemplated revolt of troops at Cairo, has asked for the protection of a joint army of French and British troops, or protection either from the French or the British Government; and, if so, whether he will communicate to the House the reply of the British Government, with any correspondence that may have passed on the subject between the British and the French Governments.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKESir, it is not the case that the Khedive has made any communication of the kind to Her Majesty's Government, nor, so far as we are aware, to the French Government. The Government have no information whatever to that effect. The 372 last portion of the Question, therefore, falls to the ground. There has been no correspondence on the subject at all.
THE EARL OF BECTIVEasked, Whether Earl Granville has received any answer from Lord Lyons relative to the remonstrance he made to the French Government in a recent letter with respect to the inconvenience which might arise from the protection of Tunisian subjects in Egypt by France?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKESir, no answer has been received up to the present time, but the matter has not been lost sight of. We understand that all those persons at present are being treated as Turkish subjects.