THE EARL OF BECTIVEasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If Her Majesty's Government are aware that additional clauses exist in the Casr Essaid Treaty besides those communicated to Lord Granville through Lord Lyons on the 20th May; if the French Government have informed Her Majesty's Government of their intention to compel the Bey to cancel or alter Article V. of the British Convention of 1863, and Article V. of the Convention of 1875, whereby British subjects are allowed to acquire and dispose of immovable property in the Regency of Tunis; whether they are aware that very lately, on M. Camondo, a wealthy Levantine banker, and Mr. Gustavus Rothschild, entering into negotiations with Flamida Ben Ayad, a British landowner, for the purchase of two large estates, they were informed by M. Roustôn that no real property could henceforth be disposed of in that country without his consent; and, whether Her Majesty's Government are prepared to make inquiries on this subject?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEWe are not aware of the existence of any such 1657 additional clauses. The French Government have not given any such information to Her Majesty's Government. We are not aware that the persons named have been informed by M. Roustan that real property cannot be disposed of in Tunis without his consent. There will be no objection to making inquiry on the subject if the noble Lord will inform the Foreign Office of the grounds on which he has based the Questions.