§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the Under Secretary of state for Foreign. Affairs, Whether it is a fact that the representatives of four Great Powers, Germany, Austria, France, and Russia, have addressed an identical communication to the Porte, to the effect that the four Governments desired the status quo in Egypt to be maintained, in accordance with existing treaties, and with the firmans of the Sultan; and that any modification of the status quo would require the assent of all the Great Powers and of the Sultan; whether, in view of such a communication, it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to withdraw the joint note of two which they, in conjunction with France, addressed to the Khedive; and, whether the Government 239 will lay copies of all recent despatches upon Egyptian affairs upon the Table of the House? The hon. Member said he wished to add to the second portion of the Question the words "Without consulting the Sultan, and in breach of the concert of Europe."
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI believe that the hon. Gentleman has correctly stated the purport of a verbal communication made by the Dragomans of the four Powers to the Porte. It is riot the intention of Her Majesty's Government to withdraw the communication made to the Khedive by the English Agent in conjunction with the French Agent; and Her Majesty's Government cannot accept the truth of the criticism contained in the words the hon. Member has just added to his Question. It would not be consistent with the usual practice to lay despatches on the Table relating to a question which is still under discussion.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTWill that document be in the hands of Members?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEYes; immediately.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTDid I understand the hon. Member to say the Sultan was consulted?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKESir, it was no breach of the concert of the Powers. We followed, in making this communication, the precedent set by the late Government.
§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFI should like to ask the ton. Baronet whether any communication was made to the Porte? The right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister yesterday laid great stress on the Sovereignty or the Suzerainty of the Sultan.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEThe precedent followed was that set by Lord Salisbury. He also addressed the Khedive, without informing the Porte, in exactly the same manner.
§ MR. GOURLEYasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If, without detriment to the public service, he will be good enough to inform the House of the nature and object of the two Anglo-French Notes addressed to the Khedive of Egypt relative to the joint financial control of the country; if they were issued with or without the consent of the signatories to the Berlin Treaty; and, if it is the intention of 240 Her Majesty's Government to endeavour to arrive at an understanding with the whole of the European Powers that the navigation of the Suez Canal should be made International not only in times of peace, but also in the event of war?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEThere are no such Notes in existence. The identic communication recently made by the English and French Agents to the Khedive has already been presented to Parliament. The object of that communication was the maintenance of the rights of the Sultan as Sovereign, of the position of the Khedive, and of the liberties of the Egyptian people under the Firmans of the Porte, and the fulfilment of all international arrangements. As the matter was not one which came under the Treaty of Berlin, the consent of the signatories of that Treaty was not asked. It is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to make any proposal with regard to the Suez Canal.
§ MR. M'COANasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If Her Majesty's Government has received any information confirmatory of that stated by the "Standard" newspaper of Monday last to have been
officially reported to the French Government, both from Constantinople and Cairo, that Arabi Bey has the Sultan's warrant for turning out the Khedive and installing himself in his place, on condition of recognising the Sultan's Sovereignty and his dependence upon him;whether the Organic Law reported by the newspapers of this morning to have been voted yesterday by the new Egyptian Ministry, transferring the preparation of and control over the Budget, vested by the Decrees of November 1876 and November 1879 in the Council of Ministers and the Controllers-General, from these authorities to the Chamber of Delegates, in any way constitutes such a change in the status quo as was contemplated by and provided for in the recent Joint Note of the British and French Governments to the Khedive; and, if it do constitute such a change, whether Her Majesty's Government intends to take any and what action to re-establish and maintain the authority of the Control?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEHer Majesty's Government have received no information confirmatory of the statement in The Standard referred to by my hon. Friend. The new Egyptian 241 Government have expressed their willingness to exclude from the control of the Chamber the credits necessary to the service of the Debt, and their desire to give the Chamber the control only of the internal administrative expenditure, subject to the Imperial Firmans, and have declared that they consider the guarantee of the regular fulfilment of the obligations of the country towards its creditors as sacred. It would be premature for us to announce the views of Her Majesty's Government.