HC Deb 03 July 1882 vol 271 cc1245-7
LORD EUSTACE CECIL

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What arrangements have been made to carry on the business of the Consulate at Alexandria, Cairo, and Suez in consequence of the continued absence on sick leave of Sir E. Malet, and the resignation of Mr. Calvert?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Mr. Cartwright, of the Foreign Office, is the acting Agent and Consul General in the absence of Sir Edward Malet. Consul West arrived at Alexandria from Suez on the 29th ult. to act as Consul at Alexandria pending the arrival of Consul Wrench from Constantinople. Vice Consul Faulkner is left in charge of the Consulate at Suez. Consul Wrench will be at Alexandria on the 8th instant, should his health allow him to leave Constantinople; should it not, another gentleman will be immediately sent out from England. Consul Mieville has left for Alexandria to act as Vice Consul in the place of Mr. Calvert. Vice Consul Borg is in charge at Cairo, and Mr. Beaman is with him.

MR. CAINE

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any French subjects were killed in the recent massacre at Alexandria?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, a supernumerary dragoman of the French Consulate was killed. It is reported that three other Frenchmen were killed, of whom two are rumoured to have belonged to the Fleet, and three protected French subjects.

MR. O'DONNELL

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Government has been informed that during the past eighteen months or two years upwards of 600 foreigners have been appointed to places of profit, whose annual value exceeds £200,000, in the Egyptian administration; and, how many of these appointments were made at the instance of the British representatives in Egypt?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Lists of the foreigners in the service of the Egyptian Government, with the dates of their admission and the amounts of their salaries, are given in the Parliamentary Papers, Egypt, No. 4 and No. 6 of this year. For an answer to the second part of his Question I must refer the hon. Member to the reply I made to him on the 23rd ultimo.

MR. O'DONNELL

asked, whether he was not right in saying that 600 foreigners had been appointed within the last two years?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

I have no information on the subject.

MR. O'DONNELL

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Why the British delegate has been forbidden to take part in the investigation into the late riots at Alexandria?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, the foreign agents at Alexandria had unanimously agreed on the 27th that an inquiry at the present moment is worse than useless, and that the Government should first show signs of its power for good by punishing those whom it knew and acknowledged to be guilty. Her Majesty's Government had already formed a similar opinion on the proposed inquiry, and had instructed the British Agent and Consular authorities to hold themselves aloof from it.

MR. O'DONNELL

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Government has taken into consideration the statement forwarded by Sir E. Malet to Lord Granville, that many European usurers are taking advantage of the distressed condition of the Egyptian population to obtain most exorbitant rates of interest for loans, some Greek money-lenders being mentioned as having extorted interest at thirty-six per cent for six months; whether it is a fact that two Greek moneylenders have recently been murdered by villagers near Cairo; and, whether Her Majesty's Government has issued any warning to British subjects to avoid usurious money-lending in the prevailing distress and excitement in Egypt?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, Mr. Cartwright reported on the 26th that 10 Greeks and three Jews were massacred on that day by an Arab mob at Benha, a town on the road to Cairo. We have no information as to their being moneylenders, and we have not issued any warning to British subjects in regard to money-lending.

MR. ANDERSON

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If he can explain why it is that without counting the Maltese, who are specially indicated, so many other foreign names are returned as "Anglais," and no less than ninety-four as "Protegé Anglais," while all other countries put together have not twenty-five protegés among them; and, whether it is consistent with the traditions of our Foreign Office to grant the protection of the British flag so freely to foreigners in foreign countries who are not Embassy or Consular servants?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, British protection is not granted at the present day so readily as that of other Powers; but the Foreign Office do not possess the information necessary to give a reply to my hon. Friend's Question with regard to the foreigners in the employ of the Egyptian Government. We shall, however, be glad to procure the particulars he desires; and Her Majesty's Agent in Egypt will be instructed to report upon the subject.

SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any Despatch was addressed by Lord Granville to Lord Lyons, recording the conversation reported by M. Challemel-Lacour in Despatch No. 44, page 58 of the French Yellow Book on the Affairs of Egypt; and, if so, whether such recording Despatch can be laid upon the Table?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, I have already stated that there was such a despatch. It shall be laid upon the Table.

MR. O'KELLY

asked whether the Government would give an assurance that they would not attack Arabi Pasha without consulting Parliament?

[No reply was given to the Question.]