§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government have asked, or will now ask, the Sultan, who is Sovereign of Egypt, to send an armed force to that Country to prevent a recurrence of the recent deplorable riot at Alexandria, and to check the revolutionary party?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI regret that it is not expedient that I should give any further answer to the hon. Member than that I have already given. The hon. Member will see by the course of events and the Papers, when published, what has been the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to armed intervention in Egypt.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI beg to call the attention of the hon. Baronet to the fact that my Question applies as much to the future as to the past.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEYes, Sir; my answer also applies to the future.
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEI wish to ask the hon. Baronet whether he can give us any further information as to the recent events in Alexandria, and the condition of Mr. Cookson, our Consul?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEAlexandria is now perfectly quiet. There is a very large concentration of Egyptian troops there. Dervish Pasha has increased the garrison, which now amounts to 12,000 men, almost the whole of the Egyptian Army being there. The streets are perfectly quiet; the troops patrol the streets and disarm everybody, taking away their sticks. Mr. Cookson is going on very well indeed. It may be interesting to know how many people have been killed in the riot. We have no very accurate information on that subject. It has been exceedingly difficult to discover it from the different hospi- 981 tals; but our own information is that about 50 people were killed.
§ MR. J. LOWTHERThe hon. Baronet spoke of Dervish Pasha as having increased the garrison of Alexandria. Do I understand that Dervish Pasha has assumed the responsibility of restoring order in Egypt?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEAs I stated yesterday, the position is extremely anomalous. Orders are given both by Dervish Pasha and the Khedive; and they apparently are given through Arabi Pasha and the other Ministers; but Dervish Pasha states that the increase in the garrison of Alexandria has been by his orders.
MR. G. W. ELLIOTasked whether, in the event of Arabi Pasha being reinstated in the Councils of the Khedive, the Ultimatum or Note, or whatever it might be called, of Her Majesty's Government and France having thus been absolutely disregarded, Her Majesty's Government propose to take any steps to enforce such Note or Ultimatum; and, if not, whether any orders had or would be given for the Fleet to leave Egyptian waters?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI cannot answer the Question for two reasons. In the first place, it is not a Question growing out of the answer I have already given; and, in the second place, it is a Question of which Notice ought to be given. Notice ought to be given of all Questions not arising out of the immediate situation.
§ MR. RAIKESPerhaps the hon. Baronet can say whether the Government are in the possession of any information as to whether the Khedive has left Cairo?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI was about to make a statement on that subject in answer to a Question on the Paper of my hon. Friend the Member for Hull (Mr. Norwood).
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI beg to give Notice that I will repeat my Question to-morrow.
§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSasked the hon. Baronet whether five of the iron-clads now in Egyptian waters drew too much water to enter the harbour of Alexandria?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEThis Question does not at all arise out of the others; but in order to prevent it being put a second time I shall answer it now. 982 The Question, I suppose, refers to the four iron-clads (not five) that have last appeared off the coast. One of them draws too much water to enter the port. One can enter, and the other two can enter into a portion of the harbour, but not the whole.
§ MR. NORWOODasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether steps have been taken to secure prompt communication between Her Majesty's Representatives at Cairo and the commanders of Her Majesty's vessels at Suez and Port Said, in order that British merchant ships may be stopped from entering the Canal in the event of the disorders in Egypt assuming a more threatening aspect?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEIn reply to my hon. Friend, I can inform him that there is at each end of the Canal one of Her Majesty's ships, whose commanders would at once know if anything were wrong, and warn vessels accordingly. Measures have been taken to restore at once telegraphic communication in the event of its being interrupted, and the Admiral is fully supplied with despatch vessels, should they be required. As the Question refers to communications between Port Said and Suez, I may take this opportunity of stating that the Khedive and Dervish Pasha have left Cairo together for Alexandria; but Sir Edward Malet and the other Consuls have not accompanied them, but remain at Cairo. The news arrived about two hours ago, and I do not know whether they had left late last night or early this morning; but Sir Edward Malet and the other Consuls seem to have remained at Cairo. We have informed Sir Edward Malet that we think his proper place is with the Khedive. I have no doubt, therefore, that he will have left for Alexandria.
MR. JOSEPH COWENI wish to ask, has the hon. Baronet received any information as to the formation of a new Ministry of which Arabi Pasha is the head?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKENo, Sir; we have no such information.
§ MR. LABOUCHERECan the hon. Baronet state where Arabi Pasha is— whether he is still at Cairo?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEThe telegram does not give us any information on the subject. I presume he remains in Cairo; but I do not know.
MR. MACARTNEYI wish to ask if Arabi Pasha remains at Cairo while the whole of the Egyptian Army has gone to Alexandria, is not the position of the Europeans who remain at Cairo very dangerous?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEThat, of course, is a matter of opinion; but I have no doubt that if the whole of the European Consuls follow the Khedive to Alexandria a largo portion of the European inhabitants of Cairo will do the same.
MR. G. W. ELLIOTCan the hon. Baronet now answer my Question— namely, whether, in the event of Arabi Pasha being reinstated in the Councils of the Khedive, the Ultimatum or Note, or whatever it might be called, of Her Majesty's Government and France having thus been absolutely disregarded, Her Majesty's Government propose to take any steps to enforce such Note or Ultimatum; and, if not, whether any orders had or would be given for the Fleet to leave Egyptian waters? If the hon. Baronet cannot answer now, I will give Notice for to-morrow.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI shall not be any better able to answer to-morrow than now. All I can tell the hon. Member is that the present condition of anarchy in Egypt will not be allowed to continue. I cannot go into any details of the measures which will be adopted.
§ MR. BOURKEMay I be permitted to ask whether Her Majesty's Government are taking any measures by applying to shipowners for the protection and safety of British subjects at Alexandria, because it is obvious that if there is a large number of persons anxious to go on board ship, the transports or men-of-war would not be sufficient.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEIn answer to the right hon. Gentleman, I believe that Admiral Sir Beauchamp Seymour has made arrangements for sending people wishing to leave the shore on board the Tanjore, the Peninsular and Oriental boat at Alexandria, at the present time the accommodation on board the iron-clads not being very good?