§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF (for Mr. ONSLOW)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If he can now state what arrangements have been made to provide free passage and free living for the British refugees from Egypt, or whether it is the intention of the Government to provide no free rations for these refugees; and, what is the ultimate destination of these refugees, and at whose expense they will be victualled, now that they have been forced to leave Egypt for their own personal safety?
MR. GLADSTONEWith respect to this Question, I think that the hon. Member who gave Notice of it must be under some misunderstanding. He can hardly suppose that a matter of this kind, a sudden necessity arising at a distant point, can be dealt with by correspondence between Departments. It must be dealt with by the authorities on the spot to the best of their discretion in communication with the authorities at home as rapidly as possible. My hon. Friend the Secretary to the Admiralty has given all the information he can, and we at the Treasury possess no 72 information whatever. No communication has been made which enables us to give any further information.