MR. G. W. ELLIOTasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government, with or without the consent of any other Power, have taken any, and, if so, what steps to secure the freedom of the Suez Canal?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKESir, I regret that I am unable to add anything to what I said on this subject yesterday, when I informed the House that the matter had had immediate attention at the hands of Her Majesty's Government.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the British ironclads have been sent to Alexandria for the purpose of protecting the lives and property of Her Majesty's subjects, or for the purpose of intervening in the affairs of Egypt; and, if the latter, whether the 1405 House of Commons will have an opportunity of expressing its opinion on this policy of intervention before hostilities are permitted to be commenced?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKESir, the Fleet was sent to Alexandria to protect life and property; and we hope that its presence will contribute, without the employment of force, to the maintenance of the status quo in Egypt, of the Sovereignty of the Sultan, of the position of the Khedive, and of the liberties of the Egyptian people, as well as to the prudent development of their institutions, and to the observance of the international engagements of Egypt. While I cannot admit that the present situation is such as the hon. Baronet seems to imply, I must, on general principles, decline to give an answer to the second portion of his Question.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONWill my hon. Friend inform the House whether any orders have been given to the Fleet to use force to bring about all those objects he has described?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI can make no further reply.