§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government has agreed with the Government of the French Republic that, in the event of the present Naval demonstration off Alexandria not attaining its object, the Sultan should exercise his rights of sovereignty in Egypt by despatching a Military force to that Country; whether, in the event of his doing so, the Turkish troops would be supported by England and France; and, if no such agreement has been arrived at, whether the task of maintaining the status quo in Egypt is to be achieved by an Anglo-French occupation?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEWith the permission of the House, Sir, I think that it will be for the public interest that I should decline to reply to the Question of the hon. Member.
§ MR. BOURKEasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the assurance he gave the House, that the two Western Powers feel confident that the course agreed upon with respect to Egypt will meet with the assent of all the Great Powers, and of the Porte, can still be given; whether the despatch of the Fleets to Alexandria has met with the assent of the Great Powers, and of the Porte; and, whether the Government of France has objected to the despatch of Turkish Troops to Egypt; and, if so, upon what grounds?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI should be very glad to answer fully the Ques- 1604 tion put by my right hon. Friend, as the Representative of the Foreign Policy of the late Administration; but I cannot, consistently with the interests of the Public Service, answer the second or third branches of the Question. In reply to the first branch of the Question, I am happy to say that the two Governments still continue to believe that the course agreed upon by England and France, in view of what, upon the 15th instant, I called "future eventualities," will meet with the assent of all the other Great Powers and of the Porte.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked, whether Her Majesty's Government had not received a protest from the Porte with regard to the action already taken by the Governments of France and England; and, whether Her Majesty's Government had not received a Note, either identical or similar in character, from the four other Great Powers, more or less in support of the Porte?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEAs regards the latter part of the hon. Member's Question there is no truth in the statement. In answer to the first part, I may say that my reply alluded to one matter and his Question to another. My answer alluded to the action to be taken by England and France in view of what I called "future eventualities;" whereas his Question applies to the sending of the Fleet.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTsaid, he could easily put his Question so as to suit the hon. Baronet. He would ask, whether it was not the fact that the protest of the Porte was directed not only against the despatch of the Fleet without the Sultan's consent having first been asked, but also against any future policy directed in the same manner without the previous assent of the Sultan as the Sovereign of Egypt?
§ [No answer was given to the Question.]