HC Deb 01 November 1882 vol 274 cc562-3
SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, some remarks of mine in reply to my right hon. Friend the Member for King's Lynn (Mr. Bourke) are misreported in one morning paper of to-day. The reports and the summaries in the other papers correctly give in some cases my words, and in all my meaning; but in one important journal I am made to speak of— The enormous difficulty the Government experienced in trying to conduct the government of Egypt from this country. A reference to the other reports would show that my argument was against trying to conduct the government of Egypt from this country "by telegraph." As long ago as the 13th of October, Her Majesty's Government instructed Sir Edward Malet to insist that the trial of Arabi should be public. I was asked yesterday if the Press was to be excluded, and I replied that we had no reason to suppose that it was, and that the conditions agreed to by the counsel for the defence did not say so. My right hon. Friend the Member for King's Lynn insisted that I should at once promise to telegraph again upon this subject, and it was then that I asked for Notice of his Question, and added the words to which I have just alluded.

MR. LABOUCHERE

I do not think my hon. Friend quite understood my Question as to the exclusion of the Press from the trial of Arabi. I did not ask whether the Government would insist on the admission of the Press, but whether they would use their good offices—that is to say, urge on the Government of the Khedive the desirability of allowing the Press to be present.

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

That was done on the 13th of last month. What I said was that, not having heard of any intention to exclude the Press, I did not think it necessary to refer to the subject again. I did not complain of the Question, but of the misreport of my answer.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON

The Question of my hon. Friend is not answered. It is, whether the Government will use their influence with those who are to conduct the trial for the purpose of making sure that the trial shall be conducted publicly?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

I have already said three times that as long ago as the 13th of October we made strong and distinct representations on that subject.

CAPTAIN AYLMER

asked the Government, whether they had got any further information as to the state of affairs in the Soudan?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

That is a Question of which Notice ought to have been given. There is no further information as to the state of affairs, although we have received certain opinions.

CAPTAIN AYLMER

gave Notice that he would repeat the Question on Thursday.