EGYPT—MURDER OF PROFESSOR PALMER, CAPTAIN GILL, LIEUTENANT CHARRINGTON, AND OTHERS. (Hansard, 2 November 1882)

§ SIR HENRY TYLER

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, in reference to the expedition of the late Professor Palmer, Captain Gill, R.E., and Lieutenant Charrington, R.N., Whether he will produce to the House the orders conveyed to Captain Gill to cut the telegraph wires between Kantara and El Arish, and any communications from Captain Gill, in which his intentions, so referred to, were expressed; if he will inform the House of the route by which Captain Gill was expected to go and to return; how many miles he would have to travel through the Sinaitic Peninsula; and, whether any, and, if so, what means of protection or assistance were afforded to or were at the disposal of that distinguished and lamented officer in the performance of this hazardous duty?

§ MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMAN

Sir, the hon. and gallant Member asks me to produce the orders conveyed to Captain Gill. The only orders were in the form of a verbal request from Admiral Hoskins to Captain Gill at Port Said to proceed to Ismailia and confer with Mr. Pickard, the Egyptian Telegraph Engineer, then on board the Orion, as to the best means of carrying out the orders of the Government to cut the telegraphic communication between Egypt and Constantinople. In a letter dated Suez, August 6, Captain Gill reported to Admiral Hoskins the decision at which he had arrived. I think it will be most satisfactory to the House if I read the lamented officer's own words. He wrote as follows:— I have decided to do the business myself, as it seems the best and surest way, and I have arrived at this conclusion after a long consultation with Professor Palmer. I am very glad that I have come down here, for I have more confidence than I had before seeing him that Palmer has not overrrated his power; indeed, from our conversation this morning, I am convinced that he thoroughly understands the business on which he is engaged. With reference to my special business, at the first blush there are, or seem to be, three ways of doing it—first, to land in the neighbourhood of El Arish; secondly, to land near Kantara; thirdly, to ride up from here into the Desert. With regard to 651 the first, there is a Turkish force garrisoned at El Arish, and no one can say that for many miles outside it there would not he people prowling about; a steam launch running in at night might just land her crew under the nose of someone; then there would he a march over sandhills for five to ten miles, and hack again. The risk would be very great, and when the work was done it might he repaired. To do it from Kantara would, in the first place, I presume, he a breach of the neutrality of the Canal; in the second place, no one can suggest anyone who could help one to do the work, as, of course, it is utterly out of the question to land a party of our own people on the bank of the Canal; and, finally, when done, it would be repaired in a few hours. There remains the road from Suez, and, from what Mr. Palmer says, I can start to-morrow (Monday) and do it with my own hands on Thursday or Friday, after which I would rejoin you with the utmost despatch. The additional advantage of this road is that we believe that we can get people who will prevent our work being undone. With regard to El Arish and Kantara, both Mr. Pickard and Mr. Palmer express the opinion I have given above. Mr. Pickard expressed some doubts as to the success of the scheme I have adopted, which has this additional advantage—that it will enable me entirely to judge of the feelings of the people for myself. In answer to the second and third Questions of the hon. and gallant Gentleman, I have to say that we have no particulars of the precise route Captain Gill was to follow, or of the number of miles to be travelled; and, as regards the last Question, I have already given to the House all the information we have upon the subject.