§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he could, without inconvenience, state generally to the House the object of Lord Dufferin's visit to Egypt; whether, in the instructions to Lord Dufferin, any provision has been made for consulting the wishes of the Egyptian people in respect of the institutions under which Egypt is henceforward to be governed; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will be able to make a statement, before the prorogation of Parliament, as to the arrangements proposed to be made for the settlement of Egypt, and the length of time during which that Country is to be occupied by Her Majesty's Forces?
MR. GLADSTONEIn regard to the first part of this Question, I may state that the object of Lord Dufferin's mission to Egypt is to conduct, with the assistance of Sir Edward Malet, the necessary communications with the Egyptian Government in respect to the future arrangements for the security of Egypt. I am not aware of any machinery by which such a process as consulting the wishes of the people could be conducted, and we are not at all convinced that it would lead to any substantive result. If any portion of these arrangements separate from the rest should be completed before the Prorogation, and no objection in the public interests should exist to its being separately stated, we should be most ready to state it as far as we could. Much must depend on what is likely to be the period of the Prorogation; and with respect to that period I am not in a position to give any information. Probably the hon. Gentleman can give more than I can.
§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFAre we to understand that the arrangements for the future government of Egypt are to be imposed on the people of that country without consulting their wishes, and by means simply of communications between Lord Dufferin and the Khedive?
MR. GLADSTONEIt does not follow that there would be no reference to the wishes of the people because there is no formal machinery for consulting them. There is a legal Government in Egypt, and the Ruler of that country has been distinguished since his accession to the Throne, under the auspices of the late Administration, by his faithful adherence to the engagements under which he took the Throne, and his study to promote the well-being of the people; and we have not the slightest apprehension of conflict between the arrangements that may be made and the wishes of the Egyptian people.
§ MR. O'DONNELLasked whether one of the instances of the Khedive's faithful adherence to his obligations was his condemnation of Arabi Pasha for not making a more successful defence of Alexandria?
§ MR. MACFARLANEAre we to understand that the wishes of the people were consulted previous to the establishment of the Dual Control?
MR. JOSEPH COWENDoes there not exist in Egypt a Chamber of Notables, through which the wishes of the people may be ascertained?
MR. GLADSTONENo, Sir; I am not aware of any Chamber authorized to enter into an arrangement with reference to the security of the Egyptians.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONMay I ask whether it is true, as stated in a telegram this evening, that the Dual Control has been abolished?
MR. GLADSTONEWe are not responsible for that telegram. I cannot say that it is authentic, or connected with us in any way. Whenever the arrangements with respect to the Dual Control are in a state to be communicated to Parliament, my hon. Friend may rely upon it we shall be glad to make it known.