§ LORD EUSTACE CECILasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Government have any reason to believe the alarming reports of the progress of the rebellion in the Soudan and the imminent danger of Khartoum; and, if so, what steps they have advised the Egyptian Government to take to replace the raw conscripts who are represented as being chained in batches and driven like slaves to join the headquarters of their regiments at the front?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, Her Majesty's Government have received information that Obeid and, it is believed, Bara have fallen into the hands of the rebels, but that there is no reason to apprehend danger to Khartoum. The suppression of the rebellion in the Soudan is a matter which has been left entirely to the Egyptian Government, as has been stated by my noble Friend the Secretary of State for War, and neither Lord Dufferin nor Sir Edward Malet has been concerned in any of the arrangements made. No information of such a treatment of conscripts as is referred to by the noble Lord has been received at the Foreign Office; but, as the recruits are said to be under misapprehension as to the condition of the recruitment, the Khedive has permitted some English officers to be present at the places of enlistment.
§ MR. O'DONNELLasked whether, looking to the fact that the Soudan was only a recent conquest of Egypt, and had been the scene of massacre, Her Majesty's Government would instruct Lord Dufferin to use his influence—which was considerable—with the Egyptian Government to prevent the further invasion of that Province by the Egyptian Forces?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICErequested that Notice should be given of that Question.