§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he is aware that two steamboats, the "Khalifeh" and the "Medjidieh," belonging to British owners and carrying Her Majesty's Indian Mails, have been prevented from loading or discharging cargo and passengers at Bagdad?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, I regret to say that the facts are substantially as stated by my hon. Friend. The mails, however, were allowed to land, and the foreign passengers; but no passengers were allowed to embark for the return journey.
§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDgave Notice that, in consequence of the importance of the subject, and the unsatisfactory answer of the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, he would on Thursday ask, What steps Her Majesty's Government has taken to protect the interests of British and Asiatic commerce, in consequence of the hindrance which the Turkish Government has placed on the legitimate exercise of the rights of the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company at Bagdad; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will maintain the rights of navigation granted by Firman in 1833, and exercised since that period?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE, with reference to the remark of the hon. Member (Mr. Arthur Arnold) about the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, said, he had answered the Question on the Paper, which related to a question of fact. If his hon. Friend desired to have further information, he should be happy to give it on Thursday.