§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Despatch from Zanzibar, quoted by the First Lord of the Treasury, and described by the noble Lord as coining from Colonel Miles, was sent, in the first instance, to Zanzibar from Commander Johnstone, Her Majesty's Acting Consul at Tamatave; and, whether he will communicate to the House the telegraphic information received from Madagascar since July 10th?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, the telegram from Colonel Miles, quoted by my right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Treasury, was probably based upon information received from Commander Johnstone, of Her Majesty's ship Dryad, at Tamatave, through the Commander of the Dragon, which conveyed a telegram and despatches from Tamatave to Zanzibar. Commander Johnstone is not Acting Consul at Tamatave, and does not correspond with the Foreign Office. It would be inconvenient and irregular to lay on the Table necessarily imperfect sum- 32 maries, sent by telegraph, of despatches not yet received. The statement of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Wednesday was based, as my right hon. Friend informed the House at the time, upon information received from Zanzibar and Madagascar—that is to say, from Colonel Miles at Zanzibar, and Commander Johnstone at Tamatave.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTThe noble Lord has stated that this information was "probably" sent by Commander Johnstone. May I ask, if the despatch did not distinctly state that it was sent by Commander Johnstone; and can the noble Lord inform the House when the despatches to which he has referred will be received in this country?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEI cannot inform the hon. Member clearly the contents of despatches which have not yet been received at the Foreign Office. With regard to the probable time of arrival, I cannot say definitely; but I hope they will arrive towards the end of the month.