§ SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOTasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention had been directed to a telegram from Egypt in The Times of that morning—
The Minister of the Interior and the Prefect of Police, without consulting Sir Edward Mulct, General Stephenson, or apparently any other authority, determined to evict in the middle of Saturday night the inhabitants of Boulak, and to transport them up the river to Turrah, near Helouân, where the English are forming a cholera camp. The scene is described as a pitiable one—men, women, and children carrying the small possessions which they could gather hastily together, such as old bedding—often emitting a horrible odour—accompanied by a few goats, sheep, donkeys, and poultry, being driven bare-footed in the middle of the night to the barges. No violence was necessary, but no attempt was made to mitigate in any way the horrors of the situation. Meanwhile, nothing had been done to prevent several hundreds of the evicted wretches from escaping, and rushing in crowds through the town.He also wished to ask if it was correct, as afterwards stated, that Sir Evelyn Wood, Sir Edward Malet, and General Stephenson had given orders directing that no further evictions should take place; and whether any instructions had been given to the English authorities in Egypt and in Cairo to prevent this state of things taking place, which was a discredit to us, occupying the country as we now were?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, I cannot, of course, state from day to day whether the various events which ale telegraphed as happening in particular 307 places are true and accurate in every respect. I stated yesterday that a Committee, of which the leading Members are the officers named just now in the Question of the hon. and gallant Member, had been formed, with the view of preventing the painful scenes that were alluded to in the Question of the noble Lord on the Front Bench (Lord Eustace Cecil). That Committee was appointed, not only with the view of preventing administrative confusion, but also for the purpose of carrying out the orders which had been given, and, I understand, of controlling the action of the local authorities by directing it into wise channels. Although I understand the anxiety of some hon. Members, and of the House generally, more than that I cannot say, except this—that the clearest instructions have been given to Sir Edward Malet to lose no opportunity of doing everything he can to support and guide the Egyptian Government in the difficult times on which they have fallen.
§ Sir WALTER B. BARTTELOTdesired to know whether the noble Lord had heard that these evictions actually took place?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICENo, Sir; I cannot state that.