§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (for Mr. O'DONNELL)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether a certain M. Dulier, having some time ago married into a British family, took out to Egypt a letter from Earl Granville strongly recommending his employment by the Egyp- 779 tian Government; whether, in consequence, M. Doulier was appointed to the Egyptian Land Revenue Survey Department, whence he was promoted to, and is now in, the Egyptian Military Service; whether it is true that, on the strength of Lord Granville's introduction, M. Dulier, on being recently ordered by the Egyptian Government to proceed on active service to the Soudan, refused to do so unless a sum of £25,000 were first deposited in the Bank of England on his account; whether M. Doulier was eventually induced to commute this ready money claim by being offered a monthly pay equal to something like three times his former salary; and, what steps will be taken to secure that recommendations from influential members of Her Majesty's Government shall not be abused for the purpose of extorting money from the Egyptian Government?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, Colonel Dulier's name appears in the list of Europeans in the service of the Egyptian Government sent homo by Sir Edward Malet in May, 1882, as one of the Inspectors on the Land Survey. His first appointment is stated to have been in 1873. In February last the Belgian Minister forwarded to Lord Granville a statement of Colonel Dulier's services, together with testimonials from Colonel Drury-Lowe and the Duke of Connaught, and requested that his claims to a full colonelcy in the Egyptian Army might be considered. These Papers were forwarded to Lord Dufferin by Lord Granville's direction, with a letter stating that Lord Granville did not wish to interfere with Sir Evelyn Wood's full discretion in dealing with these matters, but that it might possibly be useful to Sir Evelyn to see the Papers, and that Lord Granville left it to Lord Dufferin to show them to him or not as he thought best. The Secretary of State is not aware whether any action was taken by Lord Dufferin in the matter; nor has he any reason whatever to believe the statements about Colonel Dulier made in the Question.
§ MR. A. ELLIOTasked whether the gentleman referred to had not rendered important services to the British Army in Egypt, and whether those services had received any recognition or reward from Her Majesty's Government?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, I have to state that the services of 780 Colonel Dulier were very distinguished, and received the highest approval and appreciation of the British Commander-in-Chief. I have in my hands a short letter from Lord Wolseley, which, if the House wishes, I will read, especially as the Notice Paper of this House has been made the means of making an unfounded charge against that gentleman. [Cries of "Read!"] The letter is as follows:—
November 25, 1882.Colonel Dulier, of the Egyptian Army, rendered very valuable service to the Army under my command during the recent campaign. General Lowe, who commanded the Cavalry, spoke to me in the highest terms of Colonel Dulier and the great use he was to the Cavalry that entered Cairo on the 14th, the last expedition. I can myself strongly recommend him for employment under the Khedive.(Signed) "WOLSELEY.I believe that Colonel Dulier has not received any recognition from Her Majesty's Government.