HC Deb 01 April 1884 vol 286 cc1277-8
MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that General Gordon's Forces sustained a severe reverse at Khartoum; and, whether General Graham's Troops are being recalled from Suakin without opening the Berber road? He said he had also a further Question, of which he had given private Notice—Whether his attention had been called to a statement in the Khartoum Correspondent's letter in The Times of to-day, in which the following statement occurred:— We are daily expecting British troop. We cannot bring ourselves to believe that we are abandoned by the Government. Our existence depends upon England?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

It is true, Sir, as stated yesterday, that I the troops under General Gordon met with a somewhat serious reverse in the operations which had been undertaken against the Arabs, who appeared to be threatening Khartoum. As it now appears, that reverse was caused parity—to some extent, certainly—by the treachery of some officers commanding General Gordon's troops. My attention has, of course, been called to the paragraph in The Times to which the hon. Member referred. We have, however, received news from General Gordon up to the same date as The Times telegram, in which General Gordon does not appear to have made any reference to the expectation that assistance by British troops would be rendered, and in which he states that he considered he was quite safe, and that supplies were coming in freely. With regard to the second part of the Question, I should prefer postponing any statement as to the roads from Suakin to Berber until we can make such statement as may be in our power, and which we have undertaken to make, in reply to the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition.

MR. LOWTHER

Did I rightly understand the noble Lord yesterday to say that General Gordon, in his despatch, referred to the report of The Time Correspondent? If so, would that imply that General Gordon, by his silence on any one point contained in that report, denied the accuracy of the report?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

I think General Gordon's reference to The 'Times telegram referred solely to the account of the action which had taken place on the previous day. He stated distinctly that he had not had time on that occasion to send a full account, and referred Sir Evelyn Baring to those telegrams. The telegrams, both from The Time Correspondent and from General Gordon, are of subsequent date—I think a week later.

MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

Is it true, then, that General Gordon is to be left lo share the fate of Tewfik Bey?

[No reply.]