§ MR. LABOUCHEREasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the late Conservative Government entered into any covenants with Austria, Prussia, or any other Power, besides those regarding Egypt, which are not known to the House; and whether, if so, he will lay them upon the Table of the House?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEI would beg to refer my hon. Friend to the reply to a similar Question put by him on the 28th of May, 1880, when my Predecessor in the Office which I now hold stated that, for reasons which the House would readily understand, it was obviously impossible for Her Majesty's Government to give an answer which would completely satisfy the curiosity of the hon. Member. It will, however, be satisfactory the House to know that, subject to the statement made by the Prime Minister last night, Her Majesty's Government are able to state that this country is under no other engagement for the future than those on the Table of the House.
§ MR. BOURKEasked when the Papers referring to agreements with other Powers, to which allusion was made on Monday night, would be presented to the House?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEsaid, that he intented to communicate with the right hon. Gentleman on this subject.
§ MR. BOURKEobserved that the noble Lord was quite at liberty to publish the whole of the Correspondence.
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEsaid, that he had no intention of going back upon what had been said on the part of the Government. He had only wished to state that he was willing to communicate with his right hon. Friend on this matter.