HC Deb 24 April 1884 vol 287 cc468-70
MR. LABOUCHERE

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Mr. Power was in any way connected with Egypt or the Soudan before his appointment as Consular Agent at Khartoum; whether he is the same gentleman who accompanied the late Mr. O'Donovan there last year as his secretary; whether he receives any salary as Consular Agent; if so, what, and what are his duties and his functions; whether he is in possession of any exequatur either from the Egyptian Government or any other Government; and, whether it is contrary to the rules of the Foreign Office that any Consul, Vice Consul, or Consular Agent shall act as correspondent of a newspaper?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

I have no information with regard to the personal matters mentioned in the two first Questions of the hon. Member. Mr. Power receives no salary, but will be entitled as Acting Consul to draw an allowance of half the salary assigned to the post. His duties and functions are defined in the official Consular Instructions. He would require no exequatur as Acting Consul. There is no rule against the practice mentioned in the fifth head of the hon. Member's Question. It is, however, contrary to practice; but the circumstances of Mr. Power's appointment are altogether peculiar and exceptional. It would have been more correct if in the telegrams relating to the subject contained in Egypt, No. 1 and No. 5, 1884, Mr. Power had not been described as Consular Agent, which is a technical term given to gentlemen holding a permanent and not, as in Mr. Power's case, a purely temporary appointment.

MR. LABOUCHERE

Then, do I understand that Mr. Power is Acting Consul and retains that office at Khartoum?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

No; it is entirely a temporary arrangement. His title is Acting Consul. He was called Consular Agent in Sir Evelyn Baring's telegram, but that was an error.

MR. LABOUCHERE

Has any intimation been sent to Mr. Power to withdraw from Khartoum?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

As I stated in the debate on the Vote of Censure, Mr. Power was informed he was at liberty, notwithstanding his having accepted this duty, to leave Khartoum at any time he chose. But, as I also added at the time, Mr. Power, in the most honourable manner, declined to take advantage of the offer so made to him, and he continued at his post, although, not being a regular member of the Consular Body, he was under no obligation to do so, and not with standing the very great peril to which he was exposed.

MR. JOSEPH COWEN

Can we be told when Mr. Power was appointed, by whom, and how long he has been in office?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

The Papers relating to that subject are already before the House. They are "Egypt, 1 and 5, 1884."

MR. RITCHIE

Will the noble Lord say how long Her Majesty's Govern- ment have considered Mr. Power to be in peril?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

I cannot give the exact dates in the documents to which I refer; but the hon. Member will see from the Papers I mentioned the other evening that they are in the Blue Books.

LORD GEORGE HAMILTON

The noble Lord has stated that Mr. Power is in very great peril. The Prime Minister has informed us that General Gordon is in no great peril. I wish the noble Lord or some other Member of the Government would inform us what peril it is to which Mr. Power is subjected, and from which General Gordon is free?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

I quoted the statement I made in the debate on the Vote of Censure. I then said that Mr. Power had accepted duties which were undoubtedly of a perilous character, and, considering that he was not one of a regular staff, he was told that he might consider himself perfectly free to leave Khartoum at any moment. He was not bound to remain; but Mr. Power, in the most honourable manner, did remain, as I stated. I added nothing in the statement which I made just now to what I said in the debate on the Vote of Censure some time ago.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON

Will the noble Lord tell us what are the duties which Mr. Power has to perform?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

They are the duties of an Acting Consul.

MR. O'DONNELL

Will the noble Lord tell us what Government Mr. Power is accredited by?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

I stated just now that it was not necessary that Acting Consuls should have an exequatur.