§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether General Gordon has now been besieged in Khartoum since the 14th March, when the Mahdi's followers surrounded that city, i.e. for a period of five months; whether it has been impossible, during that period, to get even an Arab messenger in or out of Khartoum, until the letter just received by the Mudir of Dongola; whether, in that letter, General Gordon asks how many troops are coming to his relief, and by what route; whether he has repeatedly asked that troops should be sent to Berber and Wady Halfa, and has stated that he could not fulfil his Mission (i.e. bring away the garrison and loyal population of Khartoum) without military assistance; whether Khartoum is now hemmed in by 16,000 insurgents; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will at once send an adequate expedition to relieve General Gordon and those whom he was sent out to save?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON, who was very indistinctly heard, was understood to say, that all the information on the subject of General Gordon's mission, including the communications made to him, and the communications received from him, were contained in the Papers which had been laid before the House, and which had recently been discussed. He did not think there would, at the present time, be any advantage in expressing his view as to General Gordon's position. As to the question whether Khartoum was now hemmed in by 16,000 insurgents, that information was brought by the messenger who carried General Gordon's letter to the Mudir of Dongola; and it must be taken for what it was worth. Of course, it was not an authoritative statement. With regard to the last Question, the Government were fully aware of the responsibility which they had always acknowledged in regard to General Gordon—as was shown by the Vote of Credit they had taken for the purpose of putting themselves in a posi- 442 tion, if necessary, to adopt measures for the relief of General Gordon—and at the present time they were taking active measures in discharge of their responsibility.
§ MR. CHAPLINI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, in consequence of the answer which he has given to my hon. Friend, which I think far from satisfactory, whether the House is to understand that, in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, no clear necessity has as yet arisen for the despatch of an expedition for the relief of General Gordon?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONI do not think I can answer that, or state anything more than I have already stated. When the Vote of Credit was recently brought forward my right hon. Friend at the head of the Government made a statement, and there was a general concurrence of opinion that it would be undesirable that the Government should be called on to state what precise measures they intended taking in order to discharge their responsibility. I think that applies equally to the state of the case now, and that it would be undesirable, even if we had made up our minds to send an expedition to Khartoum to announce the fact prematurely. Certainly, preparations are being made with the object of putting the Government in a position to do what they undertook to do the other day.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI think all we wish to know is, whether an expedition is actually being prepared for the relief of General Gordon? If the noble Lord is prepared to say "yes" or "no" to that Question we will be satisfied. I wish to ask another question—Whether the noble Lord will give the House an undertaking that none of the £300,000 which was obtained the other night will be spent for the regiments and defences which are now being placed, or have been placed, at Wady Halfa for the defence of Lower Egypt?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONIt is very hard to make any distinction such as the hon. Member suggests. Of course, I fully understand that the Vote given the other day was for the purpose, if necessary, of relieving General Gordon. The other expenditure which the hon. Member has referred to is expenditure which would be necessary altogether apart from that outlay. It is 443 difficult to draw a hard-and-fast line as to the defence of Egypt; but I can only say that preparations are being made to enable the Government, if the necessity arises in their opinion, to take active steps for the relief of General Gordon.