§ MR. A. J. BALFOURasked the First Lord of the Treasury, What portion of the littoral of the Red Sea Her Majesty's Government proposed to protect from any attack hostile to the Government of Egypt?
MR. GLADSTONESir, I am not certain that I can answer the Question of my hon. Friend as particularly as he may wish at the present moment, but I may say, in general terms, that the engagement of the British Government has reference to the ports upon the Red Sea. I am not aware that the word "littoral" is a word of ours—I cannot speak positively, but I believe it is in respect of ports on the Red Sea. If he asks me what ports, then I should define them by saying that they are any ports which might be endangered in consequence of 893 the recent movements of the Mahdi. To give an exhaustive list of them would be beyond my power, but we can obtain particular information on that subject.