§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE (for Mr. W. H. SMITH)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If he will be prepared, within the course of the next week, to make any statement to the House as to the present condition of Egypt, and the measures, if any, which the Government may have in contemplation to remedy the state of the Country?
MR. GLADSTONEI have no intention of making a statement in the course of next week as to the present condition of Egypt. The whole operations of the Government since the occupation began have been a continued and persistent endeavour, attended, as they think, with very great success, to apply such remedies, or mitigations more or less complete, as the case would admit of, to the particular abuses which have undoubtedly existed in the government of that country. But the information respecting this work which is most fit for the consideration of the House, is, as we think, best conveyed by the Papers presented to it; and there is now in preparation a Paper on the subject, which, as we have the advantage of the presence of Sir Evelyn Baring in the country, I think will put the House in possession of more effective and trustworthy information than I could convey in the course of a speech.
§ MR. BOURKEasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, having regard to the recent disclosures made by persons holding, or having recently held, official positions of great responsibility in Egypt, in relation to the administration of justice and the management of prisons 688 in that country, he will consent to the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the malpractices alleged to have been committed with the knowledge of the British Government.
MR. GLADSTONEI do not gather what are the particular malpractices to which the right hon. Gentleman refers in his Question. The Government have used their influence, as they think with considerable effect, towards the improvement of the prisons in Egypt; and at the present moment there is rather an important question as to the legality of some of the present regulations in their present form which forms a subject of close consideration by the Government. But with regard to the question of a Committee, I own I have great doubts whether at this period of the Session a Committee of this kind would be desirable. It seems to me much more desirable that the matter should be left in the hands of the Executive Government, and that the House should judge from the information given to it what the Executive Government have done, and should call the Executive Government to account if need be. In the first place, such an inquiry would necessarily involve the summoning of persons from Egypt to give evidence, and that would be very injurious to the condition of the country. I think, also, the right hon. Gentleman will see that, at the present period of the Session, it would be hardly possible to appoint such a Committee even if it were desirable.
§ MR. BOURKEI am much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman for his answer, and I should like to ask one or two Questions arising out of that answer. The particular malpractices to which I alluded have been summarized by Sir Benson Maxwell this morning in the words "a scandalous scene of English lawlessness and licence." I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Papers already promised contain despatches from Sir Benson Maxwell and Mr. Clifford Lloyd with respect to the differences of opinion which existed between them and other British officials; and, also, whether the Papers that will be presented will contain information with respect to the Codes and the Native Tribunals that are being established in Egypt, because the House is aware that the Papers already presented to the House contain no information whatever upon the Native Tribunals.
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEI answered that Question just now. It is always difficult to give in an answer the contents of a Blue Book. It is intended to present Papers bearing upon the question of which the Report of Dr. Crookshank is a part. There will also be Papers bearing upon other subjects of internal administration, and with regard to various other matters bearing upon the administration of Egypt. I did not intend the Papers relating to judicial matters to be regarded in any way as the satisfaction of the pledge I gave.
§ MR. BOURKEWill the Papers relating to the disputes between Sir Benson Maxwell and Mr. Clifford Lloyd be included?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEI stated just now that this Blue Book would contain the Report of Dr. Cruikshank and other Papers bearing on the subject; but I must altogether decline to give definite pledges as to particular Papers and as to particular subjects.
§ MR. BOURKEI beg leave to give Notice that to-morrow I shall ask the Questions I have already put to the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs.