§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the noble Lord the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any intelligence has been received at the Foreign Office with regard to General Gordon, or with regard to the position of affairs at Khartoum and Berber?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEI think it would have been better if the hon. Member had followed the example of other hon. Members and had given Notice of his Question, which covers a great deal of ground; but in regard to General Gordon and the position at Khartoum, I may state that no information has reached the Foreign Office since the House rose, except a few rumours resting on so vague and uncertain a foundation as not to constitute anything authentic.
MR. J. LOWTHERsaid, he thought that the noble Lord was rather unreasonable in asking for Notice. Did he understand the noble Lord, in referring to the reports as vague, which had been the only ones that had come to hand since the House separated, included in that category the Report of Major Kitchener?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEI think that is essentially a Question which I might ask for Notice of. The right hon. Gentleman asks as to a Report of Major Kitchener. I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman to give some clearer statement as to what he refers to. To answer the Question now might lead to some misunderstanding.
MR. J. LOWTHERI can quite understand that being so. What I wish to ask is this—whether a report which has appeared in all the leading newspapers, as delivered to Reuter's Agency, purporting to be a Report by Major Kitchener of certain duties undertaken by him at the instance of Her Majesty's Government, is included by the noble Lord in the category of vague statements?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEI think the House will see that that is a Question to Notice of which I am entitled.