§ MR. BOURKEasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he can now communicate to the House any information with respect to the recent negotia- 1787 tions with France on the subject of Egypt?
MR. GLADSTONESir, in answer to the Question of the right hon. Gentleman, I am able to state that great progress has been made in the communications with France, of which I have on previous occasions spoken to the House. They have, in fact, readied a point which is such as to allow us to hope that, before many days are over, we may be enabled to proceed to that second step in the process I described to the House—that is to say. to the step of consulting the Powers; and though I cannot frame any precise and positive estimate of the number of days that may be necessary for that purpose, I think, on the whole, it is reasonable to hope that in the course of next week we may be in a condition to make the promised statement to Parliament; and of course that statement will be made before the first meeting of the Conference. In the meantime, Sir, I would respectfully counsel hon. Members, and gentlemen elsewhere, to be on their guard against erroneous and misleading statements, sometimes made with considerable confidence, as to the nature of the arrangement which is in contemplation. But I can make one material addition to what I have said, which is, in truth, simply to give more point to something which I have formerly conveyed to the House in more general terms. I can now undertake to assure the House that it will have an opportunity of pronouncing upon the arrangement itself, of which I spoke, before anything is finally concluded, so as to bind the country.
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEAre we to understand that the communications now taking place with France will be communicated to the Foreign Powers, and discussed with them before any communication is made to the House on the subject?
MR. GLADSTONEWhat I stated on a former occasion was that the Powers will be consulted on the subject; and I think that the right hon. Gentleman will find that I have not asked for any unreasonable limits of time in giving the opinion—not an absolute opinion, but an opinion founded upon a reasonable estimate of the necessities of the case—that in the course of next week our consultations with the other Powers 1788 will be in such a state as to enable us to make the statement to Parliament.
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEThe point is this. The consultation with the Powers may lead to much correspondence, and that would take up time. If it is to be understood that the correspondence is to be concluded before this House is to be put in possession of what is going on we may be kept waiting for a very long time.
MR. GLADSTONEI have already stated that in respect of time it is not in the contemplation of the Government to enter into communications with the other Powers of the same nature and in the same detail as with France. I should not have been so imprudent, had this been the case, as to say that we had a reasonable expectation that in the course of next week we may be able to make the statement.
§ MR. BOURKEWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Papers to be presented to Parliament will be presented at the same time as the promised statement is made?