HC Deb 20 June 1884 vol 289 cc997-9
MR. GIBSON

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What is the date of the last tidings received from General Gordon by the Government; have the Government yet learned whether General Gordon received (a) their Despatch of 23rd April 1884, or (b) their last Despatch of 18th May 1884; and, have the Government taken any, and, if so, what steps, since the 23rd May, to communicate with General Gordon?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

The date of the latest despatch from General Gordon is, as I have already stated, the 10th of April. At least 20 different copies of the despatch of the 23rd of April have been sent by different routes. A large discretion has, however, been left to Her Majesty's Acting Consul General to multiply messengers and to use whatever means he may con- sider advisable. I am not aware that any of these messengers started later than May 21. The Mudir of Dongola think that one of these messengers has entered Khartoum. On the 19th instant a message was received through Her Majesty's Consul at Suakin from Colonel Chermside, to the effect that one of these messengers whom he had despatched on the 13th of May, having been taken ill near Berber, had sent on his brother and a companion with the despatch of April 23 by boat to Khartoum, where he remained for three hours. General Gordon, or another Englishman, came to the boat with him, and gave him a letter. On the road from Berber the messengers were pursued, and the bearer of the letter was killed; but, as the same messenger was the person who stated that he and his companion had been at Berber and gone, it seems, on a day subsequent to that on which it is now alleged to have fallen, these statements must be read with caution. I may also mention that a telegram had been received from Mr. Egerton, stating that Major Chermside telegraphed on the 19th that 21 Tahroori pilgrims arrived at Suakin the day before, 38 days from Khartoum, which place they reported quiet, with provisions cheap, and that Gordon had news from Kassala of the defeat of the Hadendowas.

MR. GIBSON

The noble Lord has, in his statement, made the remark that some of the information which had reached the Foreign Office must be read with great caution. I wish to ask whether the Government have received any answer with reference to their despatch of May 18th?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

I have given the House all the information in our possession, and the right hon. and learned Gentleman may assume there is no news in respect to it.

LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

Will the noble Lord say, whether the communications with General Gordon include the appointment of messengers by Zebehr Pasha?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

One of these messages has been sent by an agent selected by Zebehr Pasha.

LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

By Zebehr as an agent of the British. Government communicating with General Gordon?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

That does cot necessarily follow. Her Majesty's Government considered it might be one means of communicating with him.