HC Deb 07 March 1884 vol 285 cc872-3
SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

said, he had placed on the Paper the following Question:—To ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether the Joint Proclamation of Admiral Hewett and General Graham contains anything of the character of the following expressions reported by The Standard Correspondent at Suakin, under date March 5th:— The English Force have come here not only to relieve Tokar, but to redress the wrongs under which you have so long suffered: The Great God who rules the Universe dare not send such scoundrels as Osman Digna: Awake; chase Osman Digna from your country: We promise protection and pardon to all who come in at once; otherwise the fate of those who fell at El Teb shall surely overtake you; and, if the Government does not approve of the Proclamation, whether they will take steps to obviate the misconception of their policy? The hon. Member said, the Question had been somewhat emasculated and edited. Perhaps, therefore, he had better simply ask the noble Lord whether the Proclamation appearing in The Standard was a substantially correct version; and, if not, what was the correct version? He would also ask, in reference to an expression by the Prime Minister, as reported in The Standard, whether there was any reason to suppose that the Proclamation emanated from General Gordon?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

Sir, I certainly never heard any assertion made that this Proclamation emanated from General Gordon. I believe it is a fact that a Proclamation of this character has been issued by Admiral Hewett and General Graham at Suakin. I am not, however, prepared to guarantee the exact accuracy of the translation of the Arabic original that has been telegraphed to this country. I am not certain, but I apprehend that it has been issued in Arabic, and certainly it appears to be composed in an Eastern style, and very different from that ordinarily adopted in documents of this description addressed to Western people. I am not prepared to say, on behalf of the Government, that they disapprove this Proclamation. I think that, probably, the terms employed are such as were supposed to be most effective for the purpose of inducing the tribes assembled under the leadership of Osman Digna to disperse peaceably, without any further effusion of blood. I think it extremely probable that those who are at Suakin are better acquainted with the circumstances of Osman Digna's private character than we are.